Group Counselling & Peer-Led Mental Health and Wellness Groups

College often leaves many students feeling stuck and unhappy in their lives. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) supports you to build self-awareness of what may be keeping you stuck and learn how to live a life guided by your values. This group welcomes everyone looking for a change and has well-researched benefits for symptoms of anxiety and depression

In this group, you will:

• Learn and practice mindfulness skills
• Accept challenging emotions and thoughts
• Identify and explore your personal values.
• Learn to choose value-guided actions in your life.

Program details:

• Meetings will take place Tuesdays from 11 am-12:30 pm starting September 24, for 8 weeks, until November 19.
• This is an in-person group.
• This group is free.
• This group does not meet during mid-term break week (October 22)
• Space is limited.
• This group takes place in E333 (Counselling Services, 3rd floor, Student Commons). Please check in with the Welcome Centre when you arrive.

Registration:

If you are interested in attending this group, please register with the Welcome Centre (3rd Floor, Student Commons) by dropping by, calling 613 727 4723 ext. 7200, or emailing welcomecentre@algonquincollege.com

Looking to improve as a student? Register today for Thriving in Action, an 11-week program designed to help you reach your goals. Thriving in Action is a program that will help you learn to thrive in both your academic and personal life. In this group session, students will meet weekly to learn key skills to increase motivation, optimism, and resilience.

What you need to know:

• This is a holistic 11-week program (running over Reading Week) that students can attend in person or virtually. Sessions are:
  • In person in room C263: Wednesdays, from 11 am-1 pm, September 18 to November 27
  • Virtual: Wednesdays, from 4 pm-5:30 pm, September 18 to November 27
• Personal commitment to the program is the strongest predictor of successful outcomes! Be prepared to attend all weeks to get the most out of this meaningful initiative.
• Thriving in Action welcomes all students with a variety of life experiences. This includes (but isn’t limited to):
  • Students accessing Counselling Services
  • Students registered with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL)
  • Students on academic probation
  • Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, racialized, and minority students
  • Mature students
  • International students
  • Working students
  • Students raising or caring for families

You will also be introduced to learning strategies that will improve your time management and study skills. It’s not too late to turn things around, and it’s never too late to learn how to flourish!

Click here to learn more and register!

In person space is limited, online is unlimited.

Presented by Counselling Services and the Centre for Accessible Learning. This program has been adapted with permission from Toronto Metropolitan University’s ThriveRU.

Notice: Winter 2025 updates coming soon!

Are you looking to take your well-being and personal growth to new heights? Join Elevate, a counsellor-led group for college men. Elevate provides an opportunity to engage in conversations and skill-building around challenges relevant to men. Areas of discussion include – but aren’t limited to! – assertive communication, emotional awareness, and identifying what matters to you. Skills will be based on an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach.

Group details:

• Meetings will take place on Mondays between 11:30 am and 1 pm, from January 20 to March 31.
• There will be no meetings on February 17 or February 24.
• This group is in-person, drop-in style, and free.
• This group is open to all male-identifying Algonquin College students. No registration is required, just drop in!

If you are interested in attending this group, please check in at the Welcome Centre (3^rd Floor, E Building) 10 minutes before the group. The maximum number of participants is 8 and it will be first-come, first-served.

If you have any questions, feel free to email Doug Blad at bladd@algonquincollege.com.

During Spill the Tea, Hollie Sabourin, the Culturally-Inclusive Sexual Health Education Coordinator, will host frank discussions and answer questions related to sexuality, sexual health, consent, kink, and dating.

Get ready to hear Hollie share the hot tea on sexuality this Fall! Open to all Algonquin College students and alumni. No registration required!

Brought to you by Project Lighthouse.

Program details:

• Meetings will take place Tuesdays, from 1 pm-2 pm, from October 8 until December 17.
• This is an in-person group.
• This group is free.
• This group does not meet during the mid-term break (October 22).

This group takes place beside the Welcome Centre in the Student Health & Wellness Zone (3rd Floor, Student Commons). Attendees will receive a reusable ceramic mug and free tea and coffee.

Project Lighthouse: Shining a light on sexual violence and navigating healthy sexual relationships.

This drop-in group is a blend of a drop-in time and discussion-based group time.  Queer Support is a safe and inclusive space on campus dedicated to fostering support, understanding, and empowerment for queer college students.

Our group is committed to creating a supportive environment that celebrates diversity and encourages open dialogue. Whether you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or anywhere else on the spectrum, Queer Support is a space where you can be your authentic self without judgment. We welcome students from all walks of life and backgrounds.

Details:

• Meetings will take place on Tuesdays from 2 pm-3:30 pm and Thursdays, from 12 pm- 1:30 pm, starting September 10 until December 19.
• This is an in-person group.
• This group is free.
• This group takes place in the Library Learning Lab (room C263). Just drop in!

Join Counselling Services every Thursday, from 2 pm-3 pm, for Lust & Learn!

Are you ready to embark on a journey toward fulfilling and satisfying connections? At these drop-in sessions, you will learn about the essential practical skills that contribute to a healthy and vibrant sexual life and meaningful relationships.

Our facilitator will guide you through a series of interactive sessions, providing you with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of intimacy and strengthen your relationships. Whether you’re single or in a partnership(s), this workshop is for everyone seeking to deepen their understanding of healthy sexuality and cultivate fulfilling connections. Come ready to learn and ask questions.  Drop in for any topic that interests you.

Session Schedule:

• Sept. 19: Discovering Your Relationship Wants and Desires
• Sept. 26: Communicating Your Relationship Wants and Desires
• Oct. 3: Setting Healthy Boundaries
• Oct. 10: Saying and Hearing, “No,” Like a Pro
• Oct. 17: Responding Effectively to Jealousy
• Oct. 24: No Session / Mid-Term Break 
• Oct. 31: Self-Care and Self in Relationships
• Nov. 7: Relationship Repairs
• Nov. 14: Sex as a Buffet (Learning Sexual Creativity)
• Nov. 21: No Session
• Nov. 28: No Session
• Dec. 5: Initiating Tough Topics/Desire Differences
• Dec. 12: Overcoming Ineffective Behaviours to Get Needs Met

Our sessions are a safe and inclusive space, fostering a supportive environment for learning and growth. You’ll have the opportunity to engage in thought-provoking discussions, participate in hands-on exercises, and receive guidance from our knowledgeable facilitator. We believe that by combining knowledge, practical skills, and a dash of curiosity, you can unlock the full potential of healthy sexuality and relationships.

Open to all Algonquin College students. No registration is required. Feel free to attend only one session or all of them! This event will be held in the Student Health & Wellness Zone (3rd Floor, Student Commons).

• Build and maintain motivation
• Cope with urges
• Manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviours
• Live a balanced life

• Meetings will take place on Thursdays from 2 pm-3 pm, starting September 19 and runs until December 12.
• There will be no SMART group on Thursday, October 24, during the midterm break.
• This group is in-person, drop-in, and free.
• This group is open to all Algonquin College students (part-time, online, full-time)

• Tolerate painful emotions
• Work with your emotions instead of getting rid of them
• Maintain and improve your relationships
• Gain core mindfulness skills that will help you understand yourself and your emotional responses.

• Meetings will take place on Fridays, from 12 pm- 1 pm, starting  September 27 through December 19
• This group is drop-in, in-person, and free.

Notice: Mindful Moments is cancelled as of November 6, 2024. Please check back for more details and look out for other mindfulness events!

Whether you’re just starting your mindfulness journey or have a seasoned mindfulness practice, we warmly welcome you to join a drop-in hour dedicated to supporting student wellness through practicing mindfulness and meditation practices.

These skills can help you be more present in your life, reduce stress, improve your ability to respond to emotions, and improve your relationships!

Program details:

• Meetings will take place Tuesdays, from 3 pm-4 pm, starting September 17.
• This group will take place in Room E204 (2nd Floor, E Building).
• This is an in-person group.
• This group is free.
• This group does not meet during the midterm break (Tuesday, October 22).

Presented in Collaboration with the Spiritual Centre and Counselling Services.

During Snack Chats, you can connect with the Health and Wellness Zone Student Peers. The Peers will give out yummy snacks and chat about any topics that you as a student might be interested in.

Brought to you by Student Health and Wellness Zone.

Program details:

• Meetings will take place Mondays and Fridays, from 11 am-12 pm, starting the week of September 16 until December 20.
• This group does not meet during the mid-term break (October 21 and October 25).
• This is an in-person group.
• This group is free and drop-in.

This group takes place beside the Welcome Centre in the Student Health & Wellness Zone (3rd Floor, Student Commons). Attendees will receive free tea and coffee and a variety of snacks.

Please note: Glitter & Gab is cancelled on Nov. 29. We’ll see you the following week!

During Glitter and Gab, you can connect with the Health and Wellness Zone Student Peers. Come make a new craft each week and chat with one of our peers. Each week you will make a new craft to take home and learn some new crafty skills.

 Brought to you by the Student Health and Wellness Zone.

Program details:

• Meetings will take place on Fridays from 1:30 pm-3 pm, from September 27 to December 13
• This is an in-person, drop-in group.
• This group is free.
• This group does not meet during the mid-term break (October 25).

This group takes place beside the Welcome Centre in the Student Health & Wellness Zone (3rd Floor, Student Commons). Attendees will receive free tea and coffee and a craft to take home.

Getting Started and Avoiding Procrastination – From To Do to Done: “If I’d just started earlier, I could have done so much better.” Although many students claim to work better under the pressure of deadlines, not having enough time to complete assignments can mean that you are not reaching your potential as a student. Learn to maximize your marks by starting early and breaking down your assignments into manageable parts using an “assignment tracker.” This workshop is also about sharing techniques that will help you break the habit of putting off work and learn strategies to avoid procrastination.

Creating Meaningful Connections – Building Healthy Friendships and Relationships: Having close friendships and relationships is seen as one way to improve mental and physical well being but creating and maintaining relationships is tough. Join us for this session to learn about the benefits of creating meaningful connections and start to learn some basics on how to create them and measure for yourself if they are healthy relationships.

Say Yes to Less Stress: Balancing your course-load and personal commitments can be a stressful experience for many college students. This workshop, led by an Algonquin College counsellor, will help students learn more about stress. It will also introduce practical strategies to help with stress management so that you can focus better on your learning!

Communicating Effectively for College/Workplace Success: Communication and interpersonal skills are fundamental to success, inside or outside of school or the workplace. This workshop will look at communication techniques to improve relationships, improve interpersonal skills for work and school success and help us examine ways to improve our current communication skills.

Rock the Clock: Managing your time and keeping on top of your work are the keys to success as a college student. This workshop will introduce you to some simple techniques to plan your time more effectively. A learning strategist will teach you how to build an “Ideal Weekly Schedule” and a “Semester Plan,” and you will also discuss good techniques for getting into a routine to stay on top of your work.

Resilience: Our current reality is an unusual and difficult time for everyone. In your studies, you may be experiencing some additional stress or setbacks, which could be impacting your wellness. Join this session for a discussion on building your resiliency in times of difficulty so that you can bounce back from challenges and overcome obstacles.

Learning to Learn Online: While learning online has many advantages, it poses unique challenges for many people.  Come to this workshop to learn more about the ins and outs of learning in an online environment, including your responsibilities as student.  Learn tips and tricks that can help you optimize your time and learn more effectively.  Feeling lost in cyber-space? — discover on-campus resources that may be able to help.

Study Smart: Practice makes perfect! If you want to feel more comfortable with new material, you need to review regularly and actively! Trade in straight reading for techniques that will allow you to rehearse material, test yourself, and come up with memory devices. Learn how to prioritize your studying and focus on the material that really matters. The techniques introduced in this session will help throughout the semester, as well as leading up to exams.

Make it Stick: It can be challenging to listen to your professors while also writing class notes . . . and how do you balance all of the readings that you need to get through, anyway? Come to this workshop to learn more about different note-taking systems, and figure which one best fits your courses and your own learning style.

Perfectionism – Taming Your Inner Critic:  Perfectionism is a trait that is often associated with achievement and success. It’s OK to want to work hard and achieve a goal, but the question is “at what cost?”. If you are picky and have too high of standards and want to feel better, reduce stress and enjoy your life more, then this workshop will cover ways to tame the inner critic to allow you to live the life you want.

Ace that Test, Part 1: This workshop will help you to plan out your time in the weeks leading up to exams so that you have enough time to study each subject. It will also introduce the “Stoplight Study Technique” to help you determine what material you need to cover. Other strategies will include active study techniques and memory tools that can improve your exam results.

Ace that Test: For many students, exam time can be filled with stress, anxiety, and worry. This workshop will help you to better access the material that you have learned while studying so that you can demonstrate all that you have learned during the semester.  There will be a focus on strategies to reduce anxiety in testing situations.

Have your final exams been switched to open book?  Never had an open book exam and wonder what it might look like?  . . . before you celebrate and decide that you don’t even need to study, come to our “Preparing for and Writing Open Book Exams” Workshop offered online through Zoom.

This 30-minute workshop will tell you more about what to expect from an open book exam and how to best prepare, depending on the type of exam.  The facilitator will give practical tips on how to set up your workspace, how to avoid possible academic offences (such as sharing information with classmates or plagiarism), and how to minimize issues with technology.  Be informed about this type of exam so that you can do your best on your upcoming exams!

Secrets to Creating Great Group Projects: Do you cringe when your professors assign group projects? Do you dread completing these projects because you know it’s going to be difficult to get everyone on board to get the job done? This workshop will teach you how to set expectations, assign roles and responsibilities, create standards for your group to follow, facilitate communication, and increase motivation in your group so that your group can work together to successfully complete your project.

Tame Your Temper – Emotion Regulation Strategies:  As hard as we may try to stay calm, situations always arise that push our buttons. While feeling anger isn’t a bad thing, it is important to constructively express that anger. This workshop helps us recognize our emotions related to anger and how we can constructively express our needs and manage outbursts.

Email communication is one of the easiest ways to reach out to professors, staff, and other students to share information or ask quéstions in a college setting. But how can you make sure that you are communicating clearly and effectively using email? And when should you use another form of communication instead? This session will explore the pros and cons of relying on email communication and share tips to make your emails professional and easy to read. There will be a focus on communicating with college professionals, especially professors. Several templates and examples will be provided to help you with emails regarding common requests.

Whether you are concerned about time management, organization, studying, or finding balance in your life, being a truly effective student really comes down to the habits that you cultivate every day. Learn about the basics of habit formation, including tips for making new habits easy and manageable by using the “Four Laws of Behavior Change.” Discover how these laws can be used to both build positive habits and eliminate negative ones. By the end of the session, participants will have the chance to create an “ABC Recipe Card” and commit to a new academic habit. Who knows? Maybe this habit will change your life as a student!