Making new friends, new intellectual challenges, and an opportunity to live away from home for the first time are an exciting part of the university experience, though for many students, university life is also accompanied by new and unfamiliar levels of anxiety, financial strain and loneliness.

The University’s Student Counselling Centre http://www1.uwindsor.ca/scc/ wants to remind students that they are not alone in their experiences and that professional help is available to them 24 hours a day.

“Every student at one time or another feels overwhelmed by their workload, their performance in school, the loss or changing of friendships, family problems or a host of other issues,” said Brooke White, executive director, Student Affairs. “It’s important that students and those who care about them know that the University’s Student Counselling Centre offers help in many forms , including crisis intervention, brief therapy, group sessions, case management and workshops.”

She said the Peer Support Centre is also available on a drop-in basis from noon to 8 p.m. every non-holiday weekday during fall and winter semesters. The PSC is an initiative of the University of Windsor Students' Alliance in cooperation with the Student Counselling Centre and is a safe and inclusive space staffed by trained peer support volunteers. The centre is located in room 208 of the CAW Student Centre, 519-253-3000 ext. 4551, psc@uwindsor.ca.

White said it is also important for faculty, staff, and others who have contact with students to watch for signs that they may need help and be prepared to refer them to campus counselling resources.

“Faculty and staff are certainly not expected to provide psychological counselling, but when a student appears to need assistance there are steps they can take to encourage the student to seek it.”

She recommends members of the UWindsor community familiarize themselves with counselling resources on campus and that they be caring but firm in approaching students whom they believe may need help.

“You should be clear and concrete regarding the reason for your concern and let them know you believe counselling will be useful.”

For those concerned about a student, but unsure about the appropriateness of a referral, she recommends calling ext. 4616 and asking for a consultation with a counsellor.

White also says that Good2Talk, Ontario’s Postsecondary Student Helpline, 1-866-925-5454, is always available, entirely confidential, and available in both English and French.

“This is the time of year when things are very challenging for students,” White said. “Whether you are a student, faculty or staff member or parent, it is important to know that we have the resources in place to help.”