On Wed, Nov 30, 2022, Counselling Services is closed for in-person service, but is offering remote appointments. Please contact student.support@ubc.ca to book or change an appointment.
Get help at any time if you or someone else is in immediate danger, or at risk of harming yourself or others.
If you're a Vancouver resident, you can connect with the Access and Assessment Centre between 7:30 am and 9:30 pm for walk-in services, or 7:30 am to 10:00 pm by phone.
If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or at risk of harm, call or chat online with a crisis responder at any time.
Browse wellness ideas to help you manage distress while you are connecting to the support options listed above.
Students seek support through Counselling Services for a variety of reasons. They may be feeling anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, or notice that their mental health is declining. They may also need some help with decision-making, navigating family and social relationships, coping with grief and loss, or adjusting to major life transitions.
If you're in British Columbia (BC), call Counselling Services at 604 822 3811 to schedule a virtual or in-person appointment, offered Mondays to Fridays. First-time appointments are booked for the same day and arranged on a first-come, first-served basis.
You can also connect with the embedded counsellor in your faculty, who can provide support for concerns that students in your program commonly experience.
If you're outside of BC, there are other free counselling and health resources available. Get a list of support options specific to your location and needs with the Finding health support online tool.
There may be delays due to call volumes that are higher than usual. If you choose to leave a voice message, please speak clearly and leave the following information, as this will help us to return your call:
Calls will be returned as soon as possible. You are welcome to call back and speak to the front desk directly. When we return your call, we will be calling from an unidentified number. To protect your privacy, we will not leave voicemails unless we have your written permission.
All of UBC’s health professionals are committed to keeping your visit and concerns completely private and confidential.
Information about you and your health can only be shared with your permission, or when safety concerns or legal requirements arise.
If you have any questions about confidentiality, please ask during your appointment.
UBC Counselling Services uses a brief, intentional counselling model to address mental health concerns. After you share your information, the staff will connect you to the support option most suitable for your situation.
Typically, a 45-minute wellness advising appointment is the first step to assess whether individual counselling can help you move towards your goals. Wellness Advisors focus on assessment and wellness planning. They may connect you to self-directed resources, workshops, life coaching, group therapy, brief counselling, or medical care.
Many students find that a single counselling session can help them move forward in a positive direction. Counselling Services may help you book an in-person or virtual 45-minute, same-day appointment to help you focus on your strengths and identify helpful perspectives and/or strategies.
Counselling Services may recommend that you join a group counselling program, where you can connect with other students in a confidential, safe space.
Counselling Services also offers brief, intentional individual counselling to help you cope with a wide variety of concerns. If it seems like you may benefit from more specialized or longer-term support, Counselling Services can connect you to appropriate resources in the community.
If you've visited or booked an appointment with Counselling Services, you can share feedback about your experience online or by contacting the reception at 604 822 3811.
Get free 24/7 counselling and life coaching service from the Student Assistance Program. Counselling is offered in multiple languages and can be accessed anywhere in the world by phone, video, and more.
If you are registered with the AMS/GSS Health and Dental plan, you have up to 100% coverage of the cost towards psychotherapy services from a licensed psychologist, registered clinical counsellor, or a therapist with a Master’s degree in Social Work.
You can submit your receipts from counselling or therapy services and claim up to $1,500 per policy year. Review the health benefit details and use the Pacific Blue Cross website to enter your claims.
At UBC Counselling Services, we respect that students have unique personalities, cultures, and experiences. Many of our staff identify as BIPOC and we strive to bring a multicultural, anti-oppressive, social-justice orientation to the counselling process.
As counsellors, we value and respectfully recognize Indigenous history, culture, traditional values, stories, the lands we work on, and healing practices that support wellbeing alongside the use of Western therapies.
If you’re an Indigenous student within British Columbia, we can offer you various options, such as arranging for a virtual appointment with an Indigenous counsellor. Indigenous self-identification is not used for any purpose other than to support you better.
UBC Counselling Services offers doctoral internship and practicum placements to students in graduate counsellor training programs. The internship and practicum are high-quality, personalized training experiences in an open, collegial atmosphere that promotes self-exploration and growth.
