In lieu of social distancing, and subsequent State of Emergency and campus shut down, UNB has rolled out several mental health initiatives.These range from online counselling, Microsoft Teams seminars, and tips and tricks from various on campus groups.
The UNB Student Union released a graphic, in cooperation with Chimo, to help students improve mental health and maintain mindfulness.
Stir the Imagination: try something new and keep your mind active
Maintain a Routine: try to adhere to a sleep schedule and eat balanced meals
Stay Connected: engage with friends and family on social platforms, or volunteer online with an organization such as Chimo
Take a Break: reduce anxiety by limiting how much news and media you consume
Seek Support: reach out to friends, family, or a counselling organization. You don’t have to struggle alone
Mindfulness: this could be yoga, meditation, journalling, etc.
Additionally, the UNB Accessibility Center is working with UNB Counselling services to hold weekly seminars on Microsoft Teams to help ease the stress of exams. These hour-long seminars, GET SH*T DONE, are hosted by Matthew MacLean, Mental Health Strategist, and Janice Gange, Learning Strategist and help to define goals and provide tips for academics. They begin on Monday, April 6th at 10AM, and can be found by following this link and entering your UNB login.
UNB Counselling Services is providing phone and video call services to students needing urgent mental health support. An urgent situation can be defined as overwhelming stress or anxiety, or situations that put you, or another person, at risk. The email and voicemail for UNB Counselling Services are monitored during regular business hours, 8:15AM-4:30PM Monday to Friday, and students are encouraged to reach out to the Chimo crisis line, or 911 in the case of an emergency.
Additionally, UNB Counselling Services are offering the following online groups for support:
Beyond Breathing: this group explores mindfulness practices.
Feel Your Best Fridays: building a“coping skills toolkit” for students.
GET SH*T DONE: strategies to meet academic demands, with the UNB Accessibility Center.
Healthy Active Living at Home: ways to stay active, including videos to follow.Road to Resilience: helping students gain a sense of belonging and resilience.
Please, don’t hesitate to take advantage of the services being offered at UNB and in the Fredericton community. We are all in this together, and we will get through this.
The link to the UNB Student Union Graphic can be found here.
Chimo is a service that provides 24/7 phone services in crisis prevention, referrals, and information. They are available to all New Brunswick residents, and also have an online live chat, available from 5PM-12AM daily.
Chimo Crisis Helpline: 1-800-667-5005
Chimo Helpline (Fredericton): 506-450-HELP (4357)
UNB Counselling Services: 506-453-4820