A key part of many treatment plans is finding and using helpful resources. This may start with learning more about mental health concerns that affect you through online or printed materials.
Treatment may also include using new tools, activities, and strategies in your daily life to support mental health and build resilience. For some people, accessing campus resources such as professional services or student support staff can improve well-being. Campus workshops or group programs may also be available to support mental health needs and can be found through the counselling office, Thrive, your student union, Shq'apthut, or other various campus student services.
Below are some resources, apps, and workshops to help you in your self-care journey.
Many sites offer options for self-help workbooks, courses, videos and guides.
- Anxiety Canada - Their mission is to reduce the barrier of anxiety and related disorders so people can live the life they want. They offer trusted resources and programs to help individuals find relief from anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Canadian Mental Health Association Mid-Island - offers various programs and services related to mental health.
- The Centre for Clinical Interventions in Australia has many different workbooks and courses on a variety of topics:
- Social Anxiety - Info sheets, and "Shy no longer" workbook
- Panic - 12 module workbook, info and additional worksheets
- Anxiety - Info sheets on the nature of anxiety, vicious cycles and more
- Health Anxiety - 9 module workbook
- What? Me? Worry? - Workbook, info and additional worksheets on Generalised Anxiety
- Information and worksheets on Depression & Back from the Bluez - worksheets and the 9 training modules using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Back from the Bluez.
- Assertiveness - training modules on increasing assertiveness
- Building Body Acceptance - workbook
- Overcoming Eating Disorders - 2 workbooks, information sheets and work sheets
- Sleep - Info and worksheets
- Living Life to the Full (Scotland) Includes an online course in Cognitive and Behavioural strategies for anxiety, mood difficulties, motivation, many practical suggestions
- Couple_Rescue_Skill-Builder - Bruce Ecker and Robin Ticic, building 12 essential skills for couples
- Dr. John Gottman - researcher of relationships, 47 minute video on what makes relationships work
- Association for Anorexia and Associated Eating Disorders (USA) - Community involvement, treatment locator, excellent video resource library
- mysleepwell.ca/cbti
- Guide to healthy sleep (USA) - What sleep is, how it works, benefits and sleep issues
- Totally ADD (Canada) Fun, interactive website, info on managing symptoms, forums
- www.actcommunity.ca Autism Community Training. BC resource with links to other resources, training, community events, news; has a manual for dealing with systems in BC like process of diagnosis, the education system, building community support
- Quabble - easy and effective mental health workouts that you can equip yourself daily with the mindset and skills to successfully handle life’s everyday challenges.
- Healthy Minds app - HealthyMinds was created by The Royal, one of Canada’s leading mental health and research hospitals. The app helps students track their mood, practice mindfulness, and set realistic personal goals. Of note, the app is only available for iphones through the Apple Store at this time.
- Anxiety Release based on EMDR - Anxiety Release shows you how to release anxious thoughts and feelings naturally, by harnessing the power of your brain.
- Mindshift - This app uses individual tools and tactics to develop healthy long-term habits for dealing with different symptoms and forms of anxiety.
- LifeLine - Can connect the user to support services 24/7 and includes several self-management tools and direct access to eCounselling. Look for the newly designed and expansively updated LifeLine mobile App for both Android and Mac in the very near future.
- Headspace - This app provides meditation options that are flexible to the situation you find yourself in.
- mySleepButton - Using a cognitive-based approach, the app utilizes the imagination to help induce sleep.
- F.lux: free software - filters blue light out of your screen on your devices or computer
- Breathr - developed by Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre at BC Children's Hospital.
- 3.5 minute guided meditation
- 4.0 minute sleep music
- 30 minute sleep music
- Spanish guitar music–a nice interlude from studying
- 9 minutes music/mediation for beginners
- breathing exercise to calm panic attacks
- Insight Timer - Home to more than 3,200,000 meditators, Insight Timer is rated as the top free meditation app on the Android and iOS stores.
- calm.com for meditation and relaxation. There is a cost associated with this site.