Zenstudies

Making a Healthy Transition to Higher Education

A mental health prevention program supporting young learners in transition to post-secondary education.

Zenstudies is a prevention program offering pedagogical and intervention tools for post-secondary mental healthcare counsellors and teachers to ease the transition from high school to college or university. Grade 12 teachers will also find valuable information to help them prepare their students for post-secondary education. The goal is to prevent students from dropping out of school by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression that interfere with academic success.



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Zenstudies 1: Making a Healthy Transition to Higher Education

Universal Prevention Program 

Facilitator’s Guide and Participant’s Workbook


Module 1 is an in-class universal prevention program, designed to be delivered by an instructor, which helps students develop mental-health awareness and understand the transition to higher education, equipping them with preventive strategies so they can successfully adjust. This resource features eight in-class activities, totaling 60 to 75 minutes. It includes a full-color facilitator’s guide and a participant workbook with reproducible worksheets for easy distribution and use in the classroom.  


Zenstudies 2: Making a Healthy Transition to Higher Education 

Targeted-Selective Prevention Program 

Facilitator’s Guide

Participant’s Workbook 1

Participant’s Workbook 2


Module 2 is a targeted-selective prevention program, meaning participants will have volunteered to take this training. It is divided in two workshops, one for anxiety management and one for depression prevention, each lasting 75 to 90 minutes. The workshops are designed to be offered through student services by teachers or professionals trained in providing mental health services. 


Zenstudies 3: Making a Healthy Transition to Higher Education   

Targeted-Indicated Prevention Program 

Facilitator’s Guide

Participant’s Workbook


Module 3 is a targeted-indicated prevention developed for mental health professionals who would like to use the program at their school. It presents 10 small-group sessions (for 6 to 10 students) tailored to first-year students experiencing anxious or depressive symptoms to be led by two mental health professionals.




Funding for the English translation of the Zenstudies program was provided by Bell Let’s Talk and The Rossy Foundation.



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