The Pit in Okanagan Collegesa国际传媒檚 (OC) Student Services lower lounge was filled with puppies, baked goods, counselling services and more on Wednesday.

Jan. 24 was Bell Letsa国际传媒檚 Talk Day across Canada and OCsa国际传媒檚 Kelowna campus had many booths and vendors set up for students to learn more about mental health and options for them around the college.

Included in the vendors were therapy dogs, which is a regular part of mental health support students receive on campus.

sa国际传媒淭he therapy dogs are really amazing and provide our students with so much stress relief that it is really impactful to have them at OC,sa国际传媒� said dean of students James Coble. sa国际传媒淥ur goal is to support students and providing a variety of different ways for students to deal with stress and mental health issues is one way we do that.sa国际传媒�

One of the dogs named Bella belongs to Heather Thompson, an employee at the Kelowna campus.

sa国际传媒淕etting to spend time with Bella brings the students so much joy, they are all experiencing different stresses of life and it is great to give them a chance to relax and unwind by stopping to pet her and the other therapy dogs,sa国际传媒� said Thompson. sa国际传媒淚 always love seeing the change that the dogs create in peoplesa国际传媒檚 days everywhere we go.sa国际传媒�

Dana Barclay, a second-year water engineering and technology student who volunteered at the event knows the importance of mental health in post-secondary students.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 important because this age of trying to figure out your life on top of family stress or relationships or working through the past and sa国际传媒榳hat do I actually want out of life? Who am I as my own person?sa国际传媒� I think theresa国际传媒檚 a lot of struggles like that, there is a stigma around talking about it,sa国际传媒� said Barclay.

The school financial aid has a station set up at the event as well as Interior Health.

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