Counselling Support
Western University offers a variety of wellness supports, including Mental Health Counselling. Students can register as a patient to make medical appointments as well as to make counselling appointments. To book an appointment visit Wellness and Well-being.
Within the Indigenous Studen Centre, Indgenous students have access to Elders and Cultural Knowledge Keepers as well as Mental Health Counsellors from the Wellness and Well-being department.
A Mental Health Counsellor (Rose or Michelle) will be available bi-weekly in the Indigenous Student Centre beginning in January 2026. Details on how students will book these appointments will be finalized shortly.
Rose Tanaye
Mental Health Counsellor
My name is Rose Tanaye, born and raised in Zimbabwe but I have lived most of my life in Canada. I have a diploma from Fanshawe in developmental services, a degree in psychology and criminal justice, and a master’s degree in social work from King’s University. Through my education I have learned the struggles of the Indigenous peoples and with that knowledge I have pledged myself as an ally. I am here to learn and grow while supporting you.
As a counsellor, I use narrative therapy as I grew up on stories, and the wisdom of those stories has helped shape the person that I am. My hope is to provide everyone with a safe, non-judgmental space where they can tell their stories and be seen and heard.
If I am not in the gym lifting heavy things for no reason, I am outside enjoying the beautiful trails around London. I enjoy reading and listening to different kinds of music, sadly I was not blessed with the voice but in another life, I swear I was a singer
Michelle Parker
Mental Health Counsellor
My name is Michelle Parker, and I am a mental health counsellor within the Wellness and Well-being Team at Western. I am a Registered Psychotherapist, and I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Guelph and my Master of Education in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Toronto.
I approach my work with humility and respect for Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and healing while recognizing that wellness is not just individual, but is deeply relational, spiritual, and connected to both one’s community and the land.
My passion lies in being able to use art and creative expression to help individuals explore and make meaning of their inner experiences. This passion inspired the creation of Art Thrive, a campus initiative designed to foster belonging and connection while offering creative outlets to support our holistic well-being.
A significant part of my practice also focuses on supporting those navigating grief and loss. As part of this work, I have had the pleasure of facilitating the Grief and Loss Support Group on campus where I have witnessed the power of shared healing and connection. My approach honours that grief, much like many Indigenous teachings remind us, is not something to “get over”, but rather something we carry, tend to, and move through in relationship with others and the world around us.
Outside of my work, I love spending time grounding myself in nature and engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking, sitting by the lake, or simply exploring (expect when it is -20 degrees outside). I am also a recent mother as I am raising a three-month-old kitten at home named Gordo!
I am really looking forward to the opportunity to connect further with both students and staff through ISC.
