Mental Health Blog

Did you know that Bow Valley College offers free counselling services for current BVC students. The counsellors available are fantastic and can help to work with you to address many different concerns. Some of the services offered include: Group sessions to help you develop strategies for managing anxiety, building better relationships, and increasing positive emotions. Short-term one-on-one counselling support. Wellness workshops to help you build or maintain wellbeing. M

Wellness Wednesday & Crafternoon Wellness Wednesday & Crafternoon are ongoing events that SABVC hosts for students with the intention of giving students a safe space to relax, destress, and take part in a wellbeing activity. Activities will be different each session so that there is always something for everyone! Past activities have included friendship bracelet making, painting, button pin making, origami, meditation, and more! We always have colouring sheets available for t

Did you know that September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month? Here at SABVC we are committed to prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of BVC students. We understand that being a student can be difficult and can become an overwhelming experience that significantly impacts your mental health. The 2016 National College Health Assessment Survey found that 13.1% of post-secondary students had seriously considered suicide, and 2.1% had attempted suicide. And although th

Stress can affect anyone at any time, and will manifest itself differently for each person. What one person may be able to tolerate is not the same for another. Stress is also not always 'bad', stress can often be useful in a variety of ways. It is when tolerable amounts of stress begin to overlap and pile on top of each other that we begin to experience negative impacts. When stress negatively effects us, we can see it cause symptoms and responses in our bodies physically,

Being a student can be extremely stressful. Between juggling classes, exams, jobs, course work, and social lives, it can get very overwhelming very quickly. Learning resilience techniques is one way to help cope and manage with the stresses of being a student. Building resilience is one step that can help students to thrive while they are studying. Learn more about resilience techniques for post-secondary students by clicking here. Download the PDF resource here.

Did you know SABVC has free hygiene products and condoms available for students? A large part of mental and physical wellbeing is taking care of personal hygiene and practicing safe sex. At SABVC we believe there should not be barriers to being able to access the products needed for this such as pads, tampons, and condoms. Stop by our office if you are in need of any tampons, pads, intimate area wipes, or a variety of different sizes, shapes, and types of condoms. These are c

Did you know that eating disorders affect an estimated 8 – 17% of post-secondary students. Eating disorders can affect anyone, at any time, and you cannot tell whether someone has an eating disorder by looking at them. Students in post-secondary environments are often faced with new challenges such as being away from home for the first time, having higher levels of stress and anxiety due to course work, higher frequency of substance use, as well as changes in income which can

With the start of the spring semester, and summer on the horizon, it's important to take some time to care for your mental health. SABVC has free mental health resources open to students to take advantage of here at our office. Stop by anytime to pickup any of these resources. Visit our site to learn about all the resources that SABVC offers, including mywellnessplan, included in students' healthcare coverage. Coming up on May 13, SABVC is hosting Wellness Wednesday, a chance

SABVC is here to help you manage end-of-semester pressure with Stress Less Week, running December 1–5! Check out the full schedule here!

As part of National Depression Screening Day on October 10, take a moment for your mental health 💚. From October 6–12, take a few minutes for yourself. The Students’ Association of Bow Valley College is a proud partner of National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) and The Calgary Counselling Centre.

October 6th to 12th is Mental Illness Awareness Week - Addressing the Mental Health Crisis - Barriers, Stigma, and Solutions The theme for 2024 is "Access for All: Time for Action, Time for Change". According to Stats Canada, 18% of Canadians over the age of 15 have met the diagnostic criteria for a mood, anxiety, or substance use disorder in 2022. This number has been steadily on the rise, but many people living with mental illness have substantial barriers preventing them f