Navigating the co-op process on top of schoolwork and other life demands can be challenging. Whatever you're experiencing, we're here to support you and are committed to helping you have the most positive experience possible.
All of our co-op advisors have received mental health training through Counselling Services and can provide support and direct you to other services on campus or in your region.
Co-op embedded wellness counsellors
Co-op embedded wellness counsellors are here to support your mental health throughout your co-op journey, whether you’re preparing for a work term, on the job or navigating recruitment.
They offer confidential, one-on-one support, including virtual or phone appointments. They understand the unique pressures of co-op and can help you work through challenges related to both school and work.
You can reach out for help with things like:
- Managing stress
- Anxiety
- Relationship or family challenges
- Grief and loss
- Adjusting to change (e.g., starting a co-op or returning to school)
- Workplace challenges
Anything you share will remain confidential and will not be shared with your co-op advisor or other staff.
Campus Wellness
- Counselling Services: Individual appointments - Available at no charge to registered University of Waterloo students in classes or on co-op terms.
- Group therapy - Counselling Services offers several group therapy options which can provide you with a supportive environment.
- Seminars and workshops - Help enhance your personal success by equipping you with strategies, tips and skills to help you cope with life's challenges.
- Helplines
- Good2Talk is a post-secondary helpline that offers free, confidential counselling available to all Ontario post-secondary students between ages 17-25.
- Here 24/7 is a helpline that helps people in Waterloo Region access addictions, mental health and crisis services provided by 12 agencies across the Waterloo Wellington region.
- If you are looking for urgent help, please visits Campus Wellness: Urgent help and emergency contacts.
- EmpowerMe, provided by Dialogue - a mental health and wellness service that seeks to contribute to a resilient student community. All students are able to access this service within and outside of Canada.
Well-being in the workplace
The #MyCoopExperience blog shares real stories from students about their co-op journeys. Through their experiences, you can learn how others navigate challenges and prioritize their well-being at work.
Blog
Merging an artistic mind with technology focus
Chloe Hodgins | 3.5 min read
What happens when computer science is approached through creativity and art through mathematics? For Alexander Hernandez Pineda, a fourth-year Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) student, these disciplines aren't mutually exclusive, but complementary ways of understanding and solving problems.
Engineering a new perspective in Canada
Chloe Hodgins | 3 min read
For Chemical Engineering master’s student, Dhruvil Gajera, working in Canada offered more than an opportunity to develop his technical skills. It introduced him to a new workplace culture and a different side of the engineering industry in a new country.
From performing arts to corporate banking
Iba Abbasi | 5 min read
Karen Xie’s co-op journey showed her that a Psychology background can open doors in arts, fintech and banking.