Workshops and Certifications
Counselling Services offers student and employee workshops to help participants develop knowledge and skills related to academic performance, career development, and mental health.
Classroom Workshops
Faculty can book 1-hour classroom workshops on various mental health, career development, and academic skills ranging from time management to group work and communication. To schedule or discuss workshop opportunities, please complete the Guest Speaker Request form.
Classroom Workshops
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff College Edition – Reducing Stress in College Life
College brings about a whole new set of challenges; learning some key problem solving tips and how to deal with difficult situations that are known to arise in college are essential to success. This interactive workshop covers the 10 things students need to thrive at college.
Stress Management – Say Yes to Less Stress
Balancing your course-load and personal commitments can be a stressful experience for many college students. This workshop, led by an Algonquin College counsellor, will help students learn more about stress. It will also introduce practical strategies to help with stress management so that you can focus better on your learning!
Perfectionism – Taming Your Inner Critic
Perfectionism is a trait that is often associated with achievement and success. It’s OK to want to work hard and achieve a goal, but the question is “at what cost?”. If you are picky and have too high of standards and want to feel better, reduce stress and enjoy your life more, then this workshop will cover ways to tame the inner critic to allow you to live the life you want.
Stress-Free Career Adaptability
Adaptability is a skill needed for success in work, learning, and life, and it can feel overwhelming to many people. In this 90-minute interactive workshop, the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale is administered and will help guide participants through activities to plan small concrete steps for developing openness and adaptability when career planning.
Choices and Chances: Realistic Career Planning
Through interactive discussions and practical activities, participants will learn how to assess skills, values, interests, and personal preferences to align themselves with various career options and researching those options. We will discuss the idea that career decisions are not solely determined by our choices, but are also influenced by external factors and unforeseen circumstances. By understanding the interplay between choice and chance, participants will gain a more realistic perspective on career decision-making.
Who You Are Matters Game: Spark Meaningful Conversations About What’s Next
Spark meaningful conversations about what’s next!
Spend some time talking about what really matters! Enjoy deeper conversations with your classmates through a highly interactive game. Generate specific possibilities for your future and receive feedback to help you take inspired action. Be guided, like the North Star, by the personalized statement you create.
Understanding Substance Use and Addiction
This workshop provides a foundational understanding of the substance use continuum, exploring how casual use can progress to addiction, and identifying key factors that influence this transition. Participants will learn to recognize the signs of problematic substance use while exploring practical strategies to reduce harm and support healthier choices. Through evidence-based insights, this session empowers individuals to better understand addiction and promote well-being in their communities.
Employee Workshops and Certifications
Skills training for employees to support student mental health in order to improve their academic success. We offer certification and college-designed workshops available for all employees. Registration is done through Employee Learning under ‘Health and Wellness’ courses.
Employee Workshops
ASIST – Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
This two-day face-to-face workshop features powerful audiovisuals, discussions, and simulations. ASIST equips individuals with the skills to identify when someone might be contemplating suicide and how to collaborate with them to develop a plan that ensures their immediate safety.
Target Audience: This workshop is ideal for all employees who would like to learn and use the ASIST model. Participants do not need any formal training to attend the workshop.
This workshop is not recommended for people who have had a recent suicide loss.
Supporting Student Mental Health
This 3-hour virtual workshop is for college employees looking to help students by learning how to recognize the signs of mental health distress, knowing how to respond in a supportive way, and referring to appropriate resources on campus and in the community.
Target Audience: This workshop is ideal for employees who are looking to increase their awareness about mental health and the signs of distress. If you are unable to attend the two-day MHFA workshop or unsure if that is the course for you, this is a good starting point.
Mental Health First Aid – Certification or Essentials
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Certification – provides the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for participants to recognize changes in mental health, respond supportively, and apply practical actions for declining mental health and crisis situations. It helps participants build confidence, reduce stigma, and enhance their own mental health.
This in-depth course, upon completion and assessment, provides participants:
- A nationally recognized MHFA Certification that is valid for 3 years.
- Increase Mental Health Awareness
- Understand stigma, diagnostic labelling, and barriers to helping
- Learn effective communication techniques
The 2-day format of the MHFA Certification allows for robust, scenario-based training on the identification and support of declining mental health and crises, and provides a deeper understanding of mental health disorders and influences.
NOTE: A 1 day Mental Health First Aid Essentials is also available.
Target Audience: This workshop is ideal for all employees who are interested in learning more about mental health and how to support someone in declining mental health. Participants do not need any formal training to attend the workshop.