From the start of the semester students at Vanier College ask to see psychologists and academic advisors

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On the very first day of classes, more than a dozen Vanier College students were already lined up in Student Services asking for appointments to meet with a psychologist or an academic advisor. Life for many young people in today’s cegeps is so challenging that students no longer wait three or four weeks into the semester before feeling the need to see a specialist as it was in the past.  No surprise in this, given the results of research published recently on the stress of students’ lives.

“The results of the research, financed by Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne, did not surprise us except to tell us that 35% of young people still have a negative view of mental health issues and are hesitant to see a psychologist. That’s higher than we thought,” said Monique Magnan, Director of Student Services at Vanier College in a recent interview on CTV.

“I think that social media diminishes the amount of time young people spend in face-to-face communications and weakens their ability to speak with someone directly, particularly in times of difficulty or stress. As well, overprotective parents who interject themselves into their children’s lives may deprive them of the opportunity to learn how to handle problems on their own. The result is an increased need for mental health professionals and services to help students,” said Monique Magnan.

At Vanier College there are several services to support students having a hard time. In addition to psychologists and academic advisors, there is also the Peer Support Network that allows students to help one another emotionally, the Open Door Network and U.M.B.R.E.L.L.A., two organizations that offer support to young people of the LGBT community, exercise classes as well as meditation and relaxation sessions at lunch time, a financial aid officer and a student rights advocate, as well as a number of other services to help students with their studies.