Bell Let's Talk 2025 at UCalgary
A new year brings new opportunities to support mental health and well-being. Scroll this page to find events, workshops, resources and supports for our students, faculty, staff and wider community.
Bell Let’s Talk Day
January 22, 2024
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. MT
TFDL Lobby
Drop-by anytime from 10am-4pm to leave a message of compassion or support for your UCalgary community. Our wellness teams will be handing out free snacks, tea, coffee and self-directed wellness activity notebooks.
Living with Suicide: A Community Dialogue
Anna Mehler Paperny, event speaker, award-winning reporter and author of Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me
January 23, 2024
11:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., MT
Mathison Hall Events Centre (MTH 306)
Join us for a resource fair and free pizza lunch from 11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m., our main event starts at 12 p.m.
Join the Community Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy for an open, hopeful dialogue about depression, suicide and how we can support each other as a community. Featuring Anna Mehler Paperny, author of Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me. Panel to follow with members of the UCalgary community, moderated by Mara Grunau, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Alberta Division, home of the Centre for Suicide Prevention.
Submit your questions anonymously and in advance here.
Explore more events, trainings and workshops
Food-related events and resources
Whether it be gathering together to enjoy a meal, or accessing affordable groceries, food and well-being are inextricably linked. Find ways to nourish yourself below.
Science in the Cinema: Inside Out 2
Tuesday, Jan. 21, 5:30 p.m.
Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of Riley who is entering puberty and experiencing brand new emotions. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve been running a successful operation, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. After the film, UCalgary experts will lead the audience in a discussion and Q&A about mental health for today’s youth. FREE admission and popcorn, seating is first-come, first-serve.
Introduction to Anti-Racism
Tuesday, Jan. 22, 1 - 3 p.m. | Online
Gain a deep understanding of concepts related to racism and antiracism to counter narratives that perpetuate systems of oppression. Participants will learn how systemic racism shapes experiences in interpersonal and institutional contexts and how to implement anti-racist practices in daily life and the workplace.
Designing a Happy Life
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
In this workshop, you will learn about the PERMA model of well-being and how to apply it to your life and participate in exciting activities to identify practical ideas to foster more happiness day to day. Learn how Positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments work together to help you feel satisfaction.
For students
The Working Mind
Multiple dates and times | Online
Build your mental health awareness, advance your skills, contribute to a vibrant and healthy workplace and discover resources to support your well-being and increase resiliency. The Working Mind is an evidence-based program developed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada and is adapted from the Department of National Defence's Road to Mental Health Readiness programs.
For staff and faculty
Suicide prevention trainings for UCalgary community
Through Reach Out training programs, the UCalgary campus community can play a vital role in suicide prevention by increasing our ability to recognize and respond to those experiencing thoughts of suicide.
Substance and behavioural use supports
Events for anyone questioning their or others' relationship with substances and/or other behaviours.
Note: the term recovery is defined differently for everyone. Recovery at UCalgary involves anyone taking steps to engage in a healthier relationship to substances and behaviours by engaging in pathways such as moderation, harm reduction, AA, 12 step, abstinence, etc.
Jan. 22
Video Games and Youth
12 - 1 p.m.
This session will look at the prevalence of video gaming among genders and age groups, the impact it may have on major life areas, and strategies to encourage a more balanced approach.
Jan. 22
Harm Reduction 201
12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Learn strategies for safer substance use, supports and resources both on- and off-campus, and get trained in how to administer naloxone. Class open to current UCalgary students, faculty, and staff.
Jan. 22
Unwind Your Mind
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Explore recovery through mindfulness and self-reflection through a meeting that offers a safe space to share experiences, cultivate personal growth, and build resilience. Open to anyone seeking recovery, connection, or a deeper understanding of themselves.
Jan. 22
Staff 12-Step Peer Support
5 - 6 p.m.
This meeting's intention is to enhance the quality of life for its members by encouraging honest self-reflection, learning through listening and sharing, and entrusting in something bigger than oneself.
Jan. 23
Family and Friends
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Offering discussions and tools to navigate the challenges of supporting someone in recovery, this meeting is a safe and compassionate space for those supporting loved ones struggling with addiction.
Jan. 23
SMART Recovery
1 - 2 p.m.
This group focuses on overcoming addictive behaviours by utilizing practical tools and strategies to build and maintain motivation, manage cravings, and create a balanced, fulfilling life.
Resources and supports
Community resources for well-being
A resource page to provide our diverse UCalgary and local Calgary community with a comprehensive list of resources for well-being and quality of life.
Explore more resources
Movement routes at UCalgary
Looking for fresh air, exercise, a chance to clear your head? Check out these great walkable routes on campus!
UFlourish Reflection Notebook
A notebook for self-reflection and self-discovery | This notebook prompts reflections around practices that can help us all flourish - plus a few colouring pages for fun.
Understanding grief and loss
Gain an understanding of various experiences of grief and loss. Build skills and find support for yourself and others.
Mindful meditations
Join mindfulness practitioners for a broad range of meditation exercises. Mindful meditation can reduce stress and anxiety and improve attention and creativity, supporting our daily functioning.
Watch last year's webinar with Dr. Keith Dobson, professor of clinical psychology and Depression Research Lab lead
Ask Dr. Dobson: Mental Health & Well-Being Q&A
Between new year’s resolutions; work, life and school stress; and getting through the doldrums that can be winter months, many people may be experiencing challenges — difficulties navigating among priorities, a lack of energy or motivation, and feelings of anxiety and being overwhelmed.
In this webinar, Dr. Keith Dobson, PhD, covered the critical ideas and conceptions related to mental health and well-being, coping strategies, and recent and emerging trends in research and practice, and engaged in an extended Q&A with webinar participants.
Presented by UCalgary's Community Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy and the Faculty of Arts.
Community stories
Student, staff, faculty and post-docs share stories of struggle and resilience during their experiences working, studying and researching in post-secondary.