Campus Wellness offers a broad range of mental health training programs. Our goals are to raise campus mental health awareness, reduce mental health stigma, and support early intervention for those in need within our Waterloo campus community.
Training Opportunities for Students
Recognizing and Responding to a Person in Distress
Mental health impacts us all. Each of us has a role in supporting the mental health of those within our communities. In this workshop, Recognizing and Responding to a Person in Distress, we aim to give the University of Waterloo students and employees the skills and confidence to support others (students and colleagues) who may be in distress. We will focus on recognizing the signals of a person in distress, effectively responding with care and empathy and understand how to refer to resources within the community. It can be challenging to find the words to support a person in distress. This workshop aims to equip participants with tools, strategies, and resources that increase our capacity to help in challenging situations.
Learning Outcomes:
- Describe physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural reactions that signal a person in distress
- Assess personal strengths and limitations when supporting others in distress
- Identify and practice key elements of being a helpful responder including the most effective and supportive responses
- Identify resources and networks of support available within the University and the broader community
Time Commitment: 2.5 hours
Upcoming dates:
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 | 10:00am – 12:30pm EDT | Microsoft Teams | Register on Portal
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
This training teaches participants how to recognize and support someone who may be having thoughts of suicide. It is an education and awareness program that provides direction as to how to Question a person with thoughts of suicide, how to Persuade them to get help, and how to Refer the person to appropriate professional resources.
Training content:
- How to Question, Persuade and Refer someone who may be having thoughts of suicide
- How to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide
- Common causes and warning signs
- How to get help for someone in crisis
Duration: 1.5 hours
Upcoming dates:
Thursday, September 21, 2023 | 1:30 – 3:00pm EST | Needles Hall 2447 | Register on Portal
Thursday, November 23, 2023 | 1:30 – 3:00pm EST | Microsoft Teams | Register on Portal
More Feet on the Ground | Self-guided
This is a free online mental health education program that teaches participants to Recognize, Respond, and Refer individuals experiencing mental health problems on campus. The program was developed by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) in partnership with Brock University and the Ontario Government’s Mental Health Innovation Fund and has been adapted and branded for all participating post-secondary institutions across Ontario.
Training content:
- Comprehensive information about common mental health and addiction concerns
- Overview of signs/symptoms, treatment options, mental health stigma
- Facts, statistics, and stories of lived experience
- Campus and community resource information
- Opportunity to receive a certificate following successful completion of a brief on-line assessment of learning
Training dates:
- Anytime, anywhere at More Feet on the Ground.
Training Opportunities for Employees
Mental Health Literacy Program | Virtual
The Mental Health Literacy Program is designed to support and address mental health within the University of Waterloo community. It is a five-module program with synchronous and asynchronous components that encourages discussions and reflections of mental health through an equity-focused lens. Its purpose is to create employees who see themselves as natural helpers, within a supportive community of care, concern and compassion.
For any questions related to the Mental Health Literacy Program, please contact Robbyn Hesch.
Program Outline:
- Module 1: Mental Health Language and Anti-Stigma
- Module 2: Equity and Mental Health
- Module 3: Recognizing and Responding to a Person in Distress
- Module 4: Reframing Resiliency
- Module 5: Compassionate Care: Caring for Self While Caring for Others
Time Commitment: 10.5 hours synchronous on Microsoft Teams. Participation in all 5 modules is required to receive the Mental Health Literacy Certificate.
Upcoming dates:
Fall Cohort 1
-
Module 1: Wednesday, Sept 20, 2023 | 2 – 4pm EST
-
Module 2: Wednesday, Sept 27, 2023 | 2 – 4pm EST
-
Module 3: Wednesday, Oct 4, 2023 | 1:30 – 4pm EST
-
Module 4: Wednesday, Oct 11, 2023 | 2 – 4pm EST
-
Module 5: Wednesday, Oct 18, 2023 | 2 – 4pm EST
Fall Cohort 2
-
Module 1: Tuesday, Nov 7, 2023 | 2 – 4pm EST
-
Module 2: Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 | 2 – 4pm EST
-
Module 3: Tuesday, Nov 21, 2023 | 1:30 – 4pm EST
-
Module 4: Tuesday, Nov 28, 2023 | 2 – 4pm EST
-
Module 5: Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 | 2 – 4pm EST
Register for Mental Health Literacy on Portal
To be notified about upcoming Mental Health Literacy Certificate dates, please provide your contact information here.
Recognizing and Responding to a Person in Distress
Mental health impacts us all. Each of us has a role in supporting the mental health of those within our communities. In this workshop, Recognizing and Responding to a Person in Distress, we aim to give the University of Waterloo students and employees the skills and confidence to support others (students and colleagues) who may be in distress. We will focus on recognizing the signals of a person in distress, effectively responding with care and empathy and understand how to refer to resources within the community. It can be challenging to find the words to support a person in distress. This workshop aims to equip participants with tools, strategies, and resources that increase our capacity to help in challenging situations.
Learning Outcomes:
- Describe physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural reactions that signal a person in distress
- Assess personal strengths and limitations when supporting others in distress
- Identify and practice key elements of being a helpful responder including the most effective and supportive responses
- Identify resources and networks of support available within the University and broader community
Time Commitment: 2.5 hours
Upcoming dates for Employees:
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 | 9:30am – 12:00pm EST | Needles Hall 2447 | Register on Portal
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 1:30 – 4:00pm EST | Microsoft Teams | Register on Portal
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
This training teaches participants how to recognize and support someone who may be having thoughts of suicide. It is an education and awareness program that provides direction as to how to Question a person with thoughts of suicide, how to Persuade them to get help, and how to Refer the person to appropriate professional resources.
Training content:
- How to Question, Persuade and Refer someone who may be having thoughts of suicide
- How to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide
- Common causes and warning signs
- How to get help for someone in crisis
Duration: 1.5 hours
Upcoming dates for Employees:
Thursday, October 19, 2023 | 1:30 – 3:00pm EDT | Needles Hall 2447 | Register on Portal
Thursday, November 23, 2023 | 1:30 – 3:00pm EST | Microsoft Teams | Register on Portal
More Feet on the Ground | Self-guided
This is a free online mental health education program that teaches participants to Recognize, Respond, and Refer individuals experiencing mental health problems on campus. The program was developed by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) in partnership with Brock University and the Ontario Government’s Mental Health Innovation Fund and has been adapted and branded for all participating post-secondary institutions across Ontario.
Training content:
- Comprehensive information about common mental health and addiction concerns
- Overview of signs/symptoms, treatment options, mental health stigma
- Facts, statistics, and stories of lived experience
- Campus and community resource information
- Opportunity to receive a certificate following successful completion of a brief on-line assessment of learning
Training dates:
- Anytime, anywhere at More Feet on the Ground.
Self-cancellation
Log into Portal and select your profile picture at the top right. Under 'My registered events', select the event you wish to cancel. Scroll to the bottom and click the red button that says 'Cancel registration'.
Registering for future trainings: If you have unregistered and wish to re-enroll at a later date, please revisit this page for the training schedule. This page will be updated once a new schedule is available.
If you have any questions, please contact Meaghan Sinker.
