My name is Regan Garreau, and I am in my fourth year studying Psychology at Bishop’s University. This year, I had the opportunity to complete an experiential learning placement with Vent Over Tea. A Montreal-based non-profit that provides free active listening services and community events focused on mental health and connection.
During my placement, I took on a variety of roles, which kept the experience dynamic and exciting. Some of my main tasks included research, writing blog posts and articles, helping with social media content, and reaching out to like-minded organizations. I also contributed to event planning, which allowed me to combine creativity with organizational skills. One of my proudest accomplishments was organizing and delivering a community event called Breathe, Move, Reflect: An Evening of Grounding. It was a yoga event where I was able to see first-hand the impact of creating a safe, welcoming space for people to connect.
I chose this placement because I wanted to bridge what I’ve been learning in my psychology courses with real-world experiences in mental health support. I was especially interested in how community-based approaches. Like active listening and outreach complement the more clinical side of psychology. My goal was to see how the skills I’m developing in class could be applied outside the classroom, and Vent Over Tea gave me the perfect environment to explore that. A highlight of my placement was realizing the difference between empathy and sympathy in practice. Through both listening discussions and event planning with my supervisor, Marie-Pier Fortin, and executive director Marissa Norton. I saw how important it is to create spaces where people feel individually heard rather than spoken at. That lesson will stay with me, both in my academic journey and in my future career.
Of course, there were challenges as well. At first, I found it tricky to balance creativity with deadlines and to adjust to the branding and communication style of the organization. Overcoming these challenges helped me grow more confident in structuring my own work and trusting my organizational abilities.
This placement helped me connect classroom learning to real-world practice. In psychology, we often talk about theories of empathy, active listening, and social connection. At Vent Over Tea, I was able to see these concepts come alive in the form of outreach, communications, and community-building. It was inspiring to witness how small actions like hosting a conversation or planning an event can have a tangible effect on people’s well-being.
I am also grateful for the support I received throughout this experience. Marie-Pier offered thoughtful guidance and encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone. It confirmed my passion for psychology while also sparking new curiosity about the role of communications in
mental health. I plan to continue volunteering with Vent Over Tea in the future, and I would recommend this kind of placement to any student who wants to see their studies come to life in a meaningful way.
