Ten Things the Student Wellness Centre Can Do For You

Updated August 27, 2021

The Student Wellness Centre is the home of all of Laurier’s physical, emotional, and mental health services on campus.  We’ve been working hard over the summer to make sure that we will offer the best possible service to students this year while making sure to follow public health guidelines related to COVID-19.  You can find complete and up-to-date information about all of our services on our website, but here are ten things the Student Wellness Centre can do for you:

1. You can call us when you’re sick, and you need to see a doctor, or when you need routine medical care like prescription renewals and immunizations

The physicians in the SWC provide the same medical care you would receive from your family doctor.  If you are sick or are experiencing acute illness, call us, and we will book you a prompt appointment with a doctor.  Our doctors can also help you with non-acute issues, such as immunizations, referrals to specialists, sexual health care, smoking cessation, acne care, and a lot more.  Just make sure that in the Fall 2021 semester you still call instead of dropping by.  Also note that this year, the university has suspended requirements for documentation of illness (sick notes).  Use the Illness Self-Identification Form if your instructor asks for documentation. 

2. We are here to support your sexual health

You can come to the SWC for help with all aspects of your sexual health.  You can see a doctor for a prescription for birth control, to discuss an IUD, or you can see a nurse for a pregnancy test or emergency contraception.  We also do STI testing in the SWC, so if you are having symptoms or just being careful, call us, and we can help you.  Please be aware that when you call about STI testing, we do need to ask if you are having symptoms or if it’s just routine, but we will always do our best to respect your privacy.

3. We have a variety of options to help support your mental health

Mental health services in the SWC are delivered by a variety of practitioners, including doctors, our mental health nurse, and counselling staff.  These services include assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, and short-term, goal-directed counselling, crisis intervention, and crisis management.  Visit our website for a full description of mental health services at Laurier.

4. If you are feeling homesick, are having a hard time adjusting, or are having trouble coping, we can help

The counselling staff in the Student Wellness Centre are here for you.  A few examples of concerns we often addressed in regular counselling are homesickness, anxiety and depression, stress management, grief, and confidence / self-esteem.  Your first appointment will normally be booked within a week or two of when you call.

We also set aside a limited number of same-day counselling appointments called ‘WITs’ for students who are not in crisis but feel they need to speak to someone that day.  When you call us to schedule one of these appointments, please be prepared to answer a couple of screening questions about your situation and level of risk.  We use this information to make sure we book you into the right type of appointment.
 
Please be aware that in the Fall 2021 semester, counselling appointments are still being held remotely.  Initial appointments as well as same-day and urgent appointments will be over the phone, but video counselling is an option when students and counsellors together feel it’s a good fit.

5. If you are in crisis, or you need to talk to someone urgently, we have someone here for you during regular hours of operation

If you feel like you cannot cope, or you cannot keep yourself safe right now, and we are not open, visit our Urgent and After-Hours Care page for contacts or call 911. 
If it’s during our usual office hours, call us, and let us know that you are struggling.  We will make sure you are able to talk to someone on the same day.

6. We value and protect your privacy

The SWC will not share information about you or even the fact you've visited us with anyone; that means your parents, professors, and other university departments will not know if you come for counselling or have an appointment with us.  All staff in the SWC are obligated to adhere to Ontario’s personal health information and privacy legislation; we will never share your personal health information without your written consent, and we will never ask you more at the front desk than we need to know to book you properly.  For more information, read our complete Privacy and Confidentiality Policy.
 
It is necessary for us to ask you some private information at the front desk in order to schedule you properly.  For example, if you need STI testing, we need to know if you are having symptoms, but we don’t need to know exactly what they are.  If you request an urgent counselling appointment, we may ask you if you are safe, but you do not have to give us specific details about what’s going on.

7. We have opportunities for you to learn more about how to stay well, proactively

With engaging workshops, social media campaigns, and (remote) drop-in sessions, our Wellness Education team offers a variety of ways for you to learn about key wellness topics such as managing stress and anxiety, eating healthy as a student, staying active in between studying, getting enough sleep during exam time, and building healthy routines!

8. We have peer educators you can connect with who love to share healthy strategies for success from the student perspective

We realize that no one knows the student experience better current students.  As trained peer wellness educators, these upper-year students lead workshops, events, and sessions throughout the year combining their personal experiences as students with evidence-based research and training.  If you are interested in volunteering to become a peer wellness educator in the future, contact Nathan Reeve.

9. We are working hard to keep students safe during COVID-19

In the Fall 2021 semester, please do not drop by the SWC without calling first.  Most of our services are being offered remotely.  We have shifted to telephone and online appointments, so we can all keep our distance and keep everyone safe.  If you do visit us in person this fall, you will see lots of changes designed to keep you safe: our doors will still be locked, and someone will screen you and take your temperature before you come in.  Inside, there is directional signage to regulate how you move through our space, and front desk staff will be behind plexiglass barriers.
 
Public health guidelines can change suddenly at this time, so for current information about our services protocols, make sure you check the website, and don’t forget you must wear a mask at all times in the Student Wellness Centre and everywhere indoors on campus! 

10) The Student Wellness Centre is available to every registered student (even if you’ve opted out of the student health plan)

As a registered Laurier student, you are entitled to access services in the Student Wellness Centre regardless of whether you opted out of the student health and dental plans.  Doctors’ appointments are covered by your OHIP or UHIP card (or other provincial health insurance card) with a few exceptions.  Just make sure you have your health card information on hand when you book your appointment.   You will never be charged when you meet with a counsellor, dietitian or a nurse in our centre because their services are covered by the student services fees in your tuition.  There is a fee when you visit for massage, chiro, or physiotherapy, but most people will have coverage for their services by their extended health and dental plans.
 
The transition back from  studying remotely can be challenging, and we are here to help you stay as healthy as you can, so you can be as successful as you can!  If you have any questions about anything mentioned above, please email wellness@wlu.ca or check out our website for more information.