Welcome to WellnessU!
What is WellnessU?
WellnessU is a peer-led mental health education program developed by UWindsor students for UWindsor students. Based on the Recovery College model, programming emphasizes empowerment, personal growth, and practical learning to support student mental health and well-being. The program was developed collaboratively by Peer Wellness Educators in Student Health, Counselling & Wellness Services at the University of Windsor in partnership with the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences.
WellnessU offers workshops and interactive learning opportunities designed to encourage students to take an active role in their mental health journey. We strive to create an environment that is safe, inclusive and welcoming where students can share, learn, and grow together.
A traditional Recovery College supports individuals who are living with and recovering from mental illness. For our purposes at the University of Windsor, we have adapted the model for our campus to be inclusive of all UWindsor students who are looking for opportunities to build connection and skills for supporting their well-being. This program does not provide content that is specific to mental illness or substance use recovery, but does cover more general content that is beneficial to anyone.
- Provides educational opportunities that support positive mental well-being
- Co-produced with UWindsor students
- Complements but does not replace clinical treatment for mental health concerns.
- Operates on the principles of CHIME
- Inclusive and open to all UWindsor students
- Aims to create a welcoming & stigma-free environment
Important: WellnessU is led by Peer Wellness Educators who are University of Windsor undergraduate students employed by Student Health, Counselling & Wellness Services. They are supervised by professional staff. WellnessU sessions are co-facilitated by two UWindsor Peer Wellness Educators and a Peer Specialist from the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences. This program does not provide counselling, therapy, or clinical support and there are no clinical staff present during sessions. If you are looking for counselling, group therapy, or medical care, please visit www.uwindsor.ca/wellness
CHIME is a model that identifies five principles as key factors that help support well-being when experiencing or recovering from mental health concerns:
Connection. Peer support and support groups, relationships, & community.
Hope. Belief in recovery, motivation to make progress, hope-inspiring relationships, and having dreams & aspirations
Identity. Rebuilding positive sense of identity and overcoming stigma.
Meaning. Finding meaning in experiences, life, and social roles.
Empowerment. Personal responsibility, control over life, and focusing on strengths.
(Leamy et al., 2011)
Leamy, M., Bird, V., Le Boutillier, C., Williams, J., & Slade, M. (2011). Conceptual framework for personal recovery in mental health: systematic review and narrative synthesis. The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, 199(6), 445–452. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083733
Offering #1. Thriving Relationships: People Skills for University Life (In-Person)
Thriving Relationships: People Skills for University Life is a peer-led, non-credit course made up of five weekly one-hour workshops dedicated to helping University of Windsor students make meaningful connections while learning about the importance of communication, etiquette, boundaries, conflict, self-advocacy, trust, and more!
Registration Closed. Check out Offering #2 below!
The Art of Connection
- Defining interpersonal skills
- Outlining types of relationships
- Core interpersonal skills
- Levels of communication
- Communication skills
- Emotional intelligence
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Assertiveness vs. aggression
Click, Post, Send, Connect
- How online communication differs from face-to face interactions
- Tone and intent in digital spaces
- Causes of miscommunication
- Effects of miscommunication
- Solutions to miscommunication
- Email etiquette
- Building digital boundaries
Can we Talk? A Guide to Having Tough Conversations
- The five stages of conflict
- Value of conflict resolution skills
- Setting healthy boundaries
- How to approach friends/family with an issue
- How to respond to criticism
- How to respect others during a disagreement
The Journey to Speaking Up for Yourself
- Define self-advocacy and its importance in personal and professional life
- Recognizing situations when self-advocacy is important
- What gets in the way of self-advocacy and solutions to them
- Not knowing how
- Power dynamics
- Discomfort
Beyond Words: Cultivating Trust Through Actions and Communication
- What is trust?
- Discuss the importance of trust
- Building trust through behaviours and recognizing trustworthiness in others
- Maintaining trust
- Rebuilding trust after it’s been broken
Ask our Peer Wellness Educators...
"This course gives students an opportunity to build interpersonal skills they can use in all aspects of their lives. Our content covers how to be a better communicator, how to self-advocate, and how to handle conflict, which are all essential qualities not only in a professional sense, but in a personal one as well. Students will be able to make stronger connections with those around them, and will be confident in their ability to identify their own personal needs in relationships."
- Peer Wellness Educators
Offering #2. Life in Balance: Exploring Health and Wellbeing (Virtual)
To register, click here!
March 7, 2025 - Goal Getter: Building Your Roadmap to Success
- Importance of goal setting
- Types of goals
- Short-term vs long-term
- Personal, professional, and social goals
- Setting effective goals
- Smart goals
- Distinguishing between an overarching vision and actionable steps
- Overcoming obstacles
- Reflecting on and adapting goals
March 14, 2025 - Mastering Your Minute
- What is time management?
- Why it’s important
- Techniques to manage our time
- Planning and organization skills
- How to minimize procrastination
- Study methods
March 21, 2025 - Discover Your Spark
- Importance of pursuing passions and hobbies
- Common societal beliefs about passions and success, and how to think about them more flexibly
- Why personal interests align with or complement career paths
- How to motivate yourself to try new activities
March 28, 2025 - Embracing Wellness Every Day
- The importance of taking care of your wellbeing
- Examples of low budget balanced meals for uni students
- Canada’s food guide/ UWindsor’s Campus Food Pantry
- Ways to incorporate movement into daily routines for those with busy schedules
- The importance of sleep
- Impacts of sleep loss
- Strategies for better sleep
April 4, 2025 - The Art of Putting Yourself First
- What is self-care
- The importance of self-care
- Explore the dimensions of self-care (emotional, spiritual, practical)
- Societal misconceptions about self-care
- How taking care of oneself enables better support for others
- Long-term consequences of neglecting self-care
- Understand common barriers (guilt, lack of time, etc.) to self-care and tips to overcome them
Ask our Peer Wellness Educators...
"Our second course teaches students how to live more independently and make lifestyle choices that support wellbeing. Our content covers how to minimize procrastination, how to set SMART goals, and how to identify passions and hobbies, which are important life skills that students can utilize in their daily routines. Students will learn how to identify their needs and what is most important to them, and will explore how to make this self-knowledge a priority in daily life."
- Peer Wellness Educators
Questions? Please email wellness@uwindsor.ca