Workshops and Groups
Professional staff in the Student Wellness Centre offer psychoeducational workshops and groups to provide additional support to student and offer practical tips to increase resilience, manage stress and develop stronger coping skills.
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For additional educational workshops on wellness topics, visit the Wellness Education page and the Wellness 101 educational series.
Ride the Wave
About Ride the Wave
Ride the Waves of student life with our skill-building workshops designed to offer useful tips
to increase resilience, manage stress, and develop skills to cope with the turbulence of life. On the Waterloo campus, workshops are held in the Wellness Education Centre and delivered by Student Wellness Centre counselling staff. On the Brantford campus, workshops are held in the first floor boardroom of the Student Wellness Centre.
Ride the Wave workshops are free for all registered students. You may drop in or preregister for any workshop. Registration is required for Exam and Performance Anxiety.
For more information, or to give us feedback, email wellness@wlu.ca.
Workshops
Ride the Wave workshops run on Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 11 a.m. on the Waterloo campus.
* Indicates sessions that require pre-registration.
January 21 / 22: Roommate Communication and Conflict Resolution We will addresses the common disputes and communication issues that can arise between roommates. Students will learn ways to communicate efficiently, develop skills for handling conflict effectively, and practical communication techniques that can be applied to all social relationships.
January 28/29 : Self-Care and Resilience (for Thrive Week) Learn how your habits can impact your sense of well-being and your ability to cope throughout the day.
February 4/5: Sleep and Mental Health Learn about the effects of sleep, and lack of sleep, on mental health. We will also discuss strategies to improve sleep hygiene and mental well-being.
February 11/12: Consent and Healthy Relationships Healthy relationships are essential to wellness. Join us to talk about respectful relationships, how to maintain wellness within them, and how to cope if they end. We will also discuss having positive conversations about consent and the importance of personal boundaries.
Reading Week
February 25/26: Grounding and Mindfulness Learn strategies to increase your self-awareness and focus on the present moment. This workshop teaches skills that are great for daily practice and to help you cope when feeling stressed.
March 3/4: Food and Your Mood The food we eat impacts our physical health and our mental wellness. Learn tips for eating well, managing emotional eating, and preventing yourself from becoming “hangry.”
March 10/11: Social Media and Mental Health This workshop will address how social media impacts mental health, ways to set boundaries on social media use, and healthier ways of thinking about the role of social media in our lives.
March 17/18: Happiness 101 Learn about Positive Psychology and the secrets to increasing positive emotions, decreasing negativity, and creating life satisfaction.
March 24/25: Theatre of the Oppressed We are deeply impacted by our experiences of oppressive systems. This workshop makes space to awaken imagination, address pressing issues, and enact change through cooperative theatre games, movement, and dialogue. No acting experience? Great, this is the place for you!
*March 31 / April 1: Exam and Performance Anxiety Learn ways to handle performance anxiety, improve your mental game, and find inner calm during midterms and exams.
Skill Building Modules for Anxiety
On the Waterloo campus, we are offering drop-in, skill-building modules free for all registered students. In Arts 2C5B. The four topics will rotate weekly, and registration is not required. You can attend any or all of the modules in any order you want:
Anxiety: What is It, and How Does it Affect You?
Do you ever think you have more anxiety than other people? Find out why and learn skills to fight anxiety over the long-term.
Calming and Coping Skills
As if it’s that easy to just relax! Learn what to do and when to try relaxation strategies to help make you feel less stress and tension in your daily life.
Facing Your Anxiety Fears
Learn to avoid avoidance: how our behaviours can make anxiety worse and the surprising way to get it to leave you alone
Managing Your Anxious Thoughts
Our thoughts matter! Learn ways your thoughts can change how you feel and influence what you do. Turn thought into your allies instead of your enemies.
Workshops
Anxiety modules run on Mondays at 2:30 p.m. and Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. on the Waterloo campus in Arts 2C5B.
Jan. 13/14: Anxiety: What Is It and How Does It Affect You?
Jan. 20: Happy Lights Drop-In; Jan. 21: Calming and Coping Skills
Jan 27/28: Facing Your Anxiety Fears
Feb. 3/4: Managing Your Anxious Thoughts
Feb. 10/11: Anxiety: What Is It and How Does It Affect You?
Reading Week
Feb. 24/25: Calming and Coping Skills
March 2/3: Facing Your Anxiety Fears
March 9/10: Managing Your Anxious Thoughts
March 16/17: Anxiety: What Is It and How Does It Affect You?
March 23/24: Calming and Coping Skills
March 30/31: Facing Your Anxiety Fears