I’m going through something. If you are too, read this

What are you going through? Each person will respond to that question differently.

In a recent book I read, entitled that very unsettling, intimate inquiry, the author Sigrid Nunez describes the various ways people struggle in their lives. She writes about a character terminally ill with cancer, a woman who is in grief because she is aging, and a professor that fears the climate crisis so much that he wishes his grandkids weren’t alive to see it unfold. Nunez points out that the question posed at the beginning of this post takes on a new meaning when asked in French: Quel est ton tourment?

This wise yet witty book reminded me that bouts of hardship are normal and life is consistently complicated and demanding. But that’s not to say we should endure in silence. In the book, the protagonist mentions that people often suffer twice over: they are tormented by an event, and again when they don’t get the help that’s needed to heal them.

Accessing professional mental health guidance is essential to our well-being. There’s no problem too big or small to reach out and seek mental health support. U of T's mental health strategy has several ways that students can get help, and counselling is one way.

I recently made an appointment with the Health and Wellness Centre to get a one-on-one counselling session so I could talk about what I’m going through. It was easy to set up. I called the Health and Wellness office, gave my TCard number and Ontario health card information and on the same day I set up a date with Liz, a registered therapist.

Our appointment took place over a video call using an app. For 50 minutes, I talked, she listened, we discussed, and in the end, I walked away with an impressive set of new ideas that I know will help me when I need them. I even left the session completely relieved about some things that were troubling me for days.

Everyone is going through something, and that can look like a bunch of different things. What’s common to everyone though is the need to talk through the things that are tormenting them in order to feel better.

Book an appointment:
Health & Wellness at 416-978-8030 (select option 5).

For 24/7/365 support:
U of T Telus Health Student Support (formerly U of T My SSP): 1-844-451-9700 or download the app

Good2Talk Ontario 1-866-925-5454