The Wellness Desk is a new initiative coming from a partnership between MacOdrum Library and the Office of the Associate Vice President Student Health and Wellness.
The Wellness Desk, located at 204A MacOdrum Library, is a space for students to learn about resources, connect with our Wellness Coordinator, and decompress during stressful times of the year. The Wellness Desk is overseen by the Wellness Coordinator as well as a team of dedicated student staff.
You can pop into the Wellness Desk any time during its hours of operation – no appointments necessary! When you enter, you’ll be greeted by either the Wellness Coordinator or one of our Student Wellness Navigators, who are ready to support you with your mental health and wellness needs. You can chat with the team about what areas you need support on, explore resources with the team, and walk away with services and/or resources to better support you.
The team can support you with anything mental health and wellness related, ranging from feeling anxious around coursework, to struggling financially, to wanting to build your interpersonal skills.
The office has a variety of self-care related activities as well. Be sure to visit and check it out!
Why did you decide to get involved with the Wellness Desk Team?
I’ve always had a passion for helping others understand their emotions and behaviours while providing continuous emotional support. I have witnessed and personally struggled with mental health issues throughout my life and hope to help those who may feel alone or unheard.
What do you do to stay well?
I enjoy spending most of my time playing video games or reading but enjoy the comfort of friends when feeling overwhelmed or unwell.
What’s some advice for incoming students?
It’s okay to ask for guidance and advice! Asking for advice or help often seems overwhelming but can save you time in the long run. Students and professors are able to provide insight and support for any questions or concerns that you may have. It never hurts to ask, AND it’s free!
Hobbies outside of work
Currently I’ve been enjoying building LEGO sets in my free time, mostly the Minecraft and different architecture sets.
Why did you decide to get involved with the Wellness Desk Team?
I decided to get involved with the wellness desk because I wanted to connect with my community and peers in a meaningful way.
What do you do to stay well?
I like to journal my thoughts, aspirations, and day to day feelings to express my emotions. This helps me keep in touch of my mental health.
What’s some advice for incoming students?
I would advise incoming students to be open to new opportunities and resources that Carleton offers.
Hobbies outside of work
I love discovering new music, and going to local Ottawa artists live concerts, allows me to do that!
Why did you decide to get involved with the Wellness Desk Team?
I decided to get involved with the wellness desk team because I am a huge advocate for wellness and mental health. Helping others find beneficial resources while contributing to a positive and supportive environment is something that I want to be a part of.
What do you do to stay well?
As many of you may know, life as a student can get very busy and overwhelming. To cope with this, I like to make sure I always have at least one day off each week from school and work to either relax, catch up on anything I missed throughout the week, clean my apartment, or see friends and family.
What’s some advice for incoming students?
Some advice I have for incoming students is to not be afraid to talk to other students. They’re probably just as nervous as you are, and reaching out helps with making new friends. I’ve found that I’ve gotten higher marks in classes that I have friends in because they were able to answer any questions I had about course content, and they made great study buddies.
Hobbies outside of work
Outside of school and work you can find me either binge-watching reality TV shows on Netflix, playing Mario Kart on my Switch, or hanging out with my friends or family!
Education: Undergraduate neuroscience and mental health student
About:
Why did you decide to get involved with the Wellness Desk Team?
The Wellness Desk Team seemed like a group of inviting individuals that make a difference in student’s lives, and I wanted to be a part of this difference!
What do you do to stay well?
I spend time with friends and family, my pets, get outside and take in as much sunshine as I can, and try to get exercise as often as I can.
What’s some advice for incoming students?
If I could tell all incoming students one thing- it would be to just try your best! We often get caught up in always being the best and aiming for straight A’s, but the most important thing (in my opinion), is to give it your all and move on and try again!
Hobbies outside of work
I love to read in the summer, I love swimming, watching thriller documentaries/series, I love history, and I love to travel! Fun fact about me, I travelled to Spain and Ireland in 2023!
Why did you decide to get involved with the Wellness Desk Team?
I really appreciate connecting with my peers and discussing wellness resources on campus.
What do you do to stay well?
Find time to go outdoors and stay active (walking, soccer).
What’s some advice for incoming students?
You are not alone and there are people who know exactly what you’re going through. Reach out for help and you will find your people.
Hobbies outside of work
I love watching movies and binge-watching The Office.
Education: Bachelor of Social Sciences in Sociology, Minor in Social Sciences of Health (University of Ottawa)
About:
Why did you decide to get involved with the Wellness Desk Team?
I understand firsthand how it feels to want support but also feel overwhelmed by the process of finding what works for you. I think the Wellness Desk is a great space for students to take a breather and also learn about what supports could help in a particular situation. I would have loved to have this kind of support when I was a student, so I’m happy I get to be that support for others now.
What do you do to stay well?
I journal regularly to organize my thoughts and feelings and try to do some physical activity every day, even if it is just a little.
What’s some advice for incoming students?
Feeling overwhelmed and nervous are normal and can sometimes seem out of your control. Just remember that it is okay to reach out for support when needed. You don’t have to go through it alone!
Hobbies outside of work
I love to paint and play video games to relax.
May 2024 Hours of Operation
Friday April 26 – Sunday May 5 CLOSED
Monday 1:00pm-4:00pm
Tuesday 9:00am-4:00pm
Wednesday 9:00am-4:00pm
Thursday 1:00pm-4:00pm
Friday 9:00am-4:00pm
Saturday CLOSED
Sunday CLOSED
Frequently Asked Questions
The Wellness Desk is located at 204A MacOdrum Library – the same floor at Starbucks and the main entrance. There is a sign hanging from the ceiling with “Wellness Desk” – make sure you look up!
Sometimes, life and school can get pretty overwhelming and it’s hard to know where to go for support. The Wellness Desk Team can help you in finding the resources that might work for you – they take away you having to comb through websites and guides to provide you directly with information that will support your mental health and wellness.
The Wellness Desk is also a really great space to take a step away from your studies and de-stress.
The Wellness Desk can help you with anything related to mental health and wellness! They can support you in navigating to resources for a variety of concerns including, but not limited to:
Academic stress
Financial distress
Relationship support
Skills building
Options for counselling
Just remember, the Wellness Desk does not offer counselling services, but will rather talk with you and figure out together what support would be best for you.
No appointments are needed! Just drop on by whenever the space is open.
Please be mindful that another student might be in the space when you go in, so we ask you knock on the door and remain respectful of others in the space.
No. The Wellness Desk is designed to navigate you to mental health and wellness resources on and off-campus. If you’re looking for Counselling, we recommend checking out Counselling Services or you can chat with the Wellness Desk Team about counselling options.
No. The Wellness Desk area doesn’t allow for students to come and do their course work inside. However, if you need a few minutes to decompress or relax, feel free to pop by. We have plenty of items and materials to help you de-stress!
At this point, we are not looking for volunteers. However, that may change in the future so make sure you stay connected!
If you need to contact the Wellness Desk, please email wellness@carleton.ca. Please note, this email is not monitored 24/7.
Your feedback is important to us. If you have any comments about your services, please complete the Student Feedback Form.
