Carleton University Health and Counselling Services collects, uses, discloses personal health information to serve our clients and to provide health care. All Carleton University Health and Counselling employees, contract staff, consultants, student peer mentors and volunteers are required to abide by the privacy laws, including Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).

Health Services currently uses an electronic record keeping system called Collaborative Health Record (CHR). Access to medical records in CHR is restricted to Health and Counselling 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.

Under exceptional circumstances Carleton University Health and Counselling Services, through personnel authorized to make such decisions, may disclose personal health information of a client if necessary to comply with legal and/or professional obligations with or without their consent if:

• There are reasonable grounds to believe that a client is at significant risk for the serious harm to themselves or another person.
• There are reasonable grounds to believe that a child is at risk of being abused or neglected.
• The client’s personal health information has been subpoenaed by a court of law.
• The client’s disclosed that they have been sexually abused by a regulated health professional.
• As per the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario’s policy on mandatory and permissive reporting.

What is Quick Access Counselling? 

Connect quickly and directly with professional counsellors who will help you generate impactful solutions for mental health concerns and provide access to additional resources if required. Options can include further counselling sessions, group counselling and workshops, or other resources that may be helpful. Visit the CHR Connect App or through the CHR Connect Website to book an appointment.

The preferred method for booking appointments is now online through the CHR Connect App or through the CHR Connect Website.

Residence students can also call to make an appointment by calling 613-520-2600 ext. 8061. This change aims to streamline the process, making it more convenient for students to access counselling services, or you can simply drop by our office at 131 Renfrew Building in person.

Our counsellors offer short-term, trauma-informed counselling for students struggling with a wide variety of concerns and mental illness.  Common topics that we help students with include anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties and homesickness, roommate and social conflicts, sexual violence, academic stressors, gender and sexuality, and substance use and addiction. Our focus is to help you thrive in your current personal and academic pursuits, rather than the exploration and analysis of past problems.

If you require longer-term or specialized therapy, we may refer you to the more appropriate resources in the community.

The first appointment will be about getting to know each other and your presenting concern, and figuring out who and what resources will best support you at this time.

Your counsellor will go over consent and confidentiality and allow space for you to ask any questions.  The counsellor’s role is to listen closely and help create a collaborative plan based on your own values, skills and strengths.  This plan may involve further counselling meetings with the same professional, or you might leave with a referral to a different counsellor or service that can better support your specific needs.

It is normal to feel nervous before the first counselling session. The outcome of counselling is most often positive; however, the process may sometimes be distressing and may include periods of stress and anxiety due to discussing sensitive and private matters. Many students discover that the first session is much easier than they had imagined.

There is no charge for meeting with a Residence Counsellor; these services are paid for through your residence and tuition fees.

If you have a specific counsellor or request in mind, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate this.  There are a limited number of counsellors working specifically with residence students, however, so this may not always be possible.  All of our counsellors embrace working with people from diverse backgrounds, and will also discuss with you if a referral to a specialized counsellor at the main clinic is appropriate.

Getting professional help for your mental health can be very anxiety-provoking. Counselling is not a sign of failure; it is a sign of strength. It takes a lot of courage to acknowledge problems and our counsellors will do their best to support you during the process.

No. Our counsellors do not prescribe medications. If you wish to discuss pharmacological treatment options for any mental health related concerns, you will need to book an appointment with a medical provider. For students who are without a family doctor, you can access a Mental Health Assessment (MHA) at our medical clinic. A MHA is approximately 30 minutes in length, you may be referred internally or externally for further assessment.

We will not release any information without your written permission. The only exceptions would be to protect you or others from immediate harm; when ordered by a court to do so (subpoena); when required by law (protecting children from abuse); or if abuse by a regulated health professional is reported. Your counsellor will explain our confidentiality policy to you when you meet as well as the limits mentioned above.