Peer Support
Peer Support
You don’t have to figure it all out alone.Being a student can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming at times. Between classes, assignments, work, relationships, and everything else life throws your way, it’s a lot to manage.
That’s where Peer Support at Health Promotion Programs (HPP) comes in. Our trained student Peer Support Facilitators are here to listen, support, and help you navigate whatever’s on your mind because sometimes, talking to another student who gets it can make all the difference.
We offer:
One-to-One Peer Support → Prefer a private chat? Starting on September 29. You can book a session with one of our trained Peer Support Facilitators for a confidential, supportive conversation tailored to you. Booking Link is below. You can also drop in for One-to-One Peer Support on Mondays from 3–5 PM in POD 70 without booking in advance.
Peer Support Groups → Safe, welcoming spaces to connect, share, and learn from each other. Some groups are run in partnership with Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Science, so you’ll get the best of both worlds: student-led conversations with professional guidance. Bonus: When you participate in our groups, you can earn an Active Peer Badge to boost your resume and Linked-In. Learn more below.
Whether you’re new to TMU and looking to build healthy habits, or you’ve been managing tough emotions for a while, we’re here to help you feel less alone and maybe even make a few new friends along the way.
What to expect when you book?
One-to-one peer support is all about creating a safe, supportive space where you can share your story, talk through your feelings, and reflect on your experiences with someone who gets it. One-to-one chats take place either in a private room in POD 70 or online through a secure Google Meet link, whatever works best for you. Sessions are usually 45 minutes, but we can adjust the time to fit your needs.
What is a Peer Supporter?
Peer Supporters are fellow students who’ve been through their own challenges with academics, health and mental health now use that experience to support others. They’re here to listen, relate, and help you feel more confident and connected. Through training in skills such as active listening, leading conversations, sharing their stories, and offering support with empathy, Peer Supporters create a safe space where you can feel seen, heard, and empowered.
What’s the difference between peer support and counselling?
Peer Support, whether one-to-one or in a group, is here to offer a supportive, understanding, and validating space where shared lived experience is exchanged as a way to learn, grow and hold hope. can be a gateway to connecting with other wellbeing supports such as counselling. While it can be a great place to talk things through, it's not the same as therapy or counselling, and isn't meant to replace professional mental health support.
If you're looking for support or treatment for mental health concerns, Peer Support Facilitators can help connect you with the right services at TMU or in the wider community.
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Earn Your Active Peer Badge!
Looking for ways to take care of your mental health, build supportive connections, and engage in a positive community? Our Active Peer Badge is for YOU!
(In partnership with TMU Leadership)
What’s in it for you?
- Safe Spaces → De-stress, share, and feel heard.
- New Friends & Community → Connect with others who understand and support you.
- Self-Care & Growth → Learn practical tips for mental wellness and self-care.
- Resume & LinkedIn Booster → Showcase your proactive engagement in mental health, leadership, and community-building as part of your student experience.
How to Earn It:
Join one of our peer support groups and attend at least 50% of the sessions in a series. You’ll walk away with new skills, supportive connections, and your Active Peer Badge a recognition of your dedication to personal and community wellbeing.
Why It Matters:
Your badge highlights your growth, leadership, and commitment to supporting yourself and your community making it a valuable addition to your resume and LinkedIn profile. It shows future employers, grad schools, and other opportunities that you’ve built community and wellbeing skills during your time at TMU.
Badges will be distributed to students who qualify by the end of the Winter 2026 semester.
Modality: In-person at POD 70F
Undergraduate Art Lounge
Discover your creativity at the Undergrad Art Lounge! A collaboration between HPP and the Student Success Navigators at TMU. This series of interactive art sessions offers students a fun and relaxing space to explore their artistic side and connect with others. Whether you’re looking to unwind, express yourself creatively, or try something new, these sessions provide an opportunity to engage in hands-on activities while fostering a sense of community and well-being. Join us for an afternoon of creativity, relaxation, and artistic expression in a welcoming, judgment-free environment!
- January 20: 12–2 PM
- Craft Your Doorway to a Creative Year
- February 10: 2–4 PM
- Knot Your Average Valentine - Bracelet Making
- March 18: 11:30 AM–1:30 PM
- Pieces of Peace - Collaging
- April 1: 1–3 PM
- Tiny Desk Terrariums
Dates: Monday January 26, February 2, 9, 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, April 6
Times: From 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Modality: In-person at JOR 06, located in the counselling centre.
Facilitators: Cassandra, Maddie
Divergent Minds: Autism & ADHD (external link)
Navigating life as a neurodivergent person can be overwhelming, especially when moving through a world that wasn’t built with us in mind. Join us in building a supportive community for fellow neurodivergent students with Autism and/or ADHD, where we can let down our masks and empower each other through the ups and downs of university and life beyond. Together we will explore topics such as the neurodivergent identity, self-advocacy, sensory processing, navigating relationships, and more. Both diagnosed and self-identifying students are welcome!
- Week 1: The Neurodivergent Identity & Finding Community
- Week 2: Sensory & Information Processing
- Week 3: Accessibility & Self-Advocacy
- Week 4: Thriving in Action Workshop
- Week 5: Navigating Transitions, Big or Small
- Week 6: Neurodivergent Representation in the Media
- Week 7: Activity Day (TBD)
- Week 8: Emotion Regulation & Burnout
- Week 9: Navigating Relationships
- Week 10: Speed Friending Event
Dates: Wednesdays February 4 to March 18
Times: 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Modality: Hybrid (In-person & POD 7F)
Facilitators: Emmie, Natalie
Mature Student Alliance (external link)
University can feel like a fresh start but it’s not always easy when you’re balancing classes with work, family, finances, or a career change to name a few. Mature Student Alliance is a peer support group created for mature students who are navigating university life a little differently.
Whether you're adjusting to being in intergenerational classrooms, rediscovering your voice on campus, building a new social circle, or just looking for people who get it this space is for you.
Dates: Thursdays, February 5 to March 19
Times: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Modality: Hybrid (In-person & POD 70F)
Facilitators: Emil, Mujtaba
Man to Man: A Group for Male-Identifying Students (external link)
Being a man in today’s world means more than just “being strong.” It’s about discovering confidence, building real connections, and staying true to who you are especially when it comes to culture, identity, and your journey as a leader.
Man to Man is a weekly peer support group for university men to come together and grow. Whether you’re exploring your identity, stepping into leadership, or just looking to connect with other guys on a deeper level, this space is for you.
Dates: Mondays, February 23 to March 30
Times: 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Modality: Hybrid (In-person & POD 70F)
Facilitators: Clare, Serena
Self-Love Through Self-Care (external link)
University is a time of figuring out who you are but in the middle of all the deadlines and pressure, it’s easy to forget to care for the person at the center of it all: you.
Self Love through Self-Care is a peer support group in partnership with Ontario Shores, for students who want to slow down, check in with themselves, and build real self-love through everyday self-care.
You are your best investment. Let’s grow that love from the inside out.
Dates: Mondays, February 23 to March 30
Times: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Modality: Hybrid (In-person & POD 70F)
Facilitators: Geeta, Serena
Women's Group (external link)
This group is for women-identifying students to come together in friendship and solidarity — to honour our identities, challenge what diminishes our sense of self, and uplift one another. Through meaningful conversations and self-discovery activities, we’ll explore our strength, celebrate our beauty, and nurture the power of women’s connection.
Dates: Tuesdays, February 24 to March 31
Times: From 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Modality: Hybrid (In-person & POD 70F)
Facilitators: Emil, Helia
Our Path to Personal Growth (ON Shores) (external link)
In partnership with Ontario Shores, this peer support group offers students a supportive environment to reconnect with themselves amid academic and personal stress. We focus on cultivating self-awareness, confidence, and purposeful growth - helping each other move forward with clarity, resilience, and intention.
Dates: Tuesdays, February 24 to March 31
Times: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Modality: Hybrid (In-person & POD 70F).
Facilitators: Emmie, Cassandra
(google form) Queer Community Circle (external link)
Being queer means so many different things and your journey is uniquely yours. Whether you're exploring your identity, navigating coming out, questioning relationship norms, or finding your place between family expectations and chosen family, Queer Community Circle is a space where you don’t have to explain, shrink, or hide who you are.No pressure to share just come as you are, and know you're not alone in figuring things out.
Dates: Thursdays, February 26 to March 12
Times: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Modality: Hybrid (In-person & POD 70F)
Facilitators: Michelle, Daniela
Pathways & Possibilities: Life After Graduation (external link)
Graduating from university is a major milestone—but it can also bring big questions: “What now?” “Am I on the right path?” “What if I don’t find a job?”This peer support group is a space to talk openly about the uncertainty that can come with life after graduation. Together, we’ll explore common experiences like career anxiety, changing direction, losing a sense of identity after student life, and the pressure to “have it all figured out.” Whether you’re job hunting, considering grad school, unsure of your passions, or just feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities (or lack of them), this is a supportive space to connect with others going through it too. You’re not alone—and you don’t have to have it all figured out.