Online peer support

7 Cups of Tea (also called 7 Cups) is a website and mobile app that allows students to get 24/7 emotional support from anywhere in the world – all for free! It is a peer-to-peer chat that matches students who want to talk with listeners who are caring, trained, and non-judgmental. Conversations are text-based and private.

Need support in a language other than English?

No problem! Over 250,000 people from 189 countries use 7 Cups every week. The 7 Cups app is available in 20 languages. You can also choose your listener from among 140 different language speakers.

Prefer to work on your own?

7 Cups offers personal growth paths that students can work on to make wellness a daily habit. You’ll also get support along the way from trained volunteer listeners. Doing simple activities to relax and manage stress can really improve your well-being.

Is this counselling?

  • 7 Cups is not therapy or counselling.
  • It is not a distress line.
  • Listeners are people just like you, who have knowledge about resources and some activities that might be helpful. Sometimes it helps to talk about what’s going on and have another person listen, accept us, and try to understand.
  • If you are interested in speaking to a trained mental health professional, contact the Centre for Growth and Harmony during business hours.
  • If you need immediate help, call 911.

7 Cups of Tea for members

Signing up as a 7 Cups of Tea member connects you with the NorQuest peer support listeners and the global 7 Cups of Tea listening community. Listeners will chat one on one with you and provide compassionate and empathic support for whatever you’re going through.

Members can also access group chats and discussion forums for specific topics on the 7 Cups of Tea platform.

7 Cups of Tea is not counselling, therapy, or crisis support. To access counselling, therapy, or crisis services, visit the Centre for Growth and Harmony, or see our Community resources.

What else is on 7 Cups of Tea for members?

7 Cups of Tea also offers Growth Paths, a series of lessons that help you overcome particular challenges such as Mind Over Mood, Chronic Pain: Pain Management, Panic Attacks: Overcoming Panic, Loneliness: Connect, and many more!

Besides Growth Paths, 7 Cups of Tea also offers 39 self-help guides including College Life, Test Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Parenting Help, and Sleeping Well.

Other 7 Cups of Tea resources

Frequently asked questions

How do I become a member?

Visit the NorQuest portal at 7 Cups. The password is: norquest

To create your member account all you need is:

  • your email address
  • birth month and year
  • a username for 7 Cups

When creating your account, ensure you check off that you have a School/Organization code.

How do I find a listener?

If you want to find a NorQuest listener, visit the main NorQuest portal page and click ‘Browse Listeners’. Our listeners will be listed at the bottom of the page; you can leave them a message to request a chat.

If you want to find the next available listener, visit the main NorQuest portal page and click ‘Connect to a Listener Now’.

To review chat options, along with chat history, click Chat in the 7 Cups of Tea menu bar.

How do I know when a conversation has started?

If you have your sound on or headphones in, you will hear the message alert. When a conversation has started, a pop-up alert appears which states “A listener is ready to talk with you” and it gives you the options: “Okay, take me there” or “Remind me in 1 minute”.

If you click the first option it will direct you to the chat. If you’ve navigated to a different 7 Cups window during the chat, at the bottom of the page, a green bar appears indicating you have a new message(s). Click the bar to be taken to your conversation.

Is 7 Cups of Tea really anonymous and confidential?

Listeners only know what you tell them, if you keep your identity safe and do not disclose your name, you will remain anonymous. The 7 Cups of Tea platform is encrypted with SSL protocol to keep your information confidential. Read the 7 Cups of Tea confidentiality statement and privacy policy.

Why did my listener refer me to someone else?

Listeners may refer you to another listener when the listener feels they are no longer equipped to support your particular issue. The listener wants to make sure you get the best quality support possible, it may mean a different listener will be a better fit than the current listener.

If your listener refers you to a community resource like a crisis line or sexual assault centre, contact that resource to receive the appropriate help and support. If you’re in Edmonton and on main campus, you can access these supports at the Centre for Growth and Harmony during regular business hours.

I already have a 7 Cups Member account. How do I join the NorQuest community?

Log into 7 Cups of Tea, click your profile image in the top right corner and select ‘My Settings’.

Scroll down; under School/Organization, enter norquest as the password. At the bottom of the page, click ‘Save Changes’. That’s it! Now you’re part of the NorQuest 7 Cups community!

Need someone to talk to? Our counselors and listeners are standing by.

To access 7 Cups of Tea use the password norquest.

Centre for Growth and Harmony

Room 1-101, Singhmar Centre
wellness@norquest.ca 780.644.6155
780.644.6151
Monday - Friday 8:15 am - 4:30 pm

1-101 Singhmar Centre We offer in-person and online support through appointments or drop-in services.
Note: Services may not be available on site at all campuses.