Frequently Asked Questions

Registered Dawson students have access to free and confidential on-site and remote mental health care. Our mental health professionals can provide you with short-term psychotherapy to help you manage your mental health, or to help you with challenging life situations you may be experiencing.

If you would like to make an appointment to see a mental health professional at Dawson, simply email: mentalhealth@dawsoncollege.qc.ca This email is monitored daily during regular business hours.

Counselling is also available through the Dawson Student Assistance Program (see below).

If you are seeking counselling support related to sexual violence, please email: svrt@dawsoncollege.qc.ca

You can also review our list of community resources found here: https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/counselling/mental-health-resources/

If you are at risk of harm to yourself or others, or require immediate care, call 9-1-1 or go directly to the nearest emergency room.

Under guidelines issued by l’Ordre des Psychologues du Québec, counselling appointments are only available to students currently residing in the province of Quebec.

 

Dawson Student Assistance Programme (DSAP)

Would you like to access free, confidential, and ongoing counselling sessions with little delay?

All students enrolled at Dawson College can access the Dawson Student Assistance Program 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 1-844-451-9700. If you are outside of Canada or the United States call 001-416-380-6578.

This program, offered through keep.meSAFE by guard.me, provides Dawson students with free telephone, video or in-person appointments in 60+ languages. All sessions are confidential (within limits of the law.)

WAYS TO CONNECT

Mobile App

Download the My SSP app and connect with a counsellor anytime by chat or telephone.

You can access resources on Health, Living Away, Relationships and Student Life. You can also access on-demand fitness and mental health assessment tools. 

Web  

If you don’t have access to a smartphone or tablet, you can still access chat support and self-help resources online at https://www.keepmesafe.org/ca-us/support-and-access.php

Telephone

You can receive phone support anytime of the day by calling:

1-844-451-9700 from anywhere in Canada and the United States.

Anywhere else in the world, call 001-416-380-6578.

 

There are three options for making a call to keep.meSAFE outside of Canada or the United States.

Option 1: Make an international call from your phone.

You can always ask the intake coordinator to call you back so that you do not incur international charges.

Option 2: Call collect or reverse charge call.

Please follow the specific calling instructions in your country. All international calls are live answered calls so we can accept any related charges.

Option 3: Call via Wi-Fi connection.

Call using Wi-Fi via a Wi-Fi enabled phone.

 

Your first meeting with a counselling professional will focus on your reasons for coming. This private meeting will give the counselling professional an opportunity to get an initial understanding of your situation, and will allow you to explore the range of possible actions that you may choose to pursue. A follow-up appointment will be made if necessary.

Talking over your concerns or problems with a trained professional can help in a variety of ways. You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed at times with increasing academic and personal responsibilities. You may want to talk about confusion over future career and educational paths, goal-setting and other academic concerns. You may be struggling with an issue that is affecting your ability to focus on your studies effectively. Looking at the situation with a counselling professional can provide new approaches to problem solving, as well as support and encouragement to make changes in your life. Personal issues such as depression, family troubles, anxiety, loss and grief, shyness, relationship problems, addictions, motivation and sexual orientation are examples of what can be discussed in counselling.

If you are at risk of harm to yourself or others, or require immediate care, call 9-1-1 or go directly to the nearest emergency room.

Due to the high volume of new students applying to our counselling services, we must shut down intake temporarily until November 1st, 2023. Returning students and/or students who’ve already submitted their availability for a triage assessment will be contacted within the next week for an appointment. New students seeking counselling support are encouraged to contact the Dawson Student Assistance Program (DSAP). Details are provided below.

If you are seeking counselling support related to sexual violence, please email svrt@dawsoncollege.qc.ca

Please continue to consult the counselling web page for updates.

You can also review our list of community resources found here: https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/counselling/mental-health-resources/

If you are in crisis, do not hesitate to call the Dawson Student Assistance Program (DSAP.)

All students enrolled at Dawson College can access the Dawson Student Assistance Program 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 1-844-451-9700. If you are outside of Canada or the United States call 001-416-380-6578.

DSAP provides Dawson students with free telephone, video or in-person appointments in 60+ languages. All sessions are confidential (within limits of the law.)

WAYS TO CONNECT TO DSAP

Mobile App

Download the My SSP app and connect with a counsellor anytime by chat or telephone.

Web  

If you don’t have a smartphone or tablet, you can still access chat support and self-help resources online at https://www.keepmesafe.org/ca-us/support-and-access.php

Telephone

You can receive phone support anytime of the day by calling: 1-844-451-9700 from anywhere in Canada and the United States.

Anywhere else in the world, call 001-416-380-6578.

There are three options for making a call to DSAP outside of Canada or the United States.

Option 1: Make an international call from your phone.

Ask the intake coordinator to call you back so that you do not incur international charges.

Option 2: Call collect or reverse charge call.

Please follow the specific calling instructions in your country. All international calls are live answered calls so we can accept any related charges.

Option 3: Call via Wi-Fi connection.

Call using Wi-Fi via a Wi-Fi enabled phone.

The professional code of ethics of our licensing body, the Ordre des psychologues du Québec, ensures client confidentiality is respected at all times, except in very specific circumstances. This means that normally what you discuss with a counselling professional cannot be shared with anyone else, including parents or teachers, without your written permission. Make sure to discuss any concerns you have about confidentiality during your first session.

We are located in room 4E.2.

Our office hours are:

Monday to Friday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm


Last Modified: January 9, 2024