Meet Rachel, our new embedded counsellor for students

Mental wellness is key to academic success. We are pleased to announce a new student service that will expand the mental health support provided by U of T’s Health & Wellness program.

As of January 10, 2018, Rachel Van de Vooren will be our student-focused Wellness Counsellor and will offer brief counselling services tailored to support LDFP students who may be struggling with the many challenges presented by university life.

Rachel is a clinical social worker who has focused her career on working with young adults and youth to improve their well-being, repair relationships, and navigate complex mental health systems. Rachel has worked in a variety of clinical settings including private clinics and large community agencies and most recently, she held the position of Team Lead at the What's up Walk-in clinic at East Metro Youth Services. 

Learn more about Rachel and her work in this Q&A:

Q. What is your role at U of T?

A. I am an embedded counsellor from U of T’s Health and Wellness program, and I support the faculties of Pharmacy and Dentistry, providing short-term counselling to students, as well as providing workshops tailored to the needs of these students.

Q. Why did you decide to focus your career on mental health?

A. I love helping people reconnect with themselves, build resilience, and reach their goals. The people I meet with inspire me every day.

Q. What are the most important skills to build mental wellness?

A. I think that there are a few really simple things we can all do to build our mental wellness; things like getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, squeezing in some physical activity, all go a long way. I also think being connected to a community can be really beneficial: people feel better when they have a network of support people they can reach out to.

Q. Why is it important to talk about mental health?

A. The more we talk about mental health, the more we can reduce the stigma that continues to surround it. I think we have seen a big shift in people’s discussions around mental health, and the theme seems to be that we all struggle from time to time. The more we recognize mental health challenges are a human experience, the more likely people are to seek out help.

Q. What is one thing you do every day for your mental health?

A. I am a big fan of a gratitude journal! I write down a few things at the end of every day that I am grateful for, and read through it whenever I’m feeling down. It’s also great because I spend my day looking for things I can write down later.

To book an appointment with Rachel, all full-time and part-time students can call Health & Wellness at (416) 978-8030 and ask for the Faculty of Pharmacy’s counsellor. The Registrar’s Office can also answer questions about the counselling service.