Dear Students,
With the fall term in full swing and midterms underway, now is a crucial time to communicate the health and wellness supports that are available to all students, both within the Faculty and U of T-wide.
LDFP Supports
Wellness Counsellor: Leah Direnfeld
Leah is our Faculty’s dedicated student-focused Wellness Counsellor who provides brief counselling services tailored to support those who may be struggling with the challenges presented by university life.
To schedule an appointment: call 416-978-8030 (select option “5”) to register and schedule your first appointment with Leah who is available Monday through Fridays.
Pharmacy Registrar’s Office
Our Registrar’s Office can also help answer student questions about counselling services available. If you’re not sure who to contact, or need help navigating services, please contact: Brenda Thrush at brenda.thrush@utoronto.ca.
U of T Supports
Health & Wellness Services
U of T Health & Wellness offers a range of medical, mental health and health promotion services and programs. Health & Wellness appointments are currently being offered virtually, via phone or secure video conferencing and limited in-person medical appointments are available.
Their medical and mental health providers provide mental health support, including brief and short-term counselling and psychotherapy services, medication management, workshops, and therapy groups for a range of concerns, including for adjustment and transition issues, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationship and family issues, body image and eating issues, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc. To register for a virtual wellness workshops, please check the calendar of events on CLNX.
Click here to book an appointment.
Peer Support Program
This new program is led by trained, second-year Masters of Social Work students working with Health & Wellness staff. It’s available to any student who would like:
- Support from a trained peer if they’re struggling
- Advice on and referrals to resources that meet students’ unique needs
- A safe, confidential, and accessible space to share whatever is on their mind and ask questions
Students living in Ontario can access the program here on a drop-in basis on Wednesdays and Thursdays between noon and 5:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact: peersupport@utoronto.ca.
Health & Wellness Single Session Counselling Service
Health and Wellness counsellors are available for same-day, single-session counselling on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for help with issues like exam stress, relationship problems, sadness or nervousness and more. Single-session appointments are for students looking to address a specific concern (new or longstanding) and may be a good fit for students who are uncertain about pursuing ongoing counselling services.
To book an appointment, please call the Health & Wellness Centre at 416-978-8030 (option 5) or click here to visit the website. Counsellors will meet with students virtually by secure video conferencing or by phone on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This service is not a route to ongoing therapy and does not replace crisis services.
U of T My Student Support Program
The U of T My SSP program helps students get help and advice for a variety of concerns, including immediate and brief ongoing counselling support by calling 1-844-451-9700. Outside of North America, call 001-416-380-6578.
A second support line that students can contact is Good2Talk at 1-866-925-5454. For emergencies, please call 911.
Navi: Student Mental Health Wayfinder
Navi is an anonymous tool that helps students navigate mental health resources and make decisions about seeking appropriate supports. It is a chat-based service that acts as a virtual assistant for students wanting to learn more about the mental health supports available to them at U of T.
Click here to use the Navi tool and click here for more information about the service.
U of T Events & Webinars
If you’re looking for opportunities to learn more about building resilience and wellness, consider attending one of the following upcoming Health & Wellness workshops:
- Building Resilience through Self-Compassion: Learn about fostering self-compassion to help motivate with encouragement, rather than self-criticism, as well as strategies to help build resilience. Open to Graduate Students only. Monday, October 26, from 1-3:00PM
- Hacking Perfectionism to Boost Success: This workshop will empower you to better understand how perfectionism keeps your goals out of reach. Thursday, October 29, from 12-1:30PM
Sign up soon, as space is limited. If you have any questions about any of these workshop sessions, please reach out to health.promotion@utoronto.ca.
Wishing you a healthy and productive term,
Lisa Dolovich,
Professor & Dean
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto