The Counselling Centre

As a Saint Mary’s student, you can access free confidential counselling, mental health services, and opportunities to support your wellbeing.

What We Offer

We offer individual counselling appointments in-person, over-the-phone, or over video call. Trained professional counsellors work with you through brief, solution-focused interventions. We start with a 30-minute intake appointment to help us understand and support your personal counselling goals.

Services are for students who are actively enrolled in classes at Saint Mary’s University and who reside in Canada. Students can access up to 8 counselling sessions in one academic year. For additional or longer-term supports, students can also be referred to community resources.

Students who are outside of Canada and who have SMUSA’s health plan can contact healthplan.smusa@smu.ca for information on available counselling services.

University employees can access the Employee and Family Assistance Program for counselling services.

Complete the Survey on Mental Health Services

The Counselling Centre is conducting a needs assessment project to examine the awareness and effectiveness of mental health services at Saint Mary's. Students are invited to complete a short (5 minute) survey, which is voluntary, anonymous, and confidential.   

David G. Smith Memorial Award

Awarded to a returning undergraduate or graduate student studying on a full-time or part-time basis whose experiences and endeavors help to reduce the stigma sometimes associated with mental illness, either through first-hand experience which provides an example of the strength and resilience of people living with mental illness, or by supporting and celebrating others who are living with a mental illness.

Students may nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else for this award. When nominated by someone else, the nomination form will require the nominator to confirm the nominee’s willingness to be considered for the award. All nominees will be asked to submit a statement of reflection after the nomination is received.

Application: The application is now open. Email the completed David G. Smith Award Nomination Form to counselling@smu.ca with the subject line: David G. Smith Memorial Award by the deadline of March 6th at 11:59pm. 

Contact the Counselling Centre

Email: counselling@smu.ca 
Phone: 902-420-5615
Location: Fourth Floor, O'Donnell Hennessy Student Centre
Hours (Monday to Friday):
September to May: 800 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
June to August: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Evening appointments are offered for clients who are unable to attend during set business hours.

We offer counselling sessions in person and virtual (telephone or video). If you would like to change your appointment to virtual due to weather, sickness, etc. please contact counselling@smu.ca and we would be happy to do so. It's possible that we may request to change your appointment to virtual for similar reasons but you would be given notice in those instances. For clients that have not used the video counselling platform before there is account set up required. Please provide as much notice as possible, as we will if necessary. Thank you.