Mental Health Resources for Students

• My Student Support Program
  Professional counselling services and 24/7 phone or chat support for all GPRC students.
• Mental Health Helpline
  24/7 crisis and support helpline - call 1-877-303-2642. Call if you need to talk to someone. No problem is too small. They will connect you with resources that meet your needs.
• Alberta 211
  A free helpline that connects you to community and social services in your area 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in over 150 languages. Also includes a text-based chat for post-secondary students.
• First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness
  24/7 helpline – call 1-855-242-3310 or connect to the online chat. Immediate counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. Language options include Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.
• Alberta Health Services Addictions Helpline
  24/7 helpline – call 1-866-332-2322. Free addictions support, information and referral to services including free addictions counselling.
• HealthLink
  Call 811. A free 24/7 telephone service providing advice from a nurse.

GPRC offers short-term personal counselling for students onsite at Grande Prairie Campus. All students at Fairview and Grande Prairie campuses have access to MySSP - My Student Support Program counselling services. See below for more information about these services.

Counselling services are available by appointment only. We book appointments over the phone or in person; appointments cannot be made via email or text. When you contact us you will be booked for an intake appointment, which may be followed by up to six regular counselling appointments. Please see the contact information below to book an appointment.

COVID-19 Update: Due to social distancing recommendations, in-person counselling appointments are not available at this time. If you would like to book an intake appointment via phone or video conference, please call 780-539-2069.

What can I expect at an intake appointment?

An intake is a short appointment designed to gather information about your needs and goals for counselling. Shorter than regular counselling sessions, an intake appointment lasts about 20-30 minutes. It is important that you arrive about 10 minutes early for your appointment to complete some paperwork in order to leave enough time for the session. Your appointment may be rebooked if you are late and there is insufficient time to complete the intake appointment.

During your appointment, you and your intake counsellor will explore your concerns and identify goals. The counsellor will then help you book a regular appointment, where you will start working towards those goals. If your concern is something that we are unable to assist with, because it is not within our counsellor's areas of competence, or best-practices indicate that your concern requires clinical intervention or long term counselling, you will be assisted with referrals to other resources that are appropriate for your needs. In this case, a regular counselling appointment may not be booked.

After intake, regular counselling appointments typically last 50 minutes. You are able to access up to six regular sessions with your counsellor per academic year, although many students find their needs are met within about four sessions. Please arrive early so your appointment can start on time; if you are late, your session will still end at the scheduled time or be rebooked in order to respect the time of the students booked after you.

What About Confidentiality

Counselling sessions and records are confidential within the limits of the law. All counsellors adhere to professional regulations and legislation concerning privacy and health information.

No information about you is provided to third parties without your express written consent, except in situations where we are legally required to share information, including:

• You or another person is at imminent risk of harm
• Child abuse or neglect is suspected or disclosed
• A court of law subpoenas information obtained in counselling
• Where immediate concerns for the safety of yourself, another person, or the public arise
• As otherwise required by law

At the beginning of your intake appointment, you will be asked to complete an informed consent form, which includes comprehensive details regarding confidentiality. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the information in the form.

My SSP is free to use and your information is kept private. You have unlimited access to articles, tools, resources, and dedicated My SSP Advisors/Counsellors that can help you succeed during your studies at GPRC.

My SSP Advisors/Counsellors can help with:

• Adapting to college life
• Frustration, concern, or uncertainty about any aspect of your life
• Worries about upcoming exams or disappointment with academic performance
• Stress related to procrastination and time management
• Maintaining balance between home, work, and school
• Being successful at school and post-graduation
• Relationships with friends and family
• Stress related to finances and juggling multiple responsibilities
• Being mentally healthy and much more!

Confidentiality

Counselling sessions and counselling records are confidential. No information about you is provided to third parties, unless you choose to tell them.

Legally, counsellors may be required to share information without your consent in the following situations:

• You or another person is at imminent risk of harm
• Child abuse or neglect is suspected or disclosed
• A court of law subpoenas information obtained in counselling
• Where concerns for the safety of yourself, another person, or the GPRC community arise. In such cases, the concerns may be reported to GPRC Enterprise Risk Management and Security

Tips for talking to someone who might be struggling

The most important information to convey to someone else is that they matter, and that you care about them. By talking to others on campus when you notice they are struggling, we promote a safe, caring, and mentally healthy campus.

Approach

• Express concern in a private, one-on-one conversation.
• Be specific about the behaviour that concerns you.
• Don’t be afraid to discuss mental health openly. This actually reduces stigma around seeking support!
• Sample script: “I noticed you left class crying yesterday. That’s not really like you, and I’m concerned.”

Listen and Support

• Listen openly and without judgement on what they tell you.
• Acknowledge the person’s feelings in a compassionate way.
• Sample script: “It sounds like you’ve been dealing with a lot lately, and are feeling overwhelmed. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Refer

• Provide the person with resources that are appropriate for them. See the For Students, or For Staff and Faculty sections of this page for appropriate referral information.
• Offer to sit with them, or support them while they call the resource.
• Sample Script: “Asking for support can seem scary, but it’s really a sign of courage and strength. If you’d like, I can give you some information on who to call for help. I could even sit with you while you contact them if you’d like the support.”

What if a person says no to a referral?

• Respect the person’s decision. Accessing assistance is a person’s choice. They have the right to refuse resources or support, except in certain emergency situations where a person’s life (or the safety of others) is in danger.
• Know that the person’s response to you is not personal.
• Don’t’ force the issue, and don’t try and trick the person into going.
• Try to leave the door open for the future
• Sample Script: “I respect your decision, maybe these options will be helpful in the future. My door is open if you change your mind.”