Wellness Lounge
Information Box Group
PGCLL 201
The lounge space is open for all students and is a place to relax, enjoy tea, read, pick up wellness resources, study, and chat with friends. Come by to ask staff and volunteers about our wellness resources, programs, and services.
In this space, you’ll find free tea, a Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) lightbox, an origami station, a colouring corner, and lots of campus and community informational pamphlets.
Workshops & Trainings
Information Box Group
Book a Workshop / Training with the Health Promotion Team
Popular offerings on campus include;
- Mental health 101
- safeTALK (suicide alertness)
- Self-care and community care
- Healthy relationships
- Responsible drinking and cannabis use
- Other related wellness topics
If you are interested in setting up a workshop for your club, event, or group, please contact us at wellness@mcmaster.ca.
Peer Educator Volunteer Program
With support from the Health Promoters at the SWC, volunteer as a Peer Educator to engage students with their wellness and contribute to a healthier campus community.
The Peer Educator program is a student-run health promotion initiative for undergraduate and graduate students overseen by the Student Wellness Centre’s Education team. Each year, Peer Educators develop and implement wellness programs to enhance campus well-being focusing on the topics of; Active Living, Food Literacy, Mental Health, Sexual Health, Substance Use, and Graduate Wellness.
Job Description
Peer Educators are responsible for delivering workshops, providing evidence-based health information, and promoting wellness-related resources available on and off campus. Accordingly, students on our Wellness Outreach Team are ambitious, proactive, and driven toward making a difference on campus.
Learn More: Peer Educator job description
Applications for the 2025-2026 year are now closed.
SWC Peer Educator Excellence Awards
The Student Wellness Centre is grateful for the support of its student volunteers, who support programming and events that cater to the rest of the student body’s wellbeing. We particularly recognize exceptional volunteers through our “Peer Educator Excellence” awards, which are given out on a monthly basis.
View the PDF below to see our current and previous recipients of the award, since the inception of this recognition in January 2025.
Learn More About Our Initiatives
Active Living projects promote movement and activity in an accessible manner amongst all McMaster students, given the incredible scientific support a more active lifestyle has on one’s mental health.
Topics and activities include:
- Physical literacy
- Incorporating activity into student life
- Creating fun and social activities for students to get active
- Exam ‘brain breaks’ with #MacMoves
- Walks through Cootes Paradise through our Walk in Nature Days program
Food Literacy projects aim to increase students’ knowledge of food and nutrition and equip them with the skills needed to prepare food while considering taste, health, culture, and affordability.
Topics and activities include:
- Food skills
- Food security
- Farmer’s Market tours
- Gardening activities
- Cooking sessions through our Food for Thought program
Mental Health projects work to increase students’ knowledge of the many factors that contribute to their own state of mental wellness.
Topics and activities include:
- Resilience
- Self-care
- Building caring and supportive communities
- Stigma reduction
Sexual Health projects focus on educating the McMaster community about the different aspects of sexual health, and what it means to promote a sex-positive environment.
Topics and activities include:
- Healthy relationships
- HIV and STI prevention and testing
- Consent
- Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Gender and sexuality
- Reproductive rights
Substance Use projects use a harm reduction lens to reduce the social, psychological, and biological harms associated with substances like alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco.
Topics and activities include:
- Alcohol, cannabis, and vaping education
- Party kit-making
- Smoke-free campus cigarette butt litter audits
- Normalizing the choice to not use substances
Graduate Wellness
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Graduate Wellness NewsletterEvery two weeks, our Graduate Wellness Outreach Team releases the Graduate Wellness Newsletter, filled with event listings, information about campus and community resources, and tips on improving your own wellness. Graduate Wellness InstagramCheck out the Graduate Wellness Instagram here, be sure to give them a follow! Graduate Wellness Program: Grad Chatshttps://wellness.mcmaster.ca/program/gradchats-drop-in-for-graduate-students/ |
Meet the Health Promotion Team
Health Promotion Team
Cathy Jager
Manager, Nursing and Education
Taryn Aarssen (She/Her)
Wellness Education Coordinator
To me, wellness, is a state of practicing the things that will contribute to a personal state of health and inner peace. It is dependent on other aspects of our life such as access to resources, relationships, identity and the environment we live in.
Interests: I enjoy biking around Hamilton to explore the many trails and parks.
Madison Behr (She/Her)
Health Promoter
For me, wellness speaks to the mental, physical, social, and spiritual needs of a person. In order to be well, we need to meet our needs within these categories- and this will differ from person-to-person!
Interests: Artwork, playing soccer and basketball, and going on family walks.
Jin Hyuk Byun (He/Him)
Health Promoter
In my opinion, wellness means balancing the various aspects of health (physical, mental, spiritual, emotional) to live in a state where we are feeling and functioning the best we can. It involves listening to your given needs and engaging in actions that allow you to flourish, such as finding a form of sustainable and enjoyable exercise, deliberately scheduling “free time” to decompress, or strengthening your support network by socializing with friends and family.
Interests: Playing sports, exploring new restaurants, travelling, and spending time with friends.
Madeline Parr (She/Her)
Communications Coordinator
For me, wellness is a daily commitment to nurturing physical, mental, and emotional well-being through simple yet impactful practices. It’s about embracing self-awareness and self-love, recognizing our needs and treating ourselves with kindness and compassion.
Interests: I enjoy cycling, golfing, skiing, reading, watching sports, and doing my nails.
Student Staff
Amelie Hamlyn-Lovis Herrera (She/Her)
Program Support Assistant
Honours Human Behaviour and Applied Psychology
To me, wellness is holistic—a seamless connection between the body, mind, spirit, and emotions. It’s more than the absence of illness; it’s the ongoing pursuit of growth, self-care, and fulfillment. Balance is vital to wellness as it is the foundation that ensures harmony across all pillars of health. Yet, your approach to wellness is not universal; it is deeply personal, evolving with your unique needs, experiences, and aspirations. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach; we are active agents in life with individual differences.
Interests: Going to the gym, artwork (digital and visual), going on outdoor adventures, spending time with friends
Jayneigh Hesler (She/Her)
Program Support Assistant (Community Garden)
Health Sciences
To me, wellness is all about tuning into yourself. How can you interpret what your body is telling you and translate it into lifestyle changes that bring you more balance?
Interests: Rock climbing, gardening, snowboarding, salamander hunting and making coffee!!
Sambiro Kitawi (She/Her)
Program Support Assistant
Honours Life Science
Wellness, to me, means finding balance in all areas of my life—mind, body, and spirit. It’s about doing things that bring me peace, like journaling once a week to reflect, or working out to boost my mood and confidence. I’ve also been reconnecting with my faith, which gives me a deeper sense of purpose. Spending time with friends, family, and building community especially around my Kenyan heritage is important too. Most of all, I’m learning to give myself grace as I grow. Wellness is a journey, not a destination.
Interests: Working out, Cooking, baking, and going to jazz clubs.
Michael Sampaio (He/Him)
Communications Assistant
Honours Kinesiology
To me, wellness means integrating habits into my daily routine that support both my physical and mental health. It also means allowing time for enjoyable but less healthy activities like watching TV or playing video games, and understanding that being too hard on yourself for missing these habits is counterproductive.
Interests: I enjoy walking my dog, reading, biking, and thrifting. My top hobby is exercising, which has taught me discipline and commitment.
Aaliah Bint Sadoon (She/Her)
MPH Practicum Student
To me, wellness can be broken down into a couple of categories, which are mental, physical, and spiritual. Mental wellness means taking the steps needed to manage stress effectively. Physical wellness is about feeling energetic and taking the time to rest/sleep. Spiritual wellness is about feeling connected to Allah through prayer and reflection. I truly believe that wellness cannot be achieved overnight; rather, it is a gradual process, and it’s okay to ask for help along the way.
Interests: I love to dance, sing, spend time with family and friends, and watch TV shows.