Student counseling aids hundreds in NAIT’s finals season

It’s no secret that the post-secondary lifestyle is stressful. Many students find themselves struggling under the weight of constant exams, towers of homework and an overwhelming amount of expenses. A NAIT student’s time is often consumed with activities and assignments and deadlines, making it easy to see how the stress pours on.

Especially now with finals season in full swing, finding time for yourself is becoming impossible.

The topic of professional help is also a big taboo still for some. Even without the stigma, students don’t have the money to pay a therapist (which averages $200 per session). Solutions are hard to come by. NAIT’s best kept secret is the free student counseling they offer. The office is tucked in the back corner of the W building, with many open appointments with trained professionals. They cover a variety of topics, notably not just academic struggles.

There’s an uptick of interest in sessions right now, which isn’t surprising as finals for most programs began last week.

“When you mess up, just know you’ll start to question your life choices,” says Ben Bilodeau, a Civil Engineering student on his stress surrounding finals.

“I feel like a child on a road trip asking over and over ‘are we there yet?’,” says Conservation Biology student, Alicia Gavigan. “Cause good God, are we there yet?”

Per the Counselling section on NAIT’s website, most issues students have are typically resolved in a small number of sessions. The low time commitment works great for learners, and yet the service is not popular. Not many are aware the office even exists, it’s in a very disconnected area with limited foot traffic and unless you are actively seeking help you aren’t likely to discover it. Recent efforts, such as radio ads and posters around campus, have helped to get the word out.

If you are struggling, here’s how to set up an appointment with a professional at NAIT:

• Head to your MyNAIT portal and sign in
• On the side bar, click “Health and Well-Being”
• Select the very first tab, “Counselling”
• Scroll down and select “Book an Appointment”
• Fill out your information and follow any further instructions

After filling out a questionnaire, students can choose between phone, online and in-person sessions. The options make counselling a very accessible tool for anyone on or off campus. The hope is that more students will take advantage of the resources available in the last weeks of the semester. Individual mental health is vital in a thriving campus community.

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