Mental Health Supports
With the UBC Okanagan campus community and the world navigating a significant amount of change, taking care of your personal health and wellbeing is more important than ever. Staying positive and taking a proactive approach to keeping yourself mentally and physically healthy can make a difference.
Here are some resources to help guide you:
Student Resources
- The UBC Student Assistance Program (SAP) is a free, 24/7 wellness resource available to UBC students anywhere in the world and offered in more than 180 languages.
- The Wellness Centre: Online provides access to self-care modules and resources offered in Canvas specifically for UBC Okanagan students.
- Student counselling and mental health: Information and resources available to students through campus Health and Wellness.
- Supporting your mental health during COVID-19
Student Counselling Services
- UBCO counsellors are available for virtual and telephone appointments. Please call 250 807 9270 to schedule an online appointment.
- All students have access to free, confidential counselling and community referral services through Here2Talk.
Faculty & Staff Resources
- UBC’s FAQs for Faculty and Staff include important information about support for mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Working During COVID-19: Learn about the resources available to you through Human Resources.
- Managing During COVID-19: Updates and resources for managers provided by Human Resources.
- Return to Campus Mental Health Supports: Explore the resources available to faculty and staff.
- Managers, heads and deans toolkit: Support the mental health and resilience of your team.
- Make your mental health a priority: Consider ways to support your mental health and resilience.
- Access the Employee and Family Assistance Program: a confidential and voluntary counselling support service for you and your family.
- Use UBC Extended Health Benefits to reimburse some or all of the cost of many-health care services that are not covered by BC’s Medical Services Plan.
- Discover services, programs, and resources available to support mental health and wellbeing in your workplace.
- Explore resources from LifeWorks on a variety of topics including managing concerns and anxieties and talking to your child about life after the pandemic.
- Subscribe to the Healthy UBC Newsletter: Content will focus on mental health and wellbeing related to COVID-19.
- Join the 30-Day Online Mindfulness Challenge to help reduce stress while increasing joy and performance in the workplace.
- How to stay motivated while working from home
- Follow the online ergonomics guide offered by Health, Safety and Environment to help minimize injuries and enhance productivity while working from home.
- Wellbeing in the Workplace: a self-paced course offered by UBC Wellbeing.
- Healthy Workplace Initiatives Program: a UBC HR program that encourages employee health and wellbeing.
- Check the UBC Okanagan events calendar for wellness workshops and activities.
Additional UBC Resources
- Participate in free virtual fitness classes led by UBC Okanagan instructors each week.
- Get active at home with tips and resources from UBC Recreation.
- Remember the Thrive 5: Support and foster your mental health while observing physical distancing.
- Join the Wellbeing Challenge: The Wellbeing Challenge is designed to help get you eating well, moving more, and staying socially connected during this challenging time.
- UBC experts offer their insight in a series of COVID-19 related webcasts provided by alumni UBC in partnership with the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.
- Mindful Eating While in Isolation: Tips on what and where to eat by UBCO Food Services registered dietician Julie Stachiw.
- Access the virtual walk-in wellbeing clinic: The Department of Psychology is offering Psychological First Aid services by telehealth. Visit the clinic website for current hours.
COVID-19 Sources
According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, choosing sources of information carefully is critical to COVID-19 mental wellbeing.
Stay informed and make sure to check official sources for the most accurate and up-to-date COVID-19 information:
- UBC.ca for updates on COVID-19 and the university’s response.
- Accurate and up-to-date health advice and information about the virus:
