51�鱨վ

"Mental health and mental illness are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing.

"Mental health” is a concept similar to “physical health”: it refers to a state of well-being. Mental health includes our emotions, feelings of connection to others, our thoughts and feelings, and being able to manage life’s highs and lows.

The presence or absence of a mental illness is not a predictor of mental health; someone without a mental illness could have poor mental health, just as a person with a mental illness could have excellent mental health."

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How 51�鱨վ supports mental wellness:

Direct Support Services

• Counselling Services
  • Contact to book an appointment
  • Groups and workshops
  • After hours emergency
• International Student Counselling
• Indigenous Student Services
• • Social Connectedness through clubs and leaderships groups
• Wellness events
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  • Zen Zone during exams
  • Wellness Fair and therapy dogs

Additional Mental Health Resources

• connects students with mental health support when they need it. Access free, confidential counselling and community referral services, 24/7 via app, phone and web.
• Anxiety:  has Anxiety resources, self-help exercises and printable handouts on common anxiety concerns. 
• Depression:  has information on depression. It covers What it is? Could I have it? Where to go from here? and everything in between.
• Suicide Prevention: The  has information on how to help yourself or someone you are concerned about who may be considering suicide. Their FAQ page is a great place to start.
• The has a 24 Hour Crisis Line for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their Residential School experience.
• offers a directory of BIPOC therapists who are committed to values supporting BIPOC in all intersections. And the  raises and distributes funds to connect Black community members with accredited local Black counsellors and therapists.

Self-care is any activity that we do to prioritize and take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.

Self care can be practiced regularly in small doses. It can include eating when you are hungry, going for a walk after class, or attending a peer tutor session for support when you are feeling confused in class. 

Self-care is key to improved mood and reduced anxiety, as a well as a good relationship with oneself and others. Not attending to self care risks your wellness and invites burnout. 

Self-care is not only about considering our needs; it is about knowing what we need to do in order to take care of ourselves so that we are able to take care of others as well.

How 51�鱨վ supports self-care:

• Self-care is a combination of many of the above topics. Here are some other initiatives in self-care that 51�鱨վ supports:
  • Safe Walk program
  • Fitness classes such as yoga, zumba, and a drop-in Fitness Centre
  • Mindfulness & Self-Care Virtual Workshops
  • Counselling Services
  • Indigenous Student Services 
  • Social events for students hosted by Student Life and the
  •  Long Night Against Procrastination events hosted by the

• Additional Self Care Resources:

  • Active Minds Self Care Tips:  

  • Discusses what self-care is, why it’s important and how to create a self-care plan. Provides tips and strategies for managing stress, building resilience, and prioritizing personal well-being.  

Physical activity resources

• 51�鱨վ Recreation
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Sleep hygiene resources

• Printable  &  templates

Local resources:

Online nutrition resources:

• by the Dietitians of Canada - Nutrition, Cooking Tips and Receipts 

Easy and healthy recipes for college students:

• Eating well on a budget:

Eating disorders and body image resources:

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"Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity."

Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence[...]"

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What is Sexual Health? 

How 51�鱨վ supports sexual health:

• Free condoms available at the 51�鱨վ Students’ Union (DSU) and at Student Wellness Awareness Network & Consent events
• Wellness Health Fair every semester at both campuses with sexual health information

Sexual health resources:

•  - Find clinics and resources or contact the anonymous phone line to talk about sexual health.
•  - Learn more about sex and sexual health.
• - Learn about STIs, testing options, find clinics, or chat with a nurse online.
•  - HIM has five health centres throughout the Lower Mainland and is a non-profit society that supports the health and well-being of gay men and other gender diverse folks.
•  - The Youth Clinic, for youth aged 21 and under, is located at 38 Begbie Street, New Westminster, and has nurses on-site to provide services including: birth control education & provision, pregnancy testing + decision making, STI information, examinations + treatment; and HIV education + testing. No appointments necessary.
• - The BCCDC diagnoses, treats and provides information about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at its clinic in Vancouver. The clinic provides testing and treatment for STIs, including HIV, counselling services, and Gardasil (HPV) and Hepatitis A and B vaccines for people who meet eligibility criteria. The clinic is free and confidential, and MSP is not required.
• - Provides specialized medical care for survivors of recent violence and those living at high risk for violence.  

Substance use refers to the use of drugs or alcohol, and also includes substances such as cannabis, vapes, tobacco or cigarettes, or cocaine. It is typical for young people to experiment with alcohol or other substances. The effects of substance use have varying benefits and harm depending on multiple factors during consumption, such as the quantity and frequency of consumption, present mood & surroundings, and past exposure to substances. It’s important to be informed and aware of why and how you use substances so you can manage risk and prioritize the care and safety of yourself and others.  

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How 51�鱨վ promotes the reduction or elimination of substance use:

• Counselling Services
• Awareness events and campaigns

General Substance Use Supports:

Financial wellness refers to “effectively managing your economic life. [Which involves] keeping spending within one’s means, being financially prepared for emergencies, having access to the information and tools necessary to make good financial decisions, and having a plan for the future.”

How 51�鱨վ supports student financial wellness:

• Financial Aid office
  • Bursaries and scholarships
  • Emergency funding
• Free tax return filing assistance through the 
•  - Interactive tools to help save, plan and pay for post-secondary education 
• Budgeting for Student Life to learn where your money goes and to make a plan for the future
• StudentAid BC  - Calculate how much you will need to attend school.
•  - Offers ways to save money and how to make smart financial choices

There is a variety of wellness resources available to support the well-being of individuals who identify as LGBTQ2S+ in the Metro Vancouver area including:

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•  - BC's Queer Resource Centre, responds to the needs of BC’s queer communities and helps them thrive.
• - Connects trans people, their loved ones and clinicians with information, education, training and support. 
• - information and support for LGBTQ2S+ people and their families, parents, families, friends, co-workers and others 
• (HIM)- non-profit supporting the health and well-being of gay, bi, and queer (GBQ) men and other gender diverse people in BC 
• - non-profit society for queer South Asians and their friends, families and allies in Metro-Vancouver, BC