Psychology students to offer free counselling to hospital staff

Windsor hospital staff seeking support for their mental health will soon be able to turn to upper-year University of Windsor psychology students for some free counselling.

The Caring For Our Caregivers project, which launches next week, is meant to help staff at Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel-dieu Grace Healthcare as they continue their efforts on the front lines of the battle with COVID-19.

“One of the reasons I want to be a psychologist is to help people,” said Sanya Sagar, 31, a University of Windsor graduate student who initiated the project.

“Here we are, at the perfect time to help people. People really need it right now.”

Sagar approached Josee Jarry, director of the university’s Psychological Services and Research Centre, with the idea.

At first, the core team was to involve Sagar and her fellow graduate students, Healey Gardiner, Ashley Howard, and Noam Simon.

With a grant from the WESPARK Health Institute, the project has expanded to involve a total of 25 students in the university’s psychology program.

Jarry emphasized that all the student therapists have extensive training and will be working under the supervision of four registered psychologists.

The program focuses on providing every client a free 90-minute counselling session, held remotely through an online video platform.

If the client is eligible, three additional 50-minute sessions can be provided.

Burnout, moral distress, fear for loved ones, insomnia, substance use, anxiety, and depression are particular areas of concern.

While Sagar has experience as a counsellor, she hasn’t counselled health care workers before. “This will be a new situation for most of our students,” she said.

Jarry said the program will not only benefit the community, but give students a valuable training opportunity.

Employees of Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel-dieu Grace Healthcare will be able to access the free services through their respective organizations.

The program is currently being offered until September.