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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

Support 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.

Depression Support Group

Tuesdays from 5 to 6 p.m., from October 13 to December 15.

Are you feeling sad, isolated, unmotivated, or tired? 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. 

Register for the Depression Support Group

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills Group

Wednesdays from 1 to 3:30 p.m. starting October 7.

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 Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences and will last up to 24 weeks. Sessions will be conducted virtually. If you are interested in joining the DBT Skills Group please email studentlifeline@ontariotechu.ca.

Mindfulness and Self-compassion

Thursdays from 11 to 11:45 a.m.

Did you know that being kind to yourself actually produces better results than listening to the messages from your harsh inner critic?  Join Bonnie Pedota, Student Wellness Coordinator, and your Ontario Tech peers as we learn how to be kinder to ourselves.  Practice mindful self-compassion strategies and meditations in a safe online environment. 

I AM INTERESTED IN JOINING THE MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION SUPPORT GROUP

Recovery College

Three weekly student-driven support groups starting October 5.

Ontario Tech is partnering with Ontario Shores to bring their Recovery College model of student-driven mental health support to Ontario Tech students. Recovery College courses provide education about mental illnesses, treatment options, wellness and ultimately discovering or rediscovering passions, hope, and meaning. The Recovery College can support you in addition to professional therapeutic support by helping you understand your unique challenges and learn how to manage them better in order to pursue your goals. Groups are led by others with "lived experience" of being a student with mental health challenges and are blended with the expertise of mental health practitioners to help participants develop meaningful and practical goals for recovery. Focus is on hope, empowerment, possibility and connection.

See below for descriptions of each support group 'course' description.

Register for a Recovery College Course

 

Recovery College courses

  • The WE to Wellness: Confronting the discomfort together

    Date:

    Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m. from October 5 to November 16

    What will we do?

    Are you feeling worried, nervous or uneasy? Are these emotions leaving you overwhelmed, tired, or drained? Life as a University student can be challenging as it is a time of many changes and uncertainty. From class presentations and midterms to juggling expectations from work, peers, and family, there can be a lot of pressure. On top of that, we are now all trying to navigate the unknowns and the “new normal” due to COVID-19.

    Throughout this 6-week course, we will discuss the symptoms of anxiety which are often physical, as well as mental and emotional. While anxiety can be a normal reaction, too much anxiety can take a toll on your daily life and overall well-being. In this course, you will learn a variety of tools and techniques for managing anxiety so you can confront the discomfort in a positive and healthy way. We will learn from each other about strategies that have worked for us and learn how to create your own wellness plan.

    What will you learn?

    • What anxiety is and how it affects the body.
    • The ways anxiety affects daily life and how to manage.
    • Accessing and navigating mental health services on and off campus.
    • Maintaining boundaries and expectations.
    • Talking about anxiety and how to overcome the stigma surrounding it.
    • How to develop your own wellness plan.
    • Practical tips/strategies to help manage anxiety.

    Register for a Recovery College Course

  • Ontario Tech Chatter

    Date:

    Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. from October 8 to November 19

    What will we do?

    Enjoy an opportunity to connect with peers in a guided, supportive and inclusive environment to ‘chatter’ about topics meaningful to you. We will start off the course with an open discussion about what OTU students would like to discuss and learn about to help inform future classes. While some classes will have overhanging topics decided upon in the first class (e.g., current events, self-care), some classes will remain entirely open for students to guide the conversation topics and engage in thoughtful discussion.

    What will you learn?

    • How to communicate your needs.
    • How to offer support to others.
    • How to elicit feedback and suggestions from peers.

    Register for a Recovery College Course

  • Life Hacks

    Date:

    Fridays from 2 to 3 p.m. from October 9 to November 20

    What will we do?

    Transitioning to life as a university student can be tricky and we often don’t know where to start. Throughout this 6-week course, we will discuss life skills relevant to students living both on and off campus to allow you to ‘work smarter, not harder’.  Join this course and learn how to put your adulting skills into practice. We will explore a range of practical skills including budgeting, setting goals, how to do laundry and meal prep – topics we are often expected to know, but not usually taught and that has most people thinking “I wish I learned that in university”.

    What will you learn?

    • How to create (more income), convert (existing assets into cash) and conserve (what money you have).
    • How to clean, organize and de-clutter your living space, laundry tips to take a load off.
    • Grocery shopping on a budget, ideal for simple and healthy meals, how to meal prep.
    • How to study effectively, learn online, organize notes, and access academic resources.
    • Goal setting the SMART way, how to get and stay motivated and be proactive.
    • The importance of self-care and what that looks like for you – supporting others, sleep, exercise, setting boundaries.
    • Where to find employment opportunities on and off campus, transferrable skills to add to your resume, what does life after graduation look like for you?

    Register for a Recovery College Course