When repeated tragedies related to mental health struck the University of Guelph during the academic year just passed, TranQool was there to help.
An online counselling service dedicated to cognitive behavioural therapy, the company provides one-on-one therapeutic encounters between those experiencing mental health distress and those who can help them. The therapy is provided online through video sessions.
Earlier this year the company donated 45 free counselling sessions to University of Guelph students, primarily to those who were on a waiting list for counselling services.
The company also pledged to match dollars raised in a GoFundMe campaign that was dedicated to providing that free counselling to those who needed it.
“We have an ambassadorship program for university students who identify as mental health advocates, to give them the resources they need to spread awareness and carry out anti-stigma work on campuses,” said company Chief Executive Officer Chakameh Shafii, in a telephone interview.
U of G experienced four student suicides in the 2016-17 year, tragic losses that affected the entire campus, and prompted university administration and student leaders to take stronger action to address mental health on campus.
One of the outcomes of those efforts was a spike in the number of students turning to TranQool.
“We realized that we were getting a lot of users from the University of Guelph,” Shafii said. “It was one of those campuses where we noticed there were more people coming to us without us ever working with the counselling centre there.”
A lead student ambassador at U of G approached TranQool to fund an event on campus.
“What we were able to do is run a GoFundMe campaign to raise some funding, and we committed to match that funding to give free sessions to the University of Guelph students.
Shafii believes the online video approach to the therapy is just as effective as in-person sessions, and they are much more accessible and affordable. There are long waiting lists for counselling services, and those services are costlier than those offered by TransQool, she indicated.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) involves understanding the relationship between emotions, thoughts and behaviour, and thereby learning how to control negative thoughts, change disruptive behaviour, cope with difficult situations, and manage stress and emotion.
TranQool has a number of social workers and psychologists across Ontario it works with. There is an online process to sign up for a free account and get matched with a therapist. Secure video calls are then arranged, and progress monitored and built upon.
“You book your sessions, and your session can be early morning, evenings, weekends, with one of your therapists,” she explained. “When it’s time for your session you just open up your laptop, log back into TranQool.com and start your session.”
CBT, she said, is proven to be effective for mental distresses anxiety, depression, panic disorders, insomnia, eating disorders, and addiction.
“We are available to all Ontarians,” she said. “Regardless of where in Ontario you are, you have access.”
She said there is more choice and less wait time with the service, which is ideal for smaller communities with limited mental health services.
TranQool sessions cost $120 for psychologists, and $80 for social workers. The service is covered for those with extended health benefits.
While there is more awareness of and conversation about mental health in society, and many more people willing to be mental health advocates, Shafii said “help seeking behaviours are not as good as they could be.”
It is crucial that people seek the help they need.
