Counselling Services
During your time at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, you may experience challenges and stressors within your academic and personal life. Our counsellors provide a safe space and tailor the appointment to your needs. As a Sask Polytech student you can access personal and academic counselling services, free of charge. Indigenous counsellors are available upon request . Counselling appointments are confidential and private.
Learn more about counselling appointments and FAQs, requesting an appointment, how to contact us and additional resources available to support your mental wellbeing.
Counselling appointments
Our counsellors are here for you. They provide a safe environment to discuss your concerns, help you understand your strengths, learn new skills and empower you to set goals and make changes. Contact with a counsellor may be client initiated or the result of a referral. Support can be brief or ongoing and community resources may be suggested. Counsellors currently see students over Zoom and in person.
Counsellors are here to support you with any concern or goal requiring support during your time at Sask Polytech. Students come into counselling for a variety of reasons, such as:
- Abuse – sexual, emotional, physical
- Academic and program needs
- Basic needs
- Cultural adaptation
- Grief and loss
- Mental health concerns (e.g., depression, anxiety, and addictions)
- Personal identity
- Relationship difficulties
- Stress
- Supporting positive change
- Thoughts of suicide
Confidentiality is central to the counselling relationship. Any information you have shared with your counsellor will remain confidential as we are bound by a code of ethics and professional guidelines.
To protect your privacy, your counsellor will not approach you in public; however, you are welcome to initiate contact with them if you would like.
There are times when private information would be released without signed consent. These times include when:
- There is a reason to believe that you are at imminent danger of harming yourself or others
- You share, or your counsellor believes, that another person (including children and vulnerable persons) is at risk for serious harm
- Your file is subpoenaed or requested by court of law.
When private information needs to be released, counsellors will only share relevant information to ensure safety.
Counselling is open to all currently registered Sask Polytech students.
Most appointments occur between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Some limited evening spots are also available.
Session frequency can be anywhere from once a week to once a month depending on student preference and need.
Students are free to leave counselling at anytime or request the services of another counsellor.
Although sessions will vary in length, a typical appointment will last approximately 50 minutes.
If you are open to seeing any counsellor across the province, wait times are generally less than a day. If you are requesting a specific counsellor, the wait time can be a week or more.
If you are unable to attend, please contact the counsellor you are scheduled with, the counselling email (counselling@saskpolytech.ca) or call the campus office you are attending. We appreciate as much notice as you can provide.
Sask Polytech counsellors are knowledgeable about the institution’s policies and procedures and can refer you to the appropriate supports for your situation. Counsellors do not typically provide notes to instructors, but may in exceptional circumstances.
Participating in counselling is voluntary. Counsellors do not report back to the referral source or programs regarding your attendance. Students have a right to refuse counselling and a right to refuse to participate interventions offered by the counsellor.
Request an appointment
If this is a crisis, please call 911.
Request an appointment now
Fill out the information below and someone will contact you to book an appointment with one of our counsellors.
To learn more about your rights as a counselling client, please read our Counselling Services Informed Consent form. We care about your rights, privacy and safety and encourage you to read the form before your first session.
What to Expect
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic Counselling Services offers current students a safe environment to discuss your concerns, help you understand your strengths, learn new skills, and empower you to set goals and make changes.
- Counselling sessions are free and offered through phone, Zoom video and in person.
- Your counsellor will invite you to talk about the benefits and costs of making the changes you are considering and then support you in working on your goals.
- Counselling is most helpful when you work together with your counsellor.
- It is important to know that you have many rights as a client including the right to say “pass” or “no,” and to stop counselling at any time.
- You have the right to change your counsellor at Sask Polytech.
- For counselling options outside of Sask Polytech, your counsellor will make efforts to support you with referrals and/or resources.
- For phone or Zoom appointments, it is the student’s responsibility to secure adequate technology. You will need a quiet, private space free from distraction/intrusion, with sufficient lighting and in a safe fixed location.
- Counsellors cannot accept any personal contact or social media invites.
- Ask your counsellor if you have any further questions about your rights as a student accessing counselling.
- You and your counsellor will discuss a plan to deal with potential problems that may arise during a technology assisted counselling session.
- Counsellors will take steps to protect your privacy. Choosing a private space for your phone or Zoom sessions is your responsibility.
- Counselling sessions shall not be recorded in any way.
- Sask Polytech uses reasonable means to protect the security and confidentiality of information sent and received using electronic communications. There are potential risks of using technology assisted communication.
- Privacy and security of electronic communication cannot be guaranteed. Electronic communications and files might be forwarded, intercepted, circulated, stored or changed without the knowledge or permission of Counselling Services or the student. This may result in sensitive information being unsecured.
- Electronic communications are subject to disruptions beyond our control and may prevent service provision.
- Your name, address and contact information are shared with office coordinators for appointment bookings and data collection purposes only.
- Your counselling file, which is stored separately from your academic file, contains brief notes summarizing sessions. Files are securely stored for 7 years.
- You have the right to request information from your file and are encouraged to ask your counsellor any questions.
- To maintain best practice, consultation with other counselling staff or the manager may take place.
- Only the manager of counselling is allowed to access your file on an as needed basis.
- If a counselling staff member is working on higher credentials, and receiving outside supervision, a separate consent form will be provided at the first session.
- You have many rights to privacy and confidentiality. Any information you have shared with your counsellor will remain confidential as we are bound by a code of ethics and professional guidelines.
- Your counsellor will not approach you in public to protect privacy; however, you are welcome to acknowledge them if you would like.
- If we need to obtain or share information with other professionals, we will request your consent in writing. You have the right to refuse consent and your wishes will be respected.
- You have the right to withdraw consent to release at any time.
- There are times when private information would be released without signed consent.
These times include:
- There is reason to believe that you are at imminent danger of harming yourself or others.
- You share, or your counsellor believes, that another person (including children and vulnerable persons)
- is at risk for serious harm.
- Your file is subpoenaed or requested by court of law.
- When private information needs to be released counsellors will only share relevant information to ensure safety.
- In an emergency and/or if your counsellor is concerned for your safety, and unable to reach you, your emergency contact may be notified. Alternatively, necessary authorities or emergency services may be called.
- Your chosen emergency contact is ___________________________.
Download the form to sign: Counselling Services Informed Consent form (pdf)
This information is collected for the purpose of contacting you to arrange an appointment and will be kept on file with Counselling Services. For further information about privacy at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, see our Privacy Statement online or contact Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Privacy Head (by mail at: 400-119 4th Ave S, Saskatoon SK S7K 5X2 or by email at: privacyhead@saskpolytech.ca.
Contact us
Please email us or call your local campus; phones are all forwarded and will be answered during campus closures.
Student Services will respond to voicemail and email messages within 24 hours.
306-691-8311 or 306-691-8310 (Mobile Crisis 306-694-7605)
counselling@saskpolytech.ca
306-765-1611 (Mobile Crisis 306-764-1011)
counselling@saskpolytech.ca
306-775-7436 (Mobile Crisis 306-757-0127)
counselling@saskpolytech.ca
306-659-4050 (Mobile Crisis 306-933-6200)
counselling@saskpolytech.ca
Additional resources
Please see Sask Polytech's Mental Health and Wellness page for a wide range of resources including upcoming events, links to online information, videos, podcasts, apps and more.
Several additional resources are available to support your mental wellbeing.
We welcome any Sask Polytech student identifying as Indigenous, Black or Person of Color. The group offers a space to share experiences, to foster community, and to support well being. The group is facilitated by Sask Polytech counsellors, but student input will guide the group.
When: The fourth Tuesday of each month starting Sept. 27 at 4 p.m.
Where: Zoom. Pre-registration is required. Register now.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please email forsythsa@saskpolytech.ca
Help reduce your stress by taking time to slow down and be present with what is. Our Mindful Moment videos guide you through moments of self-reflection and mind body connection. We welcome your suggestions for future mindful practices.
This province-wide online therapy unit, created by the University of Regina partnered with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, provides free online mental health therapy.
211 Saskatchewan
This free, confidential, 24/7 service connects individuals to human services in the
province by telephone, text, or web chat, plus a searchable website with over 5,000
listings of social, community, non-clinical health, and government services across
the province.
Regional Resources
Moose Jaw - www.fhhr.ca/MentalHealth.htm
Prince Albert - https://paphr.ca/services/addiction-mental-health-services
Regina - www.rqhealth.ca/departments/mental-health
Saskatoon - www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/locations_services/Services/mhas
The Saskatchewan Polytechnic Students' Association also offers mental wellbeing services via Mywellness—an Online Video Counselling Service provided by the SPSA Health and Dental Plan that offers confidential counselling. Mywellness is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a multitude of languages. To access the services provided, visit www.mywellnessplan.ca and select your school from the drop down menu.
Sponsored by Counselling Services, the Women's Sharing Circle is a safe and welcoming place for women, with women and about women. The group is for Sask Polytech students to share their stories, build friendships and receive peer support. Lunch is provided. No registration is required.
Prince Albert
Facilitated by education counsellors, Monica Harper and Karla Halcro.