April 30, 2020 | British Columbia

While the post-secondary education experience is fast-paced and ever-changing, it can present challenges for individuals navigating it for the first time, and completely on their own.

As of April 16, the Government of British Columbia has announced a free counselling service for all registered post-secondary students. Here2Talk provides 24/7 mental health support and counselling, community referral services and more through a designated phone line, website, and customized app.

“I’m very excited to say that Here2Talk is now available for all 555,000 post-secondary students registered across BC,” says Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.

For the first time in BC, every student has convenient and immediate access to mental health services, no matter their location or economic status.

“For too long, mental health care was an afterthought in BC, and many post-secondary students weren’t able to access the help they needed. Here2Talk is changing that,” says Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

In 2016, the National College Health Association surveyed Canadian post-secondary students and found that a significant number of students experience mental health challenges. Forty-four percent of the surveyed students reported that, at some point during the 12 months, they experienced depression and “difficulty functioning”, while 18.4% reported being diagnosed or treated professionally for anxiety.

Here2Talk’s free resources and professional counsellors are available to address issues with depression and loneliness, tensions between family members or instructors, frustrations or uncertainty related to studies, general stress and anxiety, and much more.

Available to all full and part-time students, international students and students studying abroad, and online and distance education students, Here2Talk’s counsellors and services can be accessed through live chat or telephone, with no appointment needed!

Learn more about Here2Talk and how they can help you during your studies.