Health & Wellness Resources

The University of St. Michael’s College is dedicated to supporting your wellness journey, by fostering a caring and healthy environment that nurtures personal and academic success.   

Using the below drop-down menus, navigate resources, supports, and services available at SMC, University of Toronto’s St. George campus, and within the wider Toronto community.

In need of urgent help?

If you are: feeling desperate and hopeless, worried you might hurt yourself, someone else, or having suicidal thoughts, or are alone with no one to talk to.

If you have: made a plan, the means to hurt yourself or someone else (e.g. pills or a weapon), attempted suicide or hurt yourself before.

CALL 9-1-1 if at immediate risk.

24/7 Counselling Services

U of T Telus Health Student Support: If you are in Canada or anywhere else in the world, you can call or text with a counsellor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and service is available in multiple languages. Call 1-844-451-9700 in Canada or the United States, outside of North America call 001-416-380-6578, or download the app to chat with a counsellor.

Good2Talk: If you are in Canada, call the Good2Talk student helpline for post-secondary students at 1-866-925-5454. Good2Talk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also choose to chat by text: Text GOOD2TALKON to 686868.

Gerstein Crisis Centre: Call 416-926-5200 to access telephone counselling (over-the-phone interpretation services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in over 180 languages through the RIO network), an in-person mobile crisis team, and community support referrals.

Helplines & Same-Day Counselling

University of Toronto same-day counselling appointments are offered during regular Health & Wellness clinic hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00-5:00pm). Book an appointment by calling Health & Wellness at 416-978-8030 (select option 5). Remember to fill out your forms accurately and on time so that both you and the counsellor are as prepared as possible.

For immediate assistance outside of clinic hours, please call U of T Telus Health Student Support at 1-844-451-9700 (outside of North America, call: 001-416-380-6578), or download the app to talk with a counsellor.

Canada Suicide Prevention Service phone counselling available 24/7:  1-833-456-4566

Catholic Family Services: to arrange for an Online Quick Access Single Session, call 416-921-1163 or 416-222-0048 and leave a message with your name and contact information.

To get health advice or general health information from a Registered Nurse after hours or on weekends, call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or visit the Telehealth website.

Supports & Services on the SMC Campus

Resource Navigation: Emily VanBerkum-Farahat, MDiv, MSW, RSW, is SMC’s Manager of Community Wellness. All students and residents of St. Michael’s are welcome to meet with Emily (a registered social worker) during weekly wellness drop-in hours (Mondays, 2-4pm) or by appointment. A ‘Resource Navigation Appointment,’ offered in-person and virtually, is a one-on-one, first stop support to help co-identify needs, explore options, and assist with referrals.

To schedule an appointment with Emily, please:
-Email: emily.vanberkum@utoronto.ca, or
-Use Outlook Bookings Calendar: Book time with Emily VanBerkum-Farahat.

Counselling: Nicole Lacy, MSEd, RP, is SMC’s Wellness Counsellor. All students and residents of St. Michael’s are welcome to set up an on-campus, individual counselling appointment with a registered psychotherapist. To schedule an appointment with Nicole, please email nicole.lacy@utoronto.ca. 

The Wellness Studio at St. Michael’s College is a space that promotes unity of the mind, body, and soul through physical activity, movement, and mindfulness. In this space, weekly programming of small class sizes will be offered to students as an opportunity to unwind, reflect, build strength and skills, and meditate.

Wellness Studio classes (such as yoga, Taijutsu, dance fitness, boxing, crochet, and martial arts) are offered from September to April annually and operate on a drop-in basis. To view the weekly schedule of class times, and to indicate your interest in attending classes, sign up here.

To book the Wellness Studio for personal use, please sign up here.

Wellness Events & Trainings: There is a variety of on-campus programs and activities that empower students and community members to prioritize self-care and explore all dimensions of wellbeing.

Check out the STUDENT LIFE CALENDAR to learn more about weekly and monthly wellness programming, such as Mindful Mondays, Wellness Studio offerings, visits from therapy dogs, and arts-based activities.

For the Office of the Registrar and Student Services, Ask.smc@utoronto.ca offers a single point of access for students to find the help they need, including:

Academic Success Learning Strategists support students in all areas of learning and academic performance. Appointments with Kathleen Ogden can be arranged through ask.smc@utoronto.ca. Additional resources for academic success are available through University of Toronto Student Life.  

Accessibility Services at the University of Toronto can help students with temporary and permanent accessibility needs receive necessary academic accommodations. St. Michael’s accessibility advisor can be reached through ask.smc@utoronto.ca, and more information about registering for services is available through University of Toronto Student Life. 

The Writing Centre at the John M. Kelly Library at St. Michael’s offers one-on-one appointments for students looking for guidance on all aspects of the writing process, from researching and outlining to drafting and editing. Focused research help is also available.

St. Michael’s Career Educator Husna Arif helps students with exploring career options, applications for grad school, and other plans for after graduation. To schedule digital appointments email ask.smc@utoronto.ca. 

The Office of the Dean of Students makes peer-to-peer support available for all St. Michael’s students, such as:

The Mentorship Program pairs incoming students with upper-year students who can connect them to academic and wellness-focused resources.

The Commuter Coordinator and Residence Don teams connect students in their constituencies to the larger St. Michael’s community.

The St. Michael’s College Student Union (SMCSU) has recently voted to elect two new positions for the 2021-22 academic year: a Vice President of Mental Health and Accessibility, and a Vice President of International Community Outreach. SMCSU also provides funding for student-led groups such as St. Mike’s Wellness Council and SMC Inclusive.

St. Michael’s is filled with spaces that are designed to help students learn, connect, and grow. Take a video tour of the campus to learn more. 

Click here to download the ‘Health & Wellness Resources‘ postcard for a quick guide!

*Bookmark this link on your phone or computer.

If you need help navigating resources and services:

Mental Health Services

University of Toronto’s webpage makes it easier for students to find mental health services & resources on all three campuses, as well as those of partner organizations in the community. You can even develop your own mental health toolkit.

Health & Wellness – UofT Student Life

The Health & Wellness Centre at UofT offers a variety of resources, including a newsletter and peer support services.

Navi highlights institutional resources on each campus, along with some off-campus resources, including 24/7 crisis lines.  

Additional Resources for Holistic Well-Being:

  • The U of T Campus Safety App is a critical resource to support the safety and well-being of our community. It is available for free download at Google Play and the Apple App Store. It integrates with U of T’s safety and security systems to help students, faculty, staff, and librarians move more safely on and off-campus.  The U of T Campus Safety App includes the following features: 
    • Live Chat with Campus Safety feature immediately connects users with U of T Campus Safety staff, who are available on all three campuses 24 hours/7 days a week  
    • The Mobile Bluelight feature sends the user’s location on one of U of T’s campuses to Campus Safety in case of crisis 
    • The Virtual TravelSafer feature allows Campus Safety to monitor a user’s route by user request when coming to or leaving one of U of T’s campuses until reaching a destination 
  • Bounce Back Ontario 1-866-345-0224: a free skill-building program designed to help young adults manage symptoms of depression and anxiety
  • Togetherall: 24/7 Online chat-based resource moderated by clinically trained guides, anonymous peer support, and self-guided courses that offers self-help programs, creative outlets, and virtual community
  • Be Safe: An evidence-informed safety planning and service navigation app to help young adults find local resources for support

For other resources and services in Toronto, call or visit 2-1-1.

In case of emergency,
please call 9-1-1 or visit your nearest hospital.