Psychological Assistance
The time you spend at university is filled with new experiences. You may also encounter many types of personal challenges and difficulties. If you have questions about your personal life or your life as a student, you can meet with a Relationship Assistance Advisor at the Office of Student Life to help facilitate your personal and social development.
You can discuss your concerns, a personal experience that may be troubling you or even how to tackle academic challenges. You will be offered a preliminary contact to quickly evaluate your needs. After that, you can arrange for up to seven individual meetings, by appointment. These services are free and strictly confidential.
Sentinelles ÉTS
Some members of the staff at ÉTS belong to the Sentinelles, whose mission is to look out for the positive mental health of the student community. If you are experiencing psychological distress, the Sentinelles ÉTS are there to welcome you, listen to you and help you get settled. There are no taboo subjects at ÉTS. Feel free to talk about anything and don’t hesitate to ask for help.
It costs you nothing for these sessions, including an evaluation meeting and six subsequent therapeutic follow-up meetings. During your first appointment, you can ask any questions you may have, such as the approach and structure of the sessions, confidentiality and the cancellations policy. After seven free sessions, it is possible to add a few additional sessions after discussion and with the approval of the student counsellor.
Your first appointment in fewer than 15 working days*
To make an appointment with a student counsellor, simply visit the Office of Student Life centre (room E-3042), call 514 396-8942 or email sve@etsmtl.ca.
*Although the vast majority of requests will be processed within 15 working days, the processing time for requests deemed less urgent may slightly exceed the usual time. However, the emergency response service (see below) is not affected.
External psychological assistance resources
As a complement to individual consultations, you can contact telephone counselling services and community resources that can give you the support you need.
Info-Santé, call 8-1-1
Phone service to consult a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can speak to a healthcare professional at Info-Santé about non-urgent issues.
Find a CLSC in your neighbourhood: Find a CLSC
Stress and anxiety
- Anxiety Canada
- Association | Troubles de l'humeur et d'anxiété au Québec (Québec Association for Anxiety and Mood Disorders) (in French)
- Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments
- Anxiete.fr (in French)
- Groupe de ressource pour le trouble panique et autres troubles anxieux (Resource Group for Panic Disorder and Other Anxiety Disorders) (in French)
- Agoraphobia (in French)
- Self-evaluation quiz: Do you have agoraphobia? (in French)
- Social phobia (in French)
- Self-evaluation quiz: Do you have social phobia? (in French)
- Panic disorder (in French)
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (in French)
Depression
- Depression hurts
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute: Depression in young people
- Feel like you're losing it? Allume.org - Don't wait: There are solutions! (in French)
- "My Path" pamphlet (Develop a management plan)
- RIRE | Réseau d'information pour la réussite éducative (Educational Success Information Network) (in French)
Mental health
- Canadian Mental Health Association
- Before You Break Down (in French)
- Tips for maintaining good mental health
- My mental illness: "I can't die - I have my son" (in French)
- My mental illness: "My first reaction was to talk about it” (in French)
- Mouvement Santé Mentale Québec (Québec Mental Health Movement) (in French)
- Wellness Together Canada
Addictions
- Drugs: Assistance and References) (in French)
- Centre de réadaptation en dépendance de Montréal (Montréal Addiction Rehabilitation Centre) (in French)
- Addiction Prevention Centre
- Educ'alcool (Alcohol Awareness)
- Alcoholics Anonymous Québec
- Al-Anon - Alateen (friends and family)
- Narcotics Anonymous Québec
- A game should remain a game from Loto-Québec
- Quit to Win! Challenge
- Cannabis in Canada
Self-esteem
- Self-evaluation quiz: How high is your self-esteem? (in French)
- Self-esteem: Student assistance centre (in French)
- What is good self-esteem? (in French)
Procrastination
- Procrastination (in French)
Traumatic events
- Self-evaluation quiz: What is trauma?
- Trauma and traumatic events (in French)
- Guide for people who have experienced trauma (in French)
Sexual health
Emergency Response Service
Are you experiencing a suicidal crisis or any other serious situation that could affect your personal, social or professional well-being? Office of Student Life (Services à la vie étudiante – SVE) offers an emergency consultation service that is available during SVE business hours.
A counsellor (psychologist or psychosocial practitioner) will take charge of your case the same day to provide you with the support you need and guide you toward the appropriate resources, as required.
Important: psychologists do not offer psychological assessment for the purpose of issuing a certificate of incapacity to pursue studies or to attend an exam. If this is what you need, consult your family doctor or a medical doctor at an emergency clinic.
External support resources
Suicide.ca
24/7 support via phone, text, chat and online tools
Suicide Action Montréal
514 723-4000 or 1 866 APPELLE (277-3553)
Professional phone counselling that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Tel-Aide
514 935-1105
Phone counselling service that is available 24 hours a day for people in distress.
Tel-Jeunes (in French)
514 288-2266 or 1 800 263-2266
Phone counselling service for young people, online or by phone.
Relief
1 866 738-4873
Québec-based association that offers support to people with anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder.
La Clé des champs (in French)
514 334-1587
Peer support network for people with anxiety.
Association québécoise de prévention du suicide (in French)
1 866 APPELLE (277-3553)
Phobies-Zéro (in French)
514 276-3105 or 1 866 922-0002
Support group for youth and adults with anxiety. Support groups in Montréal and by region.
Interligne
514 866-0103
For people concerned with sexual and gender diversity
Ordre des psychologues du Québec
514 738-1881 or 1 800 363-2644
Videos
- La santé mentale positive (Positive Mental Health - in French)
- S'ouvrir à la diversité (Being open to diversity - In French)
- Les enjeux d'inclusion (Inclusion issues - In French)
- De la perte à la reconstruction : L'expérience du deuil liée à l'exclusion d'un programme d'études (From loss to rebuilding: the experience of grief related to expulsion - In French)
AlgoBalado
The videos are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts. You can also watch them on Wistia.
Sure, we all think that going to university is all about friends, fun and good times. However, since going to university inevitably means a considerable workload, reality is sometimes more like “stooped posture, bags under your eyes and sleep deprivation.”
Even so, with a bit of willpower and some useful tips, it’s possible to lead a balanced life throughout your studies and thereby prevent stress, anxiety and burnout.
Here are five helpful hints:
Plan Meals and Healthy Snacks
“Plan your meals and snacks. Buy food on sale. Cook in larger quantities and freeze the leftovers.” – Catherine Bazinet, nutritionnist at the ÉTS Sports Centre
Start your day on the right foot by taking the time to eat breakfast! After eight to 12 hours without food, the brain’s stores of glucose – its basic fuel – are at their lowest. Breakfast ensures that you refuel and can perform better intellectually.
Enjoy fruits and vegetables at all meals and for snacks. Whether they’re fresh, frozen or canned, fruits and vegetables contain nutrients (vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) that are indispensable to your body running smoothly.
Get Exercise
“Don’t use studying as an excuse not to move around. With exams and coursework, stress levels become difficult to manage, and exercise helps to control stress. Stay active throughout the session and get even more exercise during stressful periods.” – François Beauregard, kinesiologist-trainer at the ÉTS Sports Centre
Getting daily exercise doesn’t just increase your energy levels. It also helps you deal with stress, increases your concentration abilities, helps you sleep better, strengthens your heart and lungs and makes you feel better in general. Exercising benefits you in every way! So… are you ready to get moving? Check out what the ÉTS Sports Centre has to offer (in French).
Get Enough Sleep
A good night’s sleep is key for your concentration, energy and well-being.
Having trouble sleeping? Here are 10 tips for sound sleep adapted from the Morin method (in French).
Avoid Drinking Too Much Alcohol
The idea is not to avoid alcohol altogether, but to learn how to consume it in moderation. Women are advised not to have more than two drinks a day or 10 drinks a week. It is also important not to drink alcohol while pregnant or nursing.
Men are advised not to drink more than three drinks a day or 15 drinks a week.
Moderation By the Numbers: 2-3-4-0
Educ'alcool
Alcoholics Anonymous
Quit Smoking
If you’re thinking about quitting smoking, you can get tips and support at the toll-free iQuitnow hotline 1-866-527-7383. Hotline support staff can help you find a quit smoking centre near you (at no charge!).
And while you’re at it, why not sign up for the Quit to Win! Challenge?