International graduate students contribute significantly to Canadian universities through their roles in research, teaching, and the enrichment of academic and cultural life. Despite these contributions, they face distinct mental health challenges related to cultural adjustment, financial pressures, and social isolation. Campus-based mental health services are often their primary source of support, yet little is known about the experiences of those providing this care. This study employed interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the lived experiences of 13 campus-based mental health service providers across two Ontario universities. Semi-structured interviews revealed the complex, emotionally layered realities of supporting international graduate students in resource-constrained and culturally diverse contexts. Four interrelated themes emerged: witnessing intersecting pressures and cultural transitions; building trust and connection; embracing linguistic and cultural diversity; and navigating structural and cultural dimensions of care. Providers described the intensity of working with students balancing academic demands, familial expectations, and immigration uncertainties, often compounded by stigma and systemic limitations such as session caps and wait times. They emphasized the relational work of trust-building, the challenge of bridging linguistic and cultural gaps, and the tension of operating within predominantly Western models of therapy. Many also extended their responsibilities beyond traditional counseling, acting as advocates, navigators, and informal case managers, while reflecting critically on their own positionality and the limits of cultural understanding. By centering service providers' perspectives, this study underscores the need for institutional investment in culturally responsive, flexible, and accessible campus-based mental health care, alongside policy reforms addressing systemic barriers.
Javadizadeh et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
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