Groups and Events
Fall 2024 Schedule (PDF)
All programs are free. To register, please email us at counselling@acadiau.ca. "Drop-in" events require initial registration, but once you have registered, you can attend at the time and on the dates when you choose to participate.
Please call, email, or visit our office for more information.
Acadia Men's Wellness Space
Time: Bi-weekly from 5:30 - 7:30pm
Dates: Starts in September (TBD)
Location: Manning Memorial Chapel - Basement
Facilitators: David Macphee, Duncan Ebata, Brent LeGrow
We are a group of Acadia students who are male, or who identify with masculinity. This includes cisgender and trans men, as well as non-binary people who feel aligned with spaces where maleness and masculinity are discussed.
What will we do: Cook a delicious meal together, connect, have fellowship, and discuss topics relevant to Men's health issues mind, body and spirit. Topics may include: Processing of difficult emotions, Stress Management, Supporting a friends in difficult times, Communicating Effectively, Loneliness and Connection, Optimizing Sleep, Myths of Men's Mental Health, and Rest and topics chosen by student members.
Coffee, Chai, Chat (Drop-In)
Time: Wednesdays from 2:30 - 3:30pm
Dates: September 4 - December 4
Location: Manning Memorial Chapel - Basement
Facilitator: Christina Gentile
Are you away from home? Are you new to Canada? Interested in meeting new people? Coffee, Chai, Chat is a weekly drop-in program where students can come together to discuss wellness topics (i.e., healthy relationships, sleep, nutrition, loneliness, culture, exam stress) fostering a sense of community over a cup of chai or coffee.
Embodied Creativity (Drop-In)
Time: Tuesdays from 4:00 - 5:30pm
Dates: September 24 - November 5
Location: Acadia Art Gallery
Facilitators: Emilie Zimmer and Allison Smith
This six-week series invites participants to listen into their embodied experience and connect with their creativity. We explore themes of self-expression, personal growth, boundaries, authenticity, and resisting systems that promote disconnection. We do this through awareness practices and art making (collage, zines, poetry, painting, drawing). This series will be approached collaboratively and evolve based on the interests of participants. Materials and simple snacks will be provided. You are welcome to drop in at any point from 4:00-5:30pm.
Journey to Wellness: Drop-In Eating Disorders Support Circle
Time: Mondays from 3:00 - 4:15pm
Dates: September 16 - December 2
Location: Clark Commons
Facilitator: Christina Gentile
The Eating Disorder Drop-In Group is for students who are experiencing difficulties with eating in the form of:
- restriction or anorexia nervosa
- binging with or without purging or bulimia nervosa
- compulsive eating
- unspecified disordered eating.
Its primary aim is to offer a safe environment, encourage self-directed growth, and address underlying emotions.
This group operates on a drop-in basis, meaning once you've signed up, you can attend weekly or whenever you are able to make it. Let’s journey to wellness over a cup of tea.
Joy Circle
Date: Friday, September 27 from 12:00 - 1:30pm
Location: Clark Commons
Facilitators: Marissa Walter and Chaiti Seth
Registration: Open to Black, Indigenous, and racialized students
Based on the work of psychologist, Dr. Della V. Mosley, Joy Circle is a gathering where we will intentionally cultivate joy! It is essential to carve out time to focus on joy, especially in a world where pain, suffering, and grief often dominate the narrative. Together, we will explore how joy has the power to uplift and sustain us. As we bear witness to violence and adversity unfolding in the world, it becomes increasingly important to connect to themes of resistance, hope, and community support. This session will include movement, music, reflections, and incorporation of your unique experiences of joy. Join us to explore and reclaim joy!
Kickboxing for Trauma Survivors
Time: Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:00pm
Dates: Starting September 26
Location: Dance/Wellness Studio (lower level, Old SUB)
Facilitator: Allison Smith
A group focused on strength and empowerment for trauma survivors. No kickboxing experience necessary. Please note that this is not a self-defense class. Spaces limited to 10 students. Email allison.smith@acadiau.ca to register..
Restshop
Date: Friday, November 15, from 12:00 - 1:30pm
Location: Clark Commons
Facilitator: Marissa Walter and Shaani Singh
Registration: Open to Black, Indigenous, and racialized students
What is a Restshop? Based on Tricia Hersey’s Rest is Resistance, this concept aims to reexamine societal norms and expectations related to work and rest. Restshop will provide space for participants to explore the theme of rest and self-care in their lives, while offering interactive practices to engage in collective rest and self-care. According to Tricia Hersey, “You were not just born to center your entire existence on work and labor. You were born to heal, to grow, to be of service to yourself and community, to practice, to experiment, to create, to have space, to dream, and to connect.”
Rooted Tuesdays: Wellness Support Group for Black Students (Drop-In)
Time: Tuesdays from 6:00 - 8:00pm
Dates: Bi-weekly from September 10 to December 3
Location: Clark Commons
Facilitators: Marissa Walter and Dotun Olutoke
This drop-in support group offers Black students an opportunity to share and explore their thoughts, concerns, and experiences in a safe and liberating space. Discussions will focus on the multifaceted “Black student experience” at Acadia. Topics may include wellness, stigma, being “the only one,” culture, and community. The group format will allow for Black students from diverse identities, countries, cultures, programs, and levels of study, to connect and experience a sense of community support. This group operates on a drop-in basis, meaning that once you've signed up, you can attend bi-weekly or whenever you are able to make it.
Unity “Umoja” Djembe Drumming Circle
Date: Tuesday, October 1, from 4:00 - 5:30pm
Location: Clark Commons
Facilitator: Dr. Henry V. Bishop
Registration: Limited to 20 participants on a first come, first served basis.
This djembe drumming circle is open to all Acadia students and is inspired by Umoja, a Swahili term for “Unity.” Djembe drumming has been shown to decrease stress and anxiety and offers a unique opportunity for community and connection. Workshop participants will learn drumming patterns and experience a holistic wellness alternative that integrates mind, body, and spirit. No previous drumming experience is required.
Register for a Group
Email us at counselling@acadiau.ca to register for a group.
Contact us:
counselling@acadiau.ca
Tel: 902.585.1246
Old SUB lower level
Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:30AM - 4:30PM
Book an appointment:
Please visit our online booking page and create an account to schedule and change appointments.