Counsellors and Local Wellness Advisors (LWAs) are both mental health professionals. Counsellors are located within the Student Wellness Hub, and Local Wellness Advisors represent the Student Wellness Hub within each faculty. Both are mental health clinicians with very similar education backgrounds who can help with issues relating to:
- Depression
- Disordered eating (e.g. binge eating, obsessive thinking)
- Anxiety
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Procrastination
- Relationship troubles
- Substance use
- Trauma
Counsellors uniquely conduct one-on-one appointments, whereas LWAs provide faculty specific one-on-one appointments, targeted mental health workshops, and wellness outreach through our @HealthierMcGill on Instagram.
Book an Appointment
To book an appointment with a counsellor you must call the Hub.
What To Expect
If you're thinking about meeting with a mental health professional for the first time, it can help to know what to expect.
When scheduling a meeting with a counsellor, you may indicate if you have a preference with:
- Language (English/French)
- Gender
- Specialized knowledge or background in Indigenous or 2S&LGBTQ+ experiences.*
*Please understand that the availability of specialized counsellors with unique expertise and/or lived experience may fluctuate depending on availability, recruitment, and other factors. We will do our best to accommodate your request, and if we cannot, we will help identify resources in the community that you may find helpful.
You can access support and additional resources from a BI&POC counsellor through our partners at Keep.meSAFE. Simply request to meet with a BI&POC counsellor when speaking with the intake clinician.
- Your first session
- What might my clinician expect of me?
- How might I feel after?
- How many sessions might I have?
Your first session
At your first session, you'll be matched with a counsellor who will work with you to better understand the challenges that you're facing.
Together you'll develop a personalized goal-directed wellness plan best suited to your needs. It might include:
- One-on-one counselling (either at the Hub or in the community)
- Group therapy
- Peer support
- Referral to a medical professional (nurse, physician, etc.).
- Another form of support
This clinician will be the point of contact for follow-ups around your wellness plan.
What might my clinician expect of me?
It's up to you to determine what you want out of a session, but your clinician will expect you to be an honest, active participant, that is open to making changes.
You'll be expected to work with your clinician to establish goals, put together a wellness plan and be ready to discuss it and re-evaluate it as needed.
You should also be ready to talk to your clinician if you have any questions about their treatment approach, or if you feel it's not working.
How might I feel after?
Your clinician will be supportive and interested, but you should also be prepared for them to challenge you.
It's normal to leave a session feeling better, but you might also feel tired, upset or like you're not progressing as quickly as you'd hoped. Change can be tough, but it's usually positive in the long term. Please talk to your clinician if you have any concerns or questions.
How many sessions might I have?
Most students find that they get what they need from speaking to a Counsellor after a few appointments. If you're experiencing another tough time in the future, you can get in contact with your Counsellor and meet to make a new Wellness plan.
Since McGill offers brief support, your clinician can refer you to resources in the community if you require or prefer longer-term support.
Transferring Counsellors
If you'd like to transfer counsellors, please read about Clinician Transfer Requests first.
Telehealth
Are you not currently located in Quebec? Are you an international student? Do you prefer remote care?
Telehealth provides remote access to trained mental health clinicians. As a McGill student, you have free, unlimited access to keep.meSAFE and Therapy Assisted Online (TAO). Visit our telehealth page for more information.
