Health and well-being supports at Waterloo you should know about

A healthy and happy atmosphere is the most important feature of any community, and health and well-being resources from Campus Wellness exists to maintain just that. Committed to helping students at Waterloo, there are professionals available to provide medical care and mental health services while using a safe and respectful approach. You can connect with them directly, or you can attend workshops and seminars that are designed to enhance and support your well-being.

Health Services

Getting the physical care you need can sometimes be difficult, especially if you don’t know where to look. The Student Medical Clinic is one of the many ways students have access to professional, primary medical care. Putting students first, the clinic works to limit out-of-pocket expenses to ensure that students are healthy and looked after.

From nurse practitioners to physicians, to STI testing, to pregnancy and birth control services, the Student Medical Clinic offers support in a range of ways.The team offers a holistic wellness approach with the addition of an Indigenous Naturopathic Doctor. Simply book an appointment and let them know what you need! Gender affirming care is available as well, to serve trans and non-binary student’s health needs. Plus, there’s a pharmacy on campus if you need prescriptions filled.

One of the services I’ve used frequently is the student extended health plan, which provides extended health care coverage for important services that aren’t covered by your basic health plan. This includes dental care, vision care, travel health coverage, and more.

Mental health support

Mental health isn’t always an easy topic to discuss and sometimes it’s difficult to find a safe space where you feel comfortable opening up. At Waterloo, creating and maintaining these safe spaces is not only a goal but a priority. The Counselling Services team gives you access to psychologists, registered social workers and counsellors.

Whether you prefer to book one-on-one therapy for an individual appointment, or you feel more comfortable participating in group therapy and workshops, there are services and courses to equip you with the skills to cope with life’s challenges. Appointments are free for Waterloo students and can be booked by calling the Campus Wellness team or through online booking. You can request specialized counsellors with lived experience or share similar identities for individual and single sessions. Specialized counsellors are available to ensure that support is both personalized and relatable. However, if you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone at school, there are always other options.

When I reached out for help with my mental health, I learned more about Studentcare, our medical insurance plan, which provides amazing health benefits that I would never have been able to afford. I was able to attend counselling sessions outside of school, with coverage from my student insurance to help offset the cost. The hardest part is reaching out, but once you do, you'll find a supportive and willing community committed to providing a safe space for you every step of the way.

Health promotion

Staff at Waterloo aren’t the only ones interested in the health and well-being of our students. Students themselves can join committees, attend wellness programs, become Peer Health Educators, and participate in training opportunities to discover all the different facets of a balanced campus life experience. Collectively, our community works together to foster a supportive campus environment.

The Be You initiative was created to support student well-being by celebrating the diverse identities and experiences of every student. It takes an intersectional approach to mental health, ensuring that campus wide programs, services, and conversations reflect the varied needs of our student community. The campaign focuses on building a culture of well-being, normalizing mental health struggles for students and reinforces the university’s commitment to supporting the mental health of students and fostering an inclusive environment where all identities are valued. Each term there are a variety of workshops, programs and campus-wide activations planned to celebrate YOU at Waterloo.

The @uwaterloolife Instagram account engages the student community with wellness content through its weekly ‘Wellness Wednesday’ posts. These weekly posts aim to promote student mental, physical, and emotional well-being by sharing resources, tips, and stories. By highlighting campus services and sharing wellness related advice, these posts encourage self-care and healthy habits making wellness relevant to the entire student community.

My therapist's favourite phrase to say to me is: “you matter”. Although it’s a simple phrase, one that might seem obvious, it still resonates with me. Sometimes we get too caught up in life to take a moment and focus on ourselves. Even the basic things – drinking enough water, eating healthy, getting enough sleep – we neglect them, and in turn we neglect ourselves. Sometimes, we all fall into bad habits, and forget that we truly do matter.

Your mental health and your physical health are incredibly important, and your overall well-being is a priority at Waterloo. Goals and efforts to enhance mental health and foster self-care are prominent ones, and there’s help when you need it. Pandemic or not, these health and wellness services will always be in place, because a happy and healthy community is one that can rely on each other, grow, and succeed together.