The Student Wellness Centre is the home of medical, emotional, and mental health services and supports for students on campus.
Here are the most important things we think incoming students (and all Laurier students) should know about us, so you can get support when you need it, so you can thrive at Laurier.
The SWC is an on-campus medical and counselling clinic that you can visit when you need health care or support.
Please note that we do not offer online booking for concerns that are sudden, urgent, or related to mental health because we want to talk to you to make sure you get the right help as promptly as you need it.
The Student Wellness Centre is for all registered students. Every Laurier student is entitled to access our services even if you opted out of your student health and dental plan.
The Student Wellness Centre has offices on all campuses, but most of the time, you will have appointments at your home campus to ensure you receive the best and most consistent care.
Students who are studying remotely have access to a range of health and wellness supports that vary based on you location.
If you are inside Ontario:
If you are outside Ontario:
Our physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and counsellor/psychotherapists are regulated provincially. The are not licences to practice across provincial borders, so they cannot see you remotely if you are outside Ontario.
We are open all year, including fall and winter reading weeks, during exams, and over the summer. Our current hours are always posted here. We also post all special hours and closures for the term here.
Don't forget that the Student Wellness Centre is closed when the university is closed, including for bad weather and snow days.
Most of the services we offer in the Student Wellness Centre are funded by student fees that you can't opt out of. That means that we don’t charge fees when you visit us for counselling or medical care. Appointments with the doctor are paid for by your provincial health insurance card (your green OHIP card, if you are from Ontario), or with your UHIP or Guard Me insurance for most international students.
We do charge up-front fees for appointments with the chiropractor and physiotherapist. We also charge a fee for third-party physicals and some other uninsured services. If you are going to be charged a fee, we will tell you ahead of time and make sure you agree and understand why.
The counsellor/psychotherapists in the Student Wellness Centre are generalists, and they are all experienced in many therapeutic modalities. Our counsellors are all equipped to deliver excellent service within our short-term, goal-directed model of care. We offer a variety of options, including counsellors who serve black and racialized students and indigenous students, and we have partnered with some faculties to offer appointments in locations across campus. Your counselling appointment can be held in-person, by phone, or virtually.
When you book an initial counselling appointment, you will be booked with the first counsellor available who fits your schedule. If the first person you see wasn't the right fit, let us know. We would be happy to book you with someone else.
All of the staff and clinicians in the Student Wellness Centre are governed by provincial privacy legislation, and we will never talk about you with anyone without your prior permission.
That means that we will not discuss you with any third party, including concerned friends, Laurier faculty or staff outside the SWC, or your parents, even if you are under 18. We will also not disclose if you have contacted us, made an appointment, or even that we have a record for you in our office.
Visit our full privacy and confidentiality statement for more information. Please note that under the regulatory requirements of some clinicians (e.g. counsellor/psychotherapists), there are rare circumstances where privacy is limited to help ensure your safety. Ask your provider about this when you come for a visit.
The Student Wellness Centre recognizes and supports the richness of human diversity and reflects the values of cultural, ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation differences. We continually strive to approach our work from anti-racist and anti-oppressive perspectives to help you to feel valued, safe, and welcome every time you interact with us.
Visit this page for more information about 2SLGBTQ+ Care in the Student Wellness Centre, and drop by or give us a call to find out more about how to see a BIPOC or indigenous counsellor/psychotherapist on campus.
The staff in the Student Wellness Centre are committed to delivering excellent, student-focused services to students at Laurier. We want to know how you think we can do better. If you have compliments or concerns about your experience with us, or if you have comments or suggestions, please use the Student Wellness Centre Feedback Form to let us know what you think.
