The From Intention to Action (FITA) program supports undergraduate and graduate students in managing stress, navigating personal challenges and improving academic performance. FITA helps students address the personal stressors that can often interfere with their ability to succeed academically.
Students meet one-on-one with a coordinator for one hour each week over either five or 10 consecutive weeks. Coordinators are staff members or master’s-level interns trained in counselling and psychotherapy.
Students must be considered full-time to be eligible for the program.
How FITA Can Help
FITA supports students who are experiencing challenges that may be affecting their academic success or overall well-being. Common areas of focus include:
- Stress management
- Coping skills
- Time management
- Learning strategies
- Academic performance
- Supportive counselling
Whether you are dealing with a specific concern or looking to develop new skills and strategies, FITA provides a structured and supportive environment to help you work toward your goals.
Is FITA Right for Me?
There is no single type of student who participates in FITA. Students come to the program with a wide range of experiences, challenges and goals. While everyone’s situation is unique, FITA may be a good fit if you are:
- Experiencing significant stress related to major life events, such as a family loss, relationship changes, adjusting to university life or uncertainty about academic expectations.
- On Academic Warning, or finding that academic performance is being affected by personal stressors, study skills challenges or difficulties staying on track.
- Having difficulty maintaining a healthy balance between academics, work, personal commitments and well-being.
- Exploring your academic or career direction and feeling uncertain, unmotivated or disconnected from your current program of study.
- Experiencing challenges with concentration, focus or productivity that are affecting your academic success.
- Feeling overwhelmed by stress and looking for strategies, support and practical tools to help move forward.
If you are unsure whether FITA is the right fit for your needs, an intake appointment can help determine whether the program is appropriate and identify other support options that may be beneficial.
How the Program Works
Intake Appointment
The intake appointment is the first step in determining whether FITA is the right fit for your needs. During this one-on-one meeting with a staff counsellor, you will learn more about the program, discuss the challenges you are facing and identify what you hope to gain from counselling. This conversation helps ensure that your needs align with the support FITA can provide.
Five-Session Stream
This stream is ideal for students seeking focused support on a specific issue or skill area. Over five weekly sessions, students work one-on-one with a coordinator to develop strategies related to stress management, time management, learning strategies or academic performance.
Ten-Session Stream
This stream is designed for students experiencing more complex or ongoing challenges. Over 10 weekly sessions, students have additional time to explore stressors, develop coping strategies and build sustainable academic and personal habits. Stream placement is discussed during the intake appointment and is based on individual goals and needs.
Please note: Not all students who attend an intake appointment will be accepted into the program. For additional support, we encourage you to use our Wellness Services Navigator which will direct you to resources and services that are curated to fit your needs.
Student Expectations
No-Show Policy
FITA offers a high volume of appointments to Carleton students. Cancelling an appointment when you are not able to make it means you are freeing up an appointment spot for others who are waiting and could benefit from an earlier appointment.
If you need to cancel an appointment, please provide at least 24 hours and/or as much notice as possible. Appointments cancelled in less than 24 hours will incur a fee.
Please note: If you have an appointment on a Monday and you wish to cancel it, you must notify us by 4:30 p.m. on Friday if possible.
How to Cancel a FITA Appointment
You can cancel an appointment by visiting the appointment booking page.
Once assigned to a coordinator, you are advised to reach out via email to directly notify them.
You can also call FITA at 613-520-2600 x1028 during business hours.
Code of Conduct
Students are responsible for behaving respectfully and following the Students Rights and Responsibilities Policy when accessing any services, including FITA, within Carleton University. Abusive behaviours will not be tolerated.
Privacy and Confidentiality Information
Privacy and Confidentiality
Counselling records are confidential and are not included in academic records.
FITA collects information for the purpose of providing counselling services to our students. FITA follows legislated privacy obligations in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and when applicable, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), such as when assisting in an accommodation process.
Our professional staff (management, counsellors and interns) are committed to collecting, using and disclosing personal health information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide. FITA currently uses an electronic record keeping system called Collaborative Health Record (CHR). Access to counselling records in CHR is restricted to FITA employees and information is protected through the use of technical and administrative safeguards such as restricted access permissions, multi-factor authentication and use of other industry standard security controls.
Limits of Confidentiality
FITA does not release any information without your written permission. However, there are some exceptional situations where FITA is required to disclose your information without your consent. These exceptions include:
- If you intend to harm yourself.
- If you intend to harm another person.
- If you or your counsellor has a strong reason to think that a Carleton University community member may be at risk of harm based on information that you provided in your session.
- If there is a reasonable suspicion that a child (any individual up to their 18th birthday) is at risk of emotional and/or physical neglect or emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse. We are required by law to report this immediately.
- If an elderly person in a Long-Term Care Home or Retirement home is at risk of emotional or any form of maltreatment.
- If your counselling record is subpoenaed by law.
- If you have a complaint about a regulated health professional (e.g. doctor, nurse, psychologist, chiropractor, or massage therapist, etc.) with respect to their inappropriate sexual behaviour towards you, and you provide us with that individual’s name, we are required to report this complaint to their regulatory body.
Feedback and Complaints
Students have the right to provide feedback or register a complaint if they are concerned about the way their information has been managed (privacy) or about the care they have received (FITA).
Practicum Opportunities
Interested in completing a counselling practicum with FITA? Learn about placement opportunities, expectations and supervision.