Pillars of Health: Mental Health

Health Services offers:

• Psychiatric services through a Psychiatry Clinic, in partnership with The Royal. To access the Psychiatry Clinic, you must first meet with a physician by booking an appointment with the reception team at 613.727.4723 ext. 7222
• A Mental Health Nurse to provide support to students who are struggling with mental health issues. Referrals to the Mental Health Nurse are provided by Health Services, Counselling Services, and the Centre for Accessible Learning. If you have questions on how to access this service, contact us at 613.727.4723 ext. 7222

Algonquin College offers a variety of on-campus mental health services, including:

• Counselling Services
• Crisis Support Resources
• Project Lighthouse (Sexual Violence Prevention and Support)
• The AC Purple Couch (Peer Support)
• Spiritual Services
• Umbrella Project (Substance Use Support)
• Web-Based Self-Help Tools

Please note, many of these on-campus services are currently operating remotely and can provide virtual appointments.

Are you looking for mental health support or information about mental health issues? Check out these resources:

• Wellness Together Canada: Recognizing the significant strain that COVID-19 has placed on individuals and families across the country, this tool provides free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals when needed.
• Good2TalkOntario: Provides confidential support services for post-secondary students in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

About Dr. Susan Farrell, PhD, C.Psych, CHE

Dr. Farrell is the Vice President of Patient Care Services and Community Mental Health at The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group. She is delighted to oversee The Royal’s Telemedicine program that enjoys its innovative partnership with Algonquin College and now provides virtual mental health education to colleges across Ontario.

For the previous decade, Dr Farrell was the inaugural Clinical Director of the Community Mental Health Program at the Royal, supporting the provision of care in the community. Dr. Farrell is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in Ontario and Nunavut. For almost two decades, her clinical work, research, teaching and advocacy have been focused on improving care for persons with mental illness and dual diagnosis within community-based models. She is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and a Clinical Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Farrell completed her graduate studies at Acadia University and the University of Ottawa and did her residency at the University of Manitoba, specifically selected for rotations in rural and northern communities (including delivering care through telemedicine).

Dr. Farrell is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. In 2018, she was awarded the Excellence in Training award from the Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs and was made a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association for her national contributions to Psychology and society.

Susan is an active community volunteer across many social justice, education, mental health and youth initiatives. In her spare time she is an avid traveller (pre-COVID), an experimental cook, and a proud mom who is learning to embrace downhill skiing and camping in order to keep up with her adventurous adolescents!

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Presented by Health Services and The Royal Ottawa