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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Mental Health Groups

Student Mental Health Services offers a range of groups and workshops to support your mental health. If you would like to participate in one or more groups, please click the respective button and complete the interest form. Each group will only run if sufficient interest is demonstrated.

 

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills group

The Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) informed skills group can provide support in the areas of emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and mindfulness. This group is a collaboration between Ontario Tech University and the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences and will last up to 24 weeks. Sessions will be conducted virtually. If you have any questions about DBT skills group, please email studentlifeline@ontariotechu.ca.
Check back soon for winter semester dates!

Depression Support Group

Are you feeling sad? Isolated? Unmotivated? Very tired?  Hopeless? Do you experience extended periods of low moods or feeling blue? You are not alone.  Join the Depression Support Group to connect with other struggling students and learn coping strategies to help improve your mood and quality of life. This group will run in-person on the north campus. Please note: Registrants are expected to attend all sessions.

Check back soon for details about our next session.

Yoga, Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

Thursdays from January 26 to March 23 | 1:30 to 3 p.m.
South Village Residence (meet in lobby)

Yoga, mindfulness and self-compassion are all effective strategies for managing stress, regulating the nervous system, and improving productivity. Join Bonnie Pedota, Student Wellness Coordinator and Registered Yoga Teacher, and Louise Stiles, Residence Outreach Worker, for eight weeks of gentle movement, inspired learning and soothing meditation. This group is open to all Ontario Tech and Durham College students.

*This group is limited to 15 students. Registrants must confirm that they will be able to attend most sessions.

Register 

Recovery College

 Ontario Tech has partnered with the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences since 2020 to bring the Recovery College model of student-driven mental health support to our students. Recovery College courses are co-designed and co-facilitated by Ontario Tech students.  These courses provide education about mental health and wellness and empower students to discover or rediscover connection, passion, hope and meaning.

Recovery College courses

  • Co-design
    Tuesdays from  January 31 to March 7 | 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
    Location: Virtual 

    If you are interested in informing mental health programming at your school, this is the course for you! We know that you are an expert on your own experiences as an Ontario Tech student. You and seven of your peers will come together to brainstorm ideas for our Spring 2023 Recovery College courses.  You will determine: course names and topics, course content and methods to engage students. We can’t wait to learn and create alongside you!

    What will we learn?

    • Personal recovery movement, co-design and the Recovery College philosophies.
    • How to work as a member of a team to design relevant and impactful courses.
    • How to leverage your experiences navigating wellness as a post-secondary student as a source of strength and value.
    • How to find a sense of empowerment in creating new and innovative courses that meet the needs of post-secondary students.

    Register

  • Wellness through Words: Book Club
    Tuesdays from March 7 to April 4 | 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.
     Shawengijewining Hall, SHA 362

    Are you tired of reading scholarly articles, research proposals, and 1000-page reports? Well, you are in the right place! Our Book Club is a fun and creative space that allows students to read an intriguing book that was carefully curated by Ontario Tech students. Through activities and discussions, we will revitalise our interest in reading for pleasure. We will talk about how reading impacts our lives and what it means to us. 

    In this group, we will explore the ideas in the book We Are Okay by Nina LaCour. In five weekly sessions, we will connect with our peers by exploring the book’s themes, our relationships with reading and the manner in which reading can help us to achieve our wellness goals. There is no pressure to read the book - you can still attend this group and engage in the discussions without a problem.

    We will discuss: 

    • How to practice mindful reading.
    • How to engage in reading without judgment.
    • How we relate to the media and how it can affect our mental health.
    • Topics such as navigating anxiety, depression, isolation and finding ways to bring joy into our lives through humour.

    Register