On January 25, 2023, IPAC, with naming support from LingYu International Psychology Center, co-hosted an International Student Roundtable with the University of Toronto Muhe Psychology Club. The event was held at a classroom at OISE, University of Toronto.
Centered on the themes of empathy and emotional awareness, this IPAC roundtable was facilitated by professional counsellors who guided participants in exploring the origins, expressions, and meanings of emotions. The program aimed to enhance psychological literacy and emotional discernment through interactive activities, offering practical support for emotional regulation in daily life.
The session began with icebreaker activities to help participants feel comfortable and connected. During the “Nine Dimensions of Friendship” segment, counsellors guided participants to reflect on everyday friendships, using personal memories to explore the importance of empathy, awareness, and boundaries. Through this process, participants learned to identify their emotions, understand the needs underlying those emotions, and distinguish which emotional responses were healthy and which required further regulation—particularly within friendships. Rather than passively experiencing emotions, participants were encouraged to actively recognize, differentiate, and reflect on them, laying a foundation for healthier emotional management.
In the scenario-based group exercises, participants worked in groups of three, role-playing different interpersonal situations and emotional dynamics. By practicing communication styles such as people-pleasing and blaming, participants experienced how various interaction patterns influence emotions in friendships. Counsellors guided reflection on how certain emotional responses may stem from unhelpful interaction styles, providing participants with practical tools for emotional awareness and regulation.
During the card-based roundtable, each participant selected a symbolic card representing their personal friendship style and shared the reasons for their choice with group members. This activity highlighted the diversity of perspectives on friendship while encouraging empathy toward others’ emotional experiences. Through listening and sharing, participants gained deeper insight into their own emotional needs within relationships, enriching their understanding of friendship and emotional connection.
Through this event, IPAC—together with LingYu International Psychology Center and the University of Toronto Muhe Psychology Club—not only provided participants with a safe space to explore emotions, but also supported the development of psychological literacy and emotional awareness through professional facilitation by counsellors. Empathy, in this context, was framed not only as understanding others, but also as a meaningful way of relating to one’s own emotions.
Through interactive and experiential programming, IPAC aims to help participants better identify, understand, and regulate emotions, laying a solid foundation for long-term mental wellbeing. With IPAC’s continued support, international students are able to access more comprehensive psychosocial resources, face emotional challenges with greater confidence, and gradually cultivate a healthier and deeper sense of self-awareness.
