The academic year is well underway and the Well-being Committee of Saint-Paul University is committed to bringing to the forefront aspects contributing to holistic personal and collective well-being. We hope this semester has been enriching, and we encourage everyone to prioritize their health and well-being.
This year, we have committed to highlighting the eight Pillars of Well-being, and for November, our focus is Emotional health.
What is emotional health?
Emotional health involves recognizing, understanding, expressing, and managing our emotions effectively. It implies fostering resilience, building coping mechanisms, self-awareness, and healthy emotional boundaries, leading to a balanced emotional state and better overall mental health.
We encourage you to take advantage of the initiatives and resources below and explore ways to support your emotional health.
Counselling services for students
Saint Paul University provides free, confidential and bilingual counselling services to all students virtually or in person. These services are available to help you cope with issues affecting your life. For more information, please visit the counselling webpage.
Student Health and Wellness Centre
Saint Paul University students have access to the University of Ottawa’s Student Health and Wellness Centre. This centre is located at 801 King Edward, in room N203 and offers a range of mental and physical health services such as:
- Student support groups provide a safe and confidential space to learn, share and connect with other students.
- Peer support allows students to speak to someone who can relate to the challenges they are facing and get informal emotional support in a judgment-free environment.
- TAO Self-Help tool provides interactive online support to get information, self-awareness and skills to reach your goals.
Emotional wellness toolkit
This online toolkit provides various resources to help you face and adapt to life’s challenges. It offers easy strategies to build resilience, reduce stress, improve sleep, strengthen social connections, cope with loss, and be mindful. To learn more, visit the National Institutes of Health Emotional Wellness Toolkit.
Therapy dog program
Various times
The University of Ottawa therapy dog program is offered at the Wellness Lounge regularly. Therapy dogs can have a positive impact on your mental and physical health and help you cope with homesickness while away at university. Find out more about the program and check the schedule on the therapy dog program webpage.
Certificate in Health and Wellness in the Workplace
For faculty
Gain more knowledge and skill to support your own wellness and mental health and that of your team through this curriculum from University of Ottawa Professional Development Institute. It is designed to provide you with foundational skills to:
- Recognize signs of mental health challenges and communicate empathetically to break down stigma and shame.
- Establish healthy boundaries for personal well-being.
- Enhance resilience and learn strategies to manage physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
- Identify stressors and mitigate stress and negative energy.
- Navigate difficult emotions with mindfulness and self-compassion.
Register for courses on the Certificate in Health and Wellness in the Workplace curriculum page.
Dedicated Support for academic and administrative staff
Saint Paul University has partnered with Homewood Health to provide an assistance program aiming to guarantee continuous support to the personnel by offering coaching and counselling services, and various wellbeing online resources you can navigate one click away.
Registration can be completed following this link. The invitation code is: US2197
