CHAT Room
In 2014, The CHAT Program (Cochrane Healing Arts Time) was created in response to student needs. This program leads students experiencing anxiety, sensory, learning, social, substance use and academic stressors through a process of self-exploration and resolution. Students learn to express themselves, which ultimately enables them to be more productive and successful.
The educational benefits of using the healing arts to facilitate learning are many. Using healing arts empowers students to develop self-esteem, confidence, advocacy, resilience, efficacy, and peer relationships. Developing these skills within a universal learning environment, allows students to improve coping skills enabling them to deal with peer pressure and academic stressors more effectively.
Through participation in this program, learners will be given the opportunity to use flexible instructional materials, techniques, and strategies that are adaptive and innovative. This creative process allows students to communicate through their artwork in a way that they may not be able to using words. This type of communication can be challenging when faced with the everyday stressors of high school. The regular classroom setting, combined with the academic expectations of high school, often trigger anxiety. The CHAT Room is a calm and welcoming space for students with anxiety issues to explore and uncover personal challenges that may be holding them back from reaching their full potential.
The relationship between the student and their creative process has great meaning. This form of expression is powerful because it is opening the door for professionals to understand and support students' academic and emotional needs on a much higher level. At the same time, students are learning how to communicate their experiences and needs as they relate to their overall success in school. Students are therefore able to demonstrate understanding and promote wellness and growth.
The CHAT Room is a space for all students, from all social groups, to work together. To have a space such as this is special. The CHAT Room is unique in that it allows for collaboration to extend beyond classroom assignments and social interaction between classes. When the stressors of regular classroom work and expectations are removed, students work and communicate differently. Acceptance of other peoples skills, personalities, and past experiences has grown. Mixing age, skill set, and personal experiences allows for the opportunity to build meaningful relationships in a safe environment. These new or strengthened relationships have improved participants' levels of respect for each other’s unique situations and personal challenges.
Currently the CHAT program is run as a half time program. Students, who wish to access this room, must participate in a referral process and be given final approval by administration, guidance counsellor, or learning support staff.
CHAT Counsellor:
Ms. Bri Link (Wed- Fri only)
Office Hours:
Monday - Closed
Tuesday - Closed
Wednesday - 9:00 a.m. - 3:40 p.m
Thursday - 9:00 a.m. - 3:40 p.m
Friday - 9:00 a.m. 1:20 p.m.