Let's talk about mental health at King's

Feeling isolated and alone is common amongst students. At King’s there are many peer groups and programs on campus for students to support one another and to receive help from trained mental health professionals.

Joe Henry, Dean of Students, reports that, in the last year, one in three students at King’s have accessed services to support their mental health and well-being.

“The pressure of academics on mental health can be isolating. Students often prefer to put up a strong front and try to deal with their mental wellness themselves. It is important that students know that they do not have to deal with these struggles alone,” says Maddie Paisley, Coordinator of the King’s Academic Mentoring Program (KAMP).

Henry adds, “as a Catholic university, King’s believes that care of the whole person must include investing in resources that support mental health and well-being. This means offering in-person services, groups and programs that meet the diverse need of our student population.  We encourage all students to access the range of resources we have at King’s along with our partners at Western.”   

Two events will bring awareness to the importance of mental health and wellness and the resources for our students at King’s.

On January 25, 2023, internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Kellylee Evans will share her inspirational story of recovery in a virtual presentation. In 2013, Evans was struck by lightning while washing dishes in her home and later, suffered a devastating concussion. Evans dedicated herself to recovery so she could continue making music. In 2017, she returned to the stage and in 2018, her album, Come On, was nominated for a Juno award in the Vocal Jazz Album of the Year category.

Sponsored by the King’s Alumni Association, Evans’ talk will resonate with anyone who has ever had their life interrupted by an illness or setback and will be followed by a Q&A session. All students, alumni, employees, and friends of King’s are invited to register to view the talk.

On January 27, Jack.org will present Jack Talks, delivered by trained and certified youth speakers to other young people. These personal stories will help spread awareness about mental health and wellness while encouraging students to learn how to support one another.

The Jack Talks event is a great example of students helping students at King’s. “Student attendance and engagement (in such events) truly helps others know they are not alone and that there are people in our King’s community who have their back,” says Hannah Smith, Chapter President of Jack.org King’s.

“King’s offers numerous supports for students both within the university and via external partnerships. Having a club like Jack.org be a part of King’s is a great way to start the conversation and have student advocates in the spotlight. We have been blessed to partner with King’s Personal Counselling on many events, including the Jack Talks. We hope that, as student advocates, we can help our peers get the best possible supports,” Smith says.

Paisley adds that due to King’s small size, we have “the unique opportunity to be a strong community. To foster this community, it is important that students support one another.”