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Students walking by Gerstein Library along King's College Circle.
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Mental Health Trainings

Gain the tools and confidence to support fellow students’ mental health

Learn how to identify and support fellow students experiencing mental health challenges through a range of mental health trainings. These trainings are all beginner-friendly, but vary by topic, format and time commitment, so you can start with whichever one fits your needs best.

Note that some trainings are delivered regularly by Health & Wellness, while others are offered by external facilitators and are less frequently available. You can find and register for upcoming open mental health trainings on Folio or explore trainings in these two categories:

Take mental health trainings to:

  • Receive a certificate of completion to highlight on resumes and in job interviews.
  • Increase your own awareness of the signs of mental health challenges.
  • Be part of a community of mental health support on campus.

You can gain skills and knowledge to support others experiencing mental health issues, but taking care of your own mental health is equally important. Learn ways to promote your own mental health in a wide range of workshops.

General Mental Health Trainings

Learn how to recognize the signs that someone is experiencing a mental health challenge, engage with them and effectively connect them with help and support.

Identify, Assist, Refer

Identify, Assist, Refer (IAR) is an asynchronous online training developed by U of T where participants learn to identify and support others experiencing mental health challenges. You can complete the training anytime at iar.utoronto.ca.

  • Suitable for: Students at the University of Toronto
  • Time commitment: 30 minutes or less
  • Format: Online, self-paced learning module
  • Availability: Can be completed at any time
  • Delivered by: Health & Wellness
Learn about Identify, Assist, Refer

Identify, Assist, Refer+

Build your helping skills by practicing how to support individuals with mental health challenges through tailored case studies, boundary activities and role-play in Identify, Assist, Refer+ (IAR+), a companion workshop to Identify, Assist, Refer (IAR) online training.

This 2-hour training is offered upon request to participants who have already completed the IAR online training. It is designed to be delivered to a cohesive group of students in similar leadership or work-study roles.
If you have a group of 12 or more participants, you can request the workshop.

  • Prerequisite: Identify, Assist, Refer Online Module
  • Suitable for: Student leaders, work-study students, teaching assistants, residence advisors, and other students in leadership or support roles
  • Time commitment: 2 hours
  • Format: Virtual or in-person workshop
  • Availability: Delivered upon request to a group of 12 or more participants (6 weeks notice required)
  • Delivered by: Health & Wellness
Learn about Identify, Assist, Refer+

Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the support provided to a person who may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis. In this course, certified by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, you will learn how to recognize signs that a person may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis and have conversations to encourage them to reach out to supports.

  • Suitable for: Students at the University of Toronto, St. George campus
  • Time commitment: One day (8 hours) and a 2-hour self-directed online module
  • Format: In-person (full-day training) and online (2-hour self-directed module)
  • Availability: Sessions will be posted on Folio, however availability is limited
  • Delivered by: GuardMe (external facilitator to U of T)
Learn about Mental Health First Aid

Suicide Prevention and Intervention

You can learn to recognize the signs that someone is thinking about suicide, engage them in a supportive conversation and help keep them safe. You can take two trainings that were developed by LivingWorks, an evidence-based suicide prevention skills training organization: safeTALK and ASIST. Although LivingWorks safeTALK and ASIST are separate programs, they are designed to complement each other.

safeTALK

LivingWorks safeTALK is a 4-hour, in-person workshop to build skills in suicide prevention. You will learn how to recognize and engage with someone thinking about suicide, overcome attitudes that act as barriers to help, talk openly about suicide and connect with intervention resources for further support.

  • Suitable for: Students at the University of Toronto, St. George campus
  • Time commitment: 4 hours
  • Format: In-person
  • Availability: Sessions posted regularly on Folio
  • Delivered by: Health & Wellness
Learn about safeTALK

ASIST

LivingWorks ASIST is a two-day in-person workshop where participants learn how to recognize when someone may be thinking about suicide, and how to provide skilled intervention and develop a safety plan with the person to connect them to further support. This workshop is designed to increase your willingness, confidence, and capacity to provide suicide first aid.

  • Suitable for: Students at the University of Toronto, St. George campus
  • Time commitment: Two consecutive days (8 hours each day)
  • Format: In-person
  • Availability: Sessions will be posted on Folio, however availability is limited
  • Delivered by: GuardMe (external facilitator to U of T)
Learn about ASIST