Self-Guided

Find self-guided resources you can access any time like audio recordings, videos, recommended apps - and more.

Self-Paced Courses & Seminars

Bouncing Forward

Bouncing Forward is a free, non-credit Canvas course designed to help you build resilience and enhance your well-being. Join now

8 Ways to Build Resilience

This is a video series based on Bouncing Forward. In each video, you can learn about an aspect of resilience and follow along with an activity. Watch it here

Sooner or Later? A Self-Paced Procrastination Management Program

It's easy to fall into the habit of procrastinating. Learn how to start your important tasks sooner with this self-paced course designed by a registered clinical counsellor.  Join Now

Understanding Anxiety & Depression

Access seminar resources any time and learn about anxiety and depression, including more ways to offer support. Then, attend a seminar for Q&As. Join now

Eliminating Stigma Related to Mental Illness and Mental Health Distress (by Hi-FIVE)

Learn how to put anti-stigma into effect on campus by learning more about mental illness and mental health distress. Join now

Suicide Awareness & Prevention

Learn how to recognize potential signs of distress and/or suicide risk, and how to provide immediate support. Join now

Health Peers

Some of your health questions may best be answered by a peer. Health Peers are trained Health & Counselling volunteers interested in health-related careers. Find them at regular pop-up events across campus offering tips and tricks and giving away free supplies like condoms and lube. Get in touch or find them now! More

  

Audio Recordings

Listen to these recordings from some of our counsellors.

Mindfulness

Facilitator: Erika Horwitz, Associate Director of Counselling (Former), Health & Counselling

Duration:  10 minute and 25 minute versions available 

Description: Mindfulness helps you become focused and allows you to rest from constant thinking. Practice being in the present and let go of worries about the future and past.

Mountain Meditation

Adapted from Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mountain Meditation

Facilitator: Sarah Parkes, Clinical Counsellor, Health & Counselling

Duration: 19 minutes

Description: This meditation uses mindfulness and visualization to foster inner stability amid the constantly changing nature of our mind, body, and surroundings.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Facilitator: Cathy Trudeau, Clinical Counsellor (Former), Health & Counselling

Duration: 10 minutes

Description: Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a technique of tensing and relaxing muscles through your body. It can help to increase levels of relaxation and decrease levels of stress and tension.

Self-Compassion: Affectionate Breathing

Adapted from Kristin Neff and Chris Germer's Affectionate Breathing Meditation

Facilitator: Sarah Parkes, Clinical Counsellor, Health & Counselling

Duration: 10 minutes

Description: This soothing meditation encourages self-compassion through mindful breathing.

Body Scan

Facilitator: Erika Horwitz, Associate Director Counselling (Former), Health & Counselling

Duration: 25 minutes

Description: The Body Scan is a mindfulness-based practice that allows us to be present with our bodies and to learn to observe and experience our bodies without judgement, analysis, or resistance. It is sometimes useful to do it before doing the mindfulness meditation as it tends to focus the mind and ground the body.

Want to attend a live meditation session? Free classes are offered weekly in-person and on Zoom.

View schedule

Videos

Body Movement Exercises

Find a space and make time to get your body moving so you can thrive at SFU and beyond. View here

Creative Collective

You can find ASMR videos and other relaxing content to turn on while you study and finish assignments. We also have an art tutorial video you can follow along with. Find more

Apps

Find an app that works for you and keep it in your toolbox for the days you need it most.

My SSP
SFU-student-specific support program that offers support options available through Here2Talk and more including 24/7 counselling support.

BellyBio
Helps you practice deep abdominal breathing by providing biofeedback and music in sync with your breathing.

Calm
Meditation practices and sleep stories written and recorded by various individuals to help with sleep, meditation, and relaxation.

Happify
Science-based games and activities that aim to help you overcome stress, negative thoughts, and life’s general challenges.

Headspace
Learn mindfulness and meditation skills and use. guided meditations to help you manage stress and anxiety to help improve sleep, focus, and mind-body health.

Healthy Minds
Helps you deal with emotions and cope with various stressors by providing a daily mood tracker, journaling, stress buster strategies, video breathing exercises, and a problem-solving guide to help identify and develop a plan to address life challenges.

Insight Timer
Free guided meditations, music tracks, and ambient sounds to help calm the mind, relax, focus, and sleep better.

Mindshift™
Strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy that aims to provide free Anxiety relief by helping you learn how to practice mindfulness, relax, and develop effective ways of thinking.

Moodmission
Provides a tailored list of 5 Missions (mental health strategies including mindfulness meditations, exercise and fitness activities, affirmations, yoga, and more) based on how you are feeling at a specific time to help boost your mood.

MyLife
Recommends mindfulness activities to help deal with stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness.

The Safe Place
Free smartphone app focused on psychoeducation and self-care for minority mental health, geared towards the Black community.

Sanvello
Provides techniques based on cognitive behavioural therapy via self-care, peer support, and trained coaches and therapists to deal with stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.