The fall semester is wrapping up and Fall exams are quickly approaching. Exam season can cause many students to feel worried and stressed out about how well they will do. Excessive stress that’s not dealt with can lead to more serious problems than just general exam related stress.
Suzanne Book the director of Counselling and Accessibility Services on campus explains how this can happen.
“chronic ongoing stress, challenging situations, and trauma (that’s left untreated) can then become a mental health issue.”
Full-time Fanshawe students can utilize free counselling services on campus. Counselling and Accessibility Services offers different options to cater to student’s with different mental health needs.
General counselling appointments can be made, often with a two-three week wait. Book says there are options for those who need immediate help.
“We have the crisis centre on campus until December 4th, three nights a week from 5-9p.m”
Book explains that the crisis centre can help make arrangements for students who may require urgent care from other resources in the city and can also help transport them to the hospital if necessary.
Though the crisis centre is a resource for those who are on an extreme end of a spectrum, it can also be utilized by those who may be struggling through panic attacks and other anxiety driven issues. Book urges students who are unsure if they are in a crisis to come in to speak with a counsellor anyway.
Along with crisis support, Fanshawe also offers counselling for students with no appointment necessary.
WellTalk is a single session, one hour, one on one counselling session students can drop by to J 1004 on Monday’s and Wednesday’s between 9 a.m and 3 p.m.
WellTalk is a good tool for students to get things off their chests, and/or in need of helpful coping methods and advice.
“Sometimes students are really motivated to change today…(WellTalk) is not meant to be on-going counselling”
Book mentioned that students can transition to on-going counselling if they find the session to be helpful.
WellTalk sessions are available this semester until December 11. Students who are interested in scheduling an appointment with counselling and accessibility can call 519-452-4282.
If you are struggling and in need of urgent care, please call Reach Out at 1-866-933-2023 for help.
