All posts in “mental health”

What Next! Peer Support Program- Canadian Mental Health Association

March 7, 2016 / Comments Off on What Next! Peer Support Program- Canadian Mental Health Association

Group Name: What Next!  Peer Support Program at the Toronto Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Description:  What Next Drop- in Centre is one of many programs run by the Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto- Branch (CMHA). We are a peer run initiative Drop-In Centre for adults living with a mental health and or addiction issue.  The support group is for individuals 19 years of age and older who live with mental health or mental health and addiction challenges.

Where:  3701 Chesswood Drive, Suite 208, North York, Ontario,  M3J 2P6, (west of the Allen, on the corner of Sheppard Ave & Chesswood Drive).

When:   What Next! is open:  Monday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12:00 noon to 7:00 pm.  What Next! is closed on Wednesday.

Contact: To become a member, please call 416-449-4555 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm to make an appointment for an orientation session or visit our website to learn more about What Next! and to get a copy of our monthly calendar of events: What Next!

Discovering Our Power at Bathurst and Finch- North York Women’s Centre

February 8, 2016 / Comments Off on Discovering Our Power at Bathurst and Finch- North York Women’s Centre

Group:  Discovering Our Power at Bathurst and Finch

Description:  This is the first part of the Women’s Empowerment Series.  In this group, participants will gain an understanding of difficult emotions and the effects they have on mental and physical well-being. They will identify personal strengths and coping strategies to draw upon during stressful situations and learn how to build self esteem and confidence. This program will be delivered in partnership with Unison Health and Community Services.

Where: Bathurst Finch Hub, 540 Finch Ave. West

When:  Every Friday for 9 weeks, from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm, starts February 12, 2016

Contact:  Please call us at 416-781-0479 for information or to arrange an intake interview.

Youth Wellness Recovery Action Plan

June 23, 2015 / Comments Off on Youth Wellness Recovery Action Plan

Self-Help Resource Centre, Gerstein Crisis Centre and the Toronto Central YMCA is teaming up to offer Youth WRAP for ages 16-25!

This 8 week workshop will provide you with the resources to facilitate your own personal growth and wellness and take care of your physical, mental and emotional health by incorporating physical activity into your personal wellness plan. In a small group setting, Central YMCA WRAP trained Health Educators, Self–Help Resource Centre and Gerstein Centre Counsellors will help you map your own personal wellness plan and assist you in seeing it through.

Information Session: Friday, July 3, 2015 2:00—4:00 p.m.

Located at the Central YMCA 20 Grosvenor Street in the Youth Room

This FREE WRAP group starts July 10, 2015 and runs every Friday until August 28th from 2-4pm.

A FREE optional workout/gym access will be offered from 12-2pm at the YMCA every Friday before the WRAP group begins.

 

Contact: Laura Shasko (416) 929-0149 Ext. 259 Email: lshasko@gersteincentre.org

Guidelines for Recovery-Oriented Practice

June 10, 2015 / Comments Off on Guidelines for Recovery-Oriented Practice

The Mental Health Commission of Canada is pleased to announce the release of the Guidelines for Recovery-Oriented Practice.

Hope. Dignity. Inclusion.

The Guidelines for Recovery-Oriented Practice is the first comprehensive Canadian reference document for understanding recovery in practice and promoting a consistent application of recovery principles across the country at a policy, program and practice level. The release of the Guidelines is another significant milestone in taking action on Changing Directions, Changing Lives: The Mental Health Strategy for Canada.

While the Guidelines are directed at a wide audience that includes people living with mental health problems and illnesses and their families, they are designed especially for individuals who can help make the practical, organizational and cultural shifts needed to develop a truly recovery-oriented mental health system.

The Guidelines for Recovery-Oriented Practice were developed after extensive consultation and draw on the many existing pockets of excellence across the country. They provide guidance on tailoring recovery-oriented approaches to respond to the diverse needs of people living with mental health problems or illnesses, whatever their condition, background, circumstance or stage of life.

We encourage you to share this document widely and start a conversation about mental health and recovery. Together we can advance recovery-oriented practice in Canada.

PeerZone Info Session at the Gerstein Crisis Centre

May 20, 2015 / Comments Off on PeerZone Info Session at the Gerstein Crisis Centre

At Gerstein Crisis Centre, we believe every person has the right to live a self-directed life and to pursue their greatest level of wellness and happiness. Gerstein Crisis Centre has actively supported consumer survivor initiatives by employing consumer survivor run businesses (e.g. Abel Enterprises, Fresh Start Cleaning & Maintenance, Raging Spoon and AWay Express) through all of our operations. We support artists with lived experience and are fortunate to have a beautiful collection of art in both our homes. We house the Consumer Survivor Archives and strongly support their efforts.

PeerZone helps to solve a number of problems:

  • It enhances the well-being for people with mental distress. Mental health and addiction services face a real challenge in supporting people to live the lives they want.
  • It provides professional development and support for the peer workforce. The peer workforce is the fastest growing occupational group in mental health today and has a long history in the addiction field. But many peer workers are under-utilised and under-supported.
  • It is very cost-effective. PeerZone is a cost-effective solution from the point of view of participant outcomes and peer workforce development. We achieve better participant outcomes at less cost in three ways.

The Gerstein staff will go into much more detail on the particulars of the program and how to pick and apply to attend the workshop(s).

When/Where: Sunday, June 14 at 519 Church St. Community Centre

Time: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Contact: Nicki 416-929-0149 Ext. 232 | peerzonegcc@gmail.com

Dialectical Living – Social Groups for BPD / Emotion Dysregulation

April 23, 2015 / Comments Off on Dialectical Living – Social Groups for BPD / Emotion Dysregulation

Group Name: Dialectical Living – Social Groups for BPD / Emotion Dysregulation

Description: Recognizing the extreme need for services, Dialectical Living, in collaboration with Sashbear.org, was formed to provide Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills and support to those in need. We would like to reduce the needless suffering for many by offering more options to acquire skills learning and support with trained peers. We strive to create a safe environment to learn and grow. Our mission is to enable those who struggle with emotion regulation and their families and friends a better quality of life; as Marsha Linehan says “a life worth living”. We are a group of individuals who are passionate about helping others and teaching and using DBT skills. Each of us have lived experience and have been touched by emotion regulation disorder either ourselves and/or have lived or worked with others who struggle. We are a group of peers trained in DBT and this unique combination can provide unparalleled support through shared understandings. We each have a unique background and several of us work in the healthcare field or are studying to become social workers and health service workers.

Toronto Borderliners Family and Friends
This is a social support group for family members and friends of people with BPD called Toronto Borderliners Family and Friends. This is a group and that provides a place for family and friends to share information, resources and hold events to get together. The group can be found online at meetup.com.

Toronto Borderliners, With Love – Acceptance and Validation
This group is a safe place for those with Emotion Dysregulation / BPD and traits at all stages of recovery. We are a community group and here for support, skills learning and fun! It is truly a therapeutically helpful experience to connect with others who are similar to you.

Contact: Julie Hayden 416-616-5284 | julie@dialecticalliving.ca | www.dialecticalliving.ca

Covenant House – Mental Health Program

April 15, 2015 / Comments Off on Covenant House – Mental Health Program

Group Name: Covenant House – Mental Health Program

Description: Opened in 1982, Covenant House Toronto was the second international site established in the highly recognized childcare agency. The 21-site network spans from Alaska to Latin America. Today, Covenant House Toronto is a homeless youth agency. More than just a place to stay, we provide 24/7 crisis care and have the widest range of services under one roof, including education, counselling, health care and employment assistance.

Arts and Minds, our day program for youth with mental health issues, is a safe and welcoming place for kids to work towards healing and stability. The innovative program uses art therapy, as well as other hands-on activities like cooking and gardening. Through these creative techniques, we are able to teach kids communication and social skills in a non-threatening way. Art encourages youth to regain the ability to express themselves and rebuild a sense of self-worth. They also volunteer in the community, which gives our youth the pride of making a contribution. Morning sessions include structured activities, while afternoons are spent counselling youth individually.

Where: 20 Gerrard St. East | Toronto, ON M5B 2P3

Contact: 416-598-4898 | 1-800-435-7308 (24 hrs & shelter) | www.covenanthousetoronto.ca

Eva’s Initiatives – Family Reconnect

April 14, 2015 / Comments Off on Eva’s Initiatives – Family Reconnect

Group Name: Eva’s Initiatives – Family Reconnect

Description: Eva’s Initiatives is an organization that operates three unique facilities in Toronto, providing safe shelter and diverse programs and services to help homeless and at-risk youth reach their potential to lead productive, self-sufficient and healthy lives. Eva’s Initiatives staff work with each homeless youth to develop a personalized action plan. This plan is designed to empower each young person to achieve both short- and long-term personal and career goals. This intake, assessment and screening process considers the whole person – mental, physical and aspirational.

The Family Reconnect Program offers individual and family counselling to at-risk and homeless youth. Recognizing the critical importance of family support for teens and young adults, we attempt to connect with and engage families to support their son or daughter to gain stability and experience success.
Our counselling goals are to assist families with the root causes of their struggles, including family breakdown, youth and parent conflict, communication difficulties, sibling relationships, drug and alcohol use as well as life and parenting skills.

The two services offered are:
Early Intervention
This prevention program provides support to at-risk young people (14-24) and their families, exploring difficult issues affecting their relationship. With a family-centred approach, our goal is to help families resolve complex relationship issues, develop positive relationships, increase communication, and, where possible, divert youth from the shelter system.

Homelessness
Family and individual counselling are offered to young people (16-24) who are homeless, living in shelters, “couch-surfing”, or housing insecure. Our objective is to support young people in re-establishing healthy and supportive relationships with those they define as family. When reconnecting with family is not possible or advisable, our service provides individual counselling, including emotional support, grief and loss counselling, life and coping skills.

Where: 360 Lesmill Road | Toronto, ON M3B 2T5

Contact: Nancy Abrams 416-441-3162 Ext. 242 | nabrams@evas.ca | www.evasinitiatives.com

Beaches Mental Wellness

March 4, 2015 / Comments Off on Beaches Mental Wellness

Group Name: Beaches Mental Wellness

Description: Beaches Mental Wellness right now is an independent program, and only operates out of the CC55 (Community Centre 55) facility. As things progress, we might become more affiliated with the centre. This is a program started and run by volunteers, as a peer-helping-peer group.

Are you or someone you know, affected by a mental health challenge? The Beaches Mental Wellness Peer-to-Peer meetings are open to anyone who is affected by, or knows someone who is affect by, a mental health challenge. Come out and share your story, hear how others are coping, and gain insight and compassion in a group setting. And every LAST TUESDAY of the month, we have a guest speaker attend and do a short presentation with a Q&A period, followed by the regular sharing and peer support.

Where: 97 Main Street | Toronto ON, M4C 0A1

When: Every Tuesday from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Contact: admin@BeachesMentalWellness.com | www.beachesmentalwellness.com

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