Free Mental Health Resources

PHSA Wellness Exchange

The Wellness Exchange is a free skill-building group curriculum that helps people identify and prioritize their needs and apply practical strategies to cope with stress and anxiety, while promoting positive mental health and well-being. Sessions are open to anyone in BC, and everyone is welcome.
 
These free workshops are being offered by Provincial Psychosocial Services , a program within the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

Designed to build skills in five different areas: 
  • Building problem solving skills
  • Promoting positive activities
  • Managing reactions
  • Promoting helpful thinking
  • Rebuilding healthy connections

Details:
  • Five one-hour workshops held weekly
  • Group sessions held virtually
  • Participants can attend any number of sessions in any order
  • Hosted by trained facilitators 
  • Registration is encouraged, but not required

Current Sessions:
  • Tuesdays 7:00 - 8:00 pm PST
    • January 16, 23, 30 & February 6 & 13, 2024
    • Facilitator: Cathy Dent, RSW
    • Zoom Link  
    • Meeting ID: 625 2641 3582 Pwd: 401050
  • Thursdays 12:00 - 1:00 pm PST
    • January 18 & 25 & Feb. 1, 8 & 15, 2024
    • Facilitator: Meg Signorelli, MPH
    • Zoom Link 
    • Meeting ID: 621 2633 7279 Pwd: 800182

If you have any questions, please contact Meg at  Meg.Signorelli@phsa.ca.

Live Well DBT Program

Gill Walker and Andrea Harowitz are offering 3 bursary spots for their 24 week DBT Skills Group. 

Details:
  • Cost is sliding scale, from $25-$42 per session
  • All Sessions 5:30-7:45 on Zoom
  • Please email livewelldbt@gmail to express interest by Oct 27th preferably. We will respond to later enquiries so please reach out if you are interested. We look forward to hearing from you.
Dates:
  • Nov 28- Jan 30 - Emotional Regulation
  • Feb 20- April 23 - Distress Tolerance
  • May 7- June 25 - Interpersonal Effectiveness
  • No sessions Dec 19-26, March 19&26

Pet Therapy - Recovery College YVR

Come spend some time with the sweet four-legged friends (dogs), give some pets, or take a short walk if the weather permits.
Interacting with animals has been shown to have a wide range of benefits. The physical benefits include decreasing levels of the stress-related hormone (cortisol) and lowering blood pressure. Per therapy can also reduce stress, anxiety, and loneliness, as well as increase feelings of social support and boost one's mood.

Dates and Times: Wednesdays, 2:30 - 3:00 pm
Location: Kelty Dennehy Mental Health Resource Centre, located at 1337 St Andrews Ave, North Vancouver, BC

Hosted by Recovery College YVR.

Communication & Group Facilitation, Skill Building and Training Course

The next Communication & Group Facilitation Workshop Series will begin January 9, 2024.

Topics include:
  • Emotional regulation
  • Boundary setting
  • Nonviolent communication
  • Risk management
  • Please see the Winter 2024 Course Outline for more information.

Details:
  • Runs January 9 - February 27, 2024
  • Workshops are Tuesday mornings, from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
  • Orientation is January 9 from 10:00 - 11:00 am
  • In-person at 1669 East Broadway, Vancouver
  • Pre-registration is required, please email  Anna.Morrison@vch.ca. 
  • For individuals with lived or living experience of mental health issues

Recovering From Trauma

Recovering From Trauma is a 10-week expressive arts therapy program focused on treating trauma symptoms. Artistic expression can help individuals express their inner thoughts, while helping them better understand their experiences, emotions, and mental health.  

Dates: Check back for future dates
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am
Location: Telfer Burke Room at The HOpe Centre
1337 St. Andrews Ave., North Vancouver
​
For registration and intake, please email hello@thewoods.org

Coping With Uncertainty Workshop

Feeling stressed by the news of the day?
Join others to explore strategies to help cope with uncertainty and manage stress. Led by peer facilitators and developed during the pandemic, this 4-session course looks at stress, worry and anxiety, and common thinking traps that can affect our mental wellbeing. This course also includes a workbook with many additional tools.

Upcoming Sessions:​​
  • Check back for upcoming sessions
Sessions are held remotely, from 1:00 - 3:00 pm, via Zoom.
Register for free online! 

Mindfulness Meditation & Movement

Enjoy a weekly mindful movement and meditation class focused on positive energy, raising your endorphins, and increasing a sense of well-being. The class is rooted in Kundalini yoga tradition. 

Dates and Times: Tuesdays, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Location: Sacred Space Room at The HOpe Centre
231 East 15th St., North Vancouver 
Cost: Free registration

Contact Information: 
Email: info@recoverycollegeyvr.com
Phone: 778-836-9243

Your Recovery Journey - Workshop

Your Recovery Journey is a free workshop focusing on mental illness and recovery. The program provides valuable information that helps individuals on their recovery journey to reconnect, accomplish their goals, and recapture meaning in life. It is peer support based and facilitated by the VCH Peer Led Workshop Program at Recovery College YVR.
Session topics:
  • What is recovery?
  • Quality of Life
  • Self-Management
  • Medication as a tool for recovery
  • Moving Forward: Personal Action Planning​

Upcoming Your Recovery Journey Sessions: 
*Check back for session offerings*
Phone: 778-836-9243
Email: info@recoverycollegeyvr.ca

Talking With Your Doctor: Workshop

Peer facilitators lead this 1.5 hour interactive workshop to empower patients to be active participants in their health care.​

Learn how to:
  • be prepared for your visit
  • state your concerns clearly and honestly
  • provide a complete description of your condition
  • ask questions about your condition and its treatment
  • express problems with prescribed treatments

​Upcoming Sessions:
  • December 13, 2023 - 2:00 - 3:30 pm (virtual)

Y Mind Programs
YMCA BC offers free mental wellness programs designed to help participants learn how to manage stress and mild-to-moderate anxiety. They use evidence-based methods, and teach Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness. 

Current Programs:
  • Y Mind Teen: For teens ages 13-18, who are experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety or stress
  • Y Mind Youth: For individuals ages 18-30, who are experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety or stress
  • Y Mind Adult: Skills-based program for individuals aged 31+ who are experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety or stress
  • Mind Medicine: Programs that offer the Y Mind curriculum in a culturally appropriate manner
  • YMCA Home Wellness Programs: Online mental health tools, including mindfulness, ACT information, self-care, etc. 
​Details: 
  • Programs are free and run one evening per week for 7 weeks 
  • Weekly sessions are 2.5 hours long
  • Y Mind Teen sessions are 1.5 hours
  • Participants must commit to all 7 sessions
  • Most programs are currently via Zoom, with some sessions offered in person
​
Contact Information:
Phone: 604-673-6170
Email: ymind@bc.ymca.ca
Link to Y Mind Inquiry Form
OCD Workshops/Supports
Virtual Adult Wellness Groups
​
OCD Adult Wellness Group
“Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”
Facilitated by a Clinical Counsellor
Dates: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month
Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Online through Zoom
British Columbia Residents Only
For adults with OCD tendencies and family/friends supporting someone with OCD
***Screening Interview Required***

OCD Young Adult Group
“Healing is not Linear”
Run by young adult volunteers with lived experience
Date: 4th Tuesday of every month
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Online through Zoom
British Columbia Residents Only. 19-30 years old
***Clinically Supervised – Screening Interview Required***

Free or Inexpensive Mental Health Services: MindMapBC

  • MindMapBC: A custom-made database of outpatient mental health services
  • Services Included:
    • Professional counseling
    • Peer counseling
    • Support groups
    • Others
  • Accessibility:
    • Services that are free, low-cost, or sliding scale
    • Self-referral services (no need to see a doctor before accessing)

Supporting Men's Mental Health - Beyond "Man Up"

 In a culture that encourages them to “man up”, men may feel vulnerable admitting they struggle with mental health at all. From an early age, society has told men that showing emotion is a sign of weakness. As mentioned on Centre for Suicide’s Preventions Buddy Up website, toughness and stoicism are expected; emotional vulnerability is seen as a blemish on their manhood.
​
Three ways you can help support the men in your life’s mental health:
  1. Make Yourself Known as a Safe Space for Sharing
    Often times, what prevents us from sharing difficult thoughts and feelings is the fear of judgment. Making yourself known as a safe space opens the door for the men in your life to talk openly and honestly about what they’re going through.

  2. Validate Their Experience and Check in
    When loved ones come to us and share their thoughts, feelings, and problems, it’s easy to jump into problem solving mode, with the best of intentions. Rather than trying to fix their problems, listen to what they have to say and respond with empathy and compassion. Remember, whoever you are, father, friend, sister, spouse, you are not a mental health professional.

  3. Assist Them in Locating Resources and Professional Help
    Finding the right resources and help can be exhausting and discouraging, especially for someone dealing with anxiety or depression. By helping your loved one track down the right support, it increases their chances of getting the care they need.

Voices & Visions Support Groups​

Are you feeling alone or unsure about your unique sensory experiences? Do you want to meet people who understand? Our Voices & Visions support groups are led by peers who have experienced unique sensory experiences themselves.
  • The groups provide help and support, and they meet both in-person and virtually.
  • Groups are open to anyone with lived experience and their supporters and are offered on a drop-in basis.
  • The International Hearing Voices Network believes that people can live well with unique sensory experiences.

Upcoming Dates:
  • December 9, 15, 23, 2023  2:30 - 3:30 pm
  • December 11, 2023  2:00 - 3:00 pm
  • December 19, 2023  1:30 - 2:30 pm
  • January 2, 2024   1:30 - 2:30 pm
  • January 5, 2023  2:30 - 3:30pm

Educational Courses and Workshops - Community Mental Health

Gordon Neighbourhood House provides ongoing psycho-educational courses for community members wanting to learn more about how to proactively manage their mental wellness.

Courses Include:
  • Managing Anxiety
  • Parenting Under Stress
  • Relationships during Stressful Times
  • Peer Support Groups​

Details:

Youth Culture and Psychosis Survey

The Early Psychosis Peer Recovery Network (EPPRN) research committee, in partnership with the University of British Columbia, is conducting a survey to better understand psychosis in the context of young people’s lives, including their culture, communities and relationships. This survey is open to young people of all backgrounds and identities who:
  • Live in BC
  • Are between the age of 16 to 30
  • Self-identify as ever having the experience of hearing voices, seeing visions, having other unique perceptions or beliefs, and/or experiencing psychosis, either currently or at some point in the past
The survey will take about 20 minutes. By participating in the survey, you will have the chance to enter a raffle for one of five (5) $100 gift cards.
 
For more information, please contact the Study Lead, Shelly Ben-David shelly.ben-david@ubc.ca, or the Study Coordinator, Melissa Campos melissa.campos@ubc.ca.

Social Anxiety Virtual Workshop

Join Instructors Charles di Cagno and Kyra Smith, former Phobia Therapists at the White Plains Hospital Phobia Clinic, at a free introductory session focused on social anxiety. They employ the clinic's unique approach to vastly expanding your zone of comfort.

Techniques include interpersonal and small group interaction with gradual reduction of anxiety in manageable steps, resulting in more skill and confidence in all areas of life. 

Various dates are available!
​Note: There is a charge for subsequent sessions.

Free Online Course - Positive Psychology: Resilience Skills

Coursera is an incredible resource offering free courses from universities. It currently offers a 15 hour course on resilience in a time of uncertainty. 

As well as building your own resiliency, mental agility, and optimism, the course includes examples of individuals using resilience skills in their personal and professional lives.

The course provides:
  • Opportunities to learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of resilience
  • Develop personal and job-relevant skills
  • You can begin at any time, and decide yourself on the pace of the course.

Family Connections

Family Connections provides mental health and substance use resources for families. The program is a part of Vancouver Coastal Health.

Types of Resources Includes (non-exhaustive list):
1. Mental Health Education
  • Family education courses
  • Skill development workshops
2. Family Support Groups
  • General mental health groups
  • Substance use groups
  • Other specific groups
3. Counselling
  • Free and low-cost counselling
  • In-person, online, and phone options available
  • Peer support
  • Counselling for individuals, partners, and groups
  • Professionals with specialties in mental illness, substance use, trauma services, services for Queer individuals, and more
4. Crisis Services
  • Drop-in services
  • 24/ crisis lines
  • Culturally sensitive crisis lines 
  • Services in various languages
5. Internet Resources
  • Peer support
  • Courses and workshops
  • Workbooks and other information
6. Help Finding and Accessing Resources

HereToHelp - Online Mental Health Resources

  • Information resource: Trustworthy information on mental health and substance use.
  • Collaboration: The BC Partners, seven agencies came together for this project.
  • Objective: Provide people with access to quality information on mental health, mental illness, and substance use problems
  • Website features:
    • Explore the website on your own or through a filter about someone you care about
    • Ask a question
    • Do a screening self-test
    • Access the Resource Library for information on various topics
    • Specific pages on mental health issues:

      • ADHD
      • Grief
      • Suicide
      • Eating disorders

Crisis Phone Lines and Crisis Chat

​If you are in crisis, distress, or having thoughts of suicide, help is available!

Phone
The Crisis Centre is here to listen, and here to help – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Online Live Chat
CrisisCentreChat.ca is a program of the Crisis Centre.
It connects adults via live online chat with support, information and resources.
  • Online Chat Service for Youth
          (Noon to 1am): www.YouthInBC.com 
  • Online Chat Service for Adults
          (Noon to 1am): www.CrisisCentreChat.ca 

Anxiety Canada

  • Awareness Raising: Works to raise awareness of anxiety disorders
  • Types of Anxiety disorders covered:
    • Phobias and specific phobias
    • Generalised anxiety disorder
    • Social anxiety disorder
    • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
    • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Online tools and resources:
    • Self-help toolkits for kids, teens, adults, and parents.
    • Information and resources for anyone who desires to control their own anxiety
  • DVD and App offerings:
    • DVDs using a cognitive behavioral therapy approach to treat anxiety issues
    • MindShift - A free app made to aid teenagers and young people in overcoming anxiety.
    • Teaching techniques:
      • How to unwind
      • How to cultivate constructive thought patterns
      • How to recognize proactive activities that will support one in taking control of their anxiety
Physical address: 811-402 West Pender Street
Tel:604-620-0744
info@anxietycanada.com

BC Hearing Voices Research Opportunity

Researchers at the Early Psychosis Peer Recovery Network (EPPRN) and the University of British Columbia are conducting an online survey to better understand how experiences like psychosis and hearing voices fit into young people’s lives, including their culture, communities and relationships.

Survey Eligibility:
  • BC residents aged 16-30
  • Self-identify as hearing voices, seeing visions, having other unique perceptions or beliefs, and/or experiencing psychosis
Details:
  • Survey is approximately 20 minutes long
  • Participants are entered into a raffle for $100 gift cards
  • Study lead: shelly.ben-david@ubc.ca
  • Study Coordinator: melissa.campos@ubc.ca

Recovery Colleges

Learning centres focused on mental health and well-being, known as recovery colleges, are becoming more prevalent in Canada.
The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) currently operates 11 of these centres in communities across the country, with plans for more to be opened in the near future.
The recovery college model is based on a successful model from the UK, where 85 such colleges have been established since 2009.
These centres differentiate themselves from traditional educational institutions by offering courses on subjects such as mental health literacy and health and well-being.
The course curriculum is unique, being developed by subject experts, mental health professionals and individuals with personal experience in mental health recovery.
Recovery colleges are designed as supportive learning environments for individuals with various mental health goals.
  • Individuals with mental illness or mental health problems, including substance use issues, can find support on their personal recovery journey.
  • Those who support someone with a mental health issue can find skills to enhance self-care and overall well-being.
  • Individuals who need to develop confidence in facing life's challenges can find a suitable course.
These centres provide a genuine and empowering learning environment with practical knowledge.

Peer-Led Support Groups - Mood Disorders Association of BC

  • MDABC Peer-led Support Group: A safe place to share your story, struggles and accomplishments, and to listen to others who share similar concerns
  • Benefits:
    • A sense of belonging
    • Informal education about mental health challenges
    • Support of others who have 'been there'
  • Facilitation:
    • Trained volunteers with lived experience of mental health concerns
    • Not intended to provide counseling or therapy
  • Group Offerings:
    • More than 25 Peer-led Support Groups in cities and towns across British Columbia
    • Meeting online via Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic
    • Free groups meet weekly or bi-weekly
    • Contact the facilitator to register and get the Zoom link for the group you're interested in joining
Tel:604-873-0103  (monitored 9:00am – 4:30pm)

BC Reproductive Mental Health Program

  • Mental Health Support for Women and Families: Assesses, treats, and supports women and their families experiencing mental health disorders and psychological difficulties related to pregnancy and postpartum.
  • Provide pre-pregnancy consultations for people with psychiatric illness who are thinking about pregnancy.
  • Provide a group educational session about premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). 
  • Additional Psychological Issues: Addresses psychological difficulties associated with infertility, pregnancy loss, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
  • Referrals must come from a physician, nurse practitioner, or midwife
  • Group therapies include: mindfulness and cognitive based therapy, PPD and anxiety groups, emotional regulation, and more
  • Resources for partners and families 
​
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Location: Room P1-228, Entrance 81 Healthy Minds Centre (BC Women's Hospital), 4500 Oak St.
Phone: 604-875-2025

PWR (Plan for Wellness & Recovery) Workshop Series

  • PWR is a personalized plan that helps you stay well and cope with challenges. You create and tailor your own plan based on your needs and preferences.
  • To make your plan, you will reflect on yourself and your wellness. You will learn how to:
    • Recognize what you are like when you are well
    • Identify stressors that affect your well-being
    • Develop wellness strategies to deal with stressors
  • Your plan can be used for everyday life and for special situations. Your plan will help you:
    • Reduce and manage unwanted or troubling thoughts, feelings and behaviours
    • Empower yourself to make positive choices and decisions regarding your health
    • Improve your quality of life
    • Take steps towards identifying/achieving your goals and dreams
  • Your plan will also include topics such as:
    • Wellness Tools: Ways to stay well
    • Daily Maintenance Planning: Things to do to keep yourself well
    • Triggers: Events that make you feel worse
    • Crisis Planning: A plan to take care of yourself
Facilitated by the VCH Peer Led Workshops Program
Stay tuned for future workshop dates!

For more info & to register, email vanpeerworkshops@vch.ca or call 604-708-5274.

Centre for Suicide Prevention

The Centre for Suicide Prevention is an education centre located in Calgary, that offers online resources for everyone to access. Their mission is to educate to save lives through suicide prevention by equipping people with the knowledge and skills to respond to those considering suicide.

Education Resources include:
  • Workshops include prevention, intervention, and programs designed for children and the Indigenous community
  • An online library of resources 
  • Resources that analyze statistics provided by Stats Canada
  • Together We Live guide that focuses on community suicide prevention plans
  • Buddy Up campaign addressing suicide prevention for men​

Vancouver's Accessibility Strategy

The City of Vancouver has released its long-term Accessibility Strategy report, It includes a Collection of Voices Heard section based on the feedback gained from the Vancouver Community through engagements in June 2023. 

The Accessibility Strategy reflects Vancouver's commitment to support the full participation of persons with disabilities by establishing and maintaining inclusive services, programs, and infrastructure, and by identifying, removing, and preventing barriers.

UK Study Seeking Voice Hearers

Dani Chadderton (Researcher and trainee Clinical Psychologist at Lancaster University) and Professors Bill Sellwood and Dr. Rohan Morris are developing a new outcome measure/questionnaire, which will assess the types of relationships people have with the different voices they hear.

​The idea is that it will help support the development and evaluation of new psychological therapies, specifically looking at improving people's relationships with their voices, and hopefully reducing distress. 
 
They are now looking for voice hearers to complete the questionnaire to test if is is statistically valid. The questionnaire and more information is available online.

Contact Info:
 Email Danielle at: d.chadderton@lancaster.ac.uk

Talk Suicide​

  • Suicide Prevention Support: Provides toll-free phone and text support for those in need across Canada.
  • Support is available for those contemplating suicide, experiencing suicidal thoughts, who have made a past attempt, have lost someone to suicide, or are worried about someone else's suicidal thoughts.
  • Services are free and available 24/7 to anyone across Canada 
  • Quick access to support from trained responders
  • High quality, evidence-based, equitable suicide prevention and crisis support for everyone in Canada

Phone and Text: 9-8-8

More resources and information are available on the website.

​Black Youth Helpline

  • National Helpline for Youth: Offers services and supports to meet the needs of all youth, with a focus on Black youth.
  • Services offered:
    • Culturally relevant services
    • Expert assessment
    • Information
    • Referral
    • On-demand service
  • Language support:
    • French
    • Other languages
Hours: 6 am to 7 pm Pacific Standard Time
Tel:1-833-294-8650
info@blackyouth.ca

Reproductive Psychiatry Program

  • Psychiatric treatment: Offers psychiatric treatment to female patients
  • Patient focus: Patients suffering from psychological conditions directly linked to their reproductive cycle
  • Topics covered:
    • Menopause
    • Infertility
    • Pregnancy
    • Postpartum
Physical address:
2nd Floor, 185-1081 Burrard Street
Tel:604-806-8589
Tel:604-675-2666

Veterans Transition Network

  • Support for veterans: Helps Canadian veterans reintegrate with their families, work through trauma, enhance mental health and reestablish relationships.
  • Reintegration Goals:
    • Help veterans successfully move into civilian life
    • Emphasis on communication skills
    • Self-regulation
    • Goal setting
    • Transition process
    • Impacts of trauma
  • Services offered:
    • Free group counselling services
    • All groups are confidential
    • Facilitated by specialists with expertise working with the military population
  • Eligible Population:
    • Veterans of all ages
    • Male and female
    • Active or retired
    • From the military or RCMP
​Physical address: 622-470 Granville Street
Tel:604-559-8155
Tel:604-559-8156
info@vtncanada.org

West Coast Mental Health Network Society (WCMHNS)

Organization run by peers for those who are or have previously used the mental health and/or psychiatric systems and are looking for assistance and support in their rehabilitation.
​Tel:7783230825
wcmhns@gmail.com

Access and Assessment Centre (AAC)

  • Services offered: Adults with severe and chronic mental illness can get individual and group mental health rehabilitation services from a multidisciplinary team.
  • Types of treatments:
    • Psychological evaluation and treatment
    • Individual and group therapy
    • Rehabilitation treatments
  • Rehabilitation Goals:
    • Developing skills
    • Coaching
    • Education
    • Mentorship
    • In areas including:
      • Home management
      • Community living
      • Interpersonal connections
      • Disease and self-management
      • Volunteering
      • Going back to school
      • Working
      • Having fun
  • Additional Support: Services may engage the client's close relatives or friends if necessary.
  • Hours: 7 days/week/holidays
  • Walk-ins: 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
  • Phone lines: 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m

803 West 12th Avenue
Level 1 East Entrance
Tel:(604) 675-3700

Connective

Connective is a community-based social services non-profit operating in BC and the Yukon. The organization provides a strong social safety net that addresses the needs of all who walk through our doors. They see a path forward for everyone, with opportunities to learn, grow, and develop—on their own terms and at their own pace. The goal is to assist individuals to achieve greater independence and navigate challenging social systems.

Resources Provided Include:
  • Innovative short and long-term housing, homelessness prevention, and housing for individuals struggling with substance use 
  • Education and employment
  • Life skills development
  • Community-based services and community living
  • Justice services pre- and post-release
  • Outreach
  • Health and wellness supports, including access to dental care
  • Services for marginalized communities
For more information, email info@connective.ca or call 604-872-5651. 

#Get Real - Articles to Help
#GetReal is a campaign of the Canadian Mental Health Association that guides you in identifying your emotions, and encouraging you to express them rather than burying them.

When we name precisely how we feel, it’s good for our mental health.

Check out this series of great tools and resources.

Did you know:
  • Studies show that suppressing emotions can lead to increased anxiety and depression, disrupted sleep, and overall worsening of mental health.
  • Putting feelings into words is thought to decrease activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain that drives our responses to fear and stress, and increase activity in the prefrontal control regions, parts of the brain associated with regulating and making sense of emotions.

Program for Families

  • Family-to-Family education course: 8 week free education course, offered twice a year and one of Pathways' most sought-after programs.
  • Delivery Method:
    • Taught using a team approach
    • By two trained family-member volunteers with lived experience.
  • Development and Adaptation:
    • Developed under the aegis of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in the United States
    • Licensed and adapted for use in British Columbia
  • Course Audience:
    • Families, significant others and friends of a loved one with a mental illness
    • including anxiety disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, depression, borderline personality disorder, concurrent disorders and schizophrenia

Tel: 604-926-0856

Thrive Program
Thrive is a great program of the Open Door Group.
 
If you’re living with a mental health condition, Thrive offers free one-to-one coaching and group programs that focus on personal development and positive community connections.
 
They offer dozens of different group programs. Just a few of these are:
  • Digital photography
  • Creative writing
  • Stress management
  • Time management
  • Computer skill development
  • Employment readiness
  • Shyness and social anxiety
  • Cooking and nutrition
  • Self-esteem
 
Interested in joining? Complete the online intake form.

After that, the next step will be that you’ll meet with one of the experienced recreational therapists to set personal goals and build an action plan. Together, you’ll find the right activities and programs to help you reach your goals.
Tel:(604) 872 – 0770

Podcast: The Power of Disability

This new podcast series highlights what history has overlooked: the incredible contributions of people with disabilities.

​In Motion & Momentum +
In Motion & Momentum + is a new YWCA program that helps participants tap into their full potential and create the life they want to live, through goal setting and action planning.
 
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?
In Motion & Momentum + was built for individuals who are feeling stuck or like they have been moving in a direction that is not right for them. The program recognizes the inherent strengths, resilience and potential that lives within each individual and is all about providing experiences and opportunities that help participants to reconnect with their potential, take charge and live the life they want to live.
Participants must be unemployed or precariously employed and not a full-time student and have:
  • Canadian citizenship, permanent residency or confirmed refugee status
  • A minimum Grade 5 literacy level
  • Basic digital literacy and access to technology
  • A desire and commitment to participate fully

​PROGRAM DURATION
  • Module 1  - 3 weeks, 3 days a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays)
  • Module 2 - 4 weeks, 4 days a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays)
  • Module 3 - 6 weeks, 1 day a week (day TBC)

Total duration: 13 weeks (6 hours a day, from 9:00am to 3:00pm)
Note: Registration is currently full. Interested individuals can join the waitlist below.

Register for an online intake session

More Free BC Brain Wellness Programs

  • Concept: BC Brain Wellness Program
  • Purpose: Establish clinically relevant lifestyle approaches to complement medical treatment, support people living with chronic brain disorders, and improve quality of life
  • Approach:
    • Interactive effort
    • Establishing a provincial network of wellness programs
    • Combining clinical care with interventions that support healthier lifestyles
  • Program offerings:
    • Free programs:
      • Dance
      • Writing
      • Mindfulness
      • Open talk cafe
      • Visual art
      • Music
      • Book club
      • Yoga
      • Online improv
      • Gardening & nutrition
      • Exercise classes

Tel:604-827-4386   

Virtual Support Group - Kaleidoscope Mental Health Support Society

Kaleidoscope Mental Health Support Society General Group is held virtually on Thursdays from 6:30-7:30pm.

About Kaleidoscope

Wellness Recovery Action Plan

The Wellness Recovery Action Plan® or WRAP®, is a self-designed prevention and wellness process that anyone can use to get well, stay well and make their life the way they want it to be. It was developed by a group of people who were searching for ways to overcome their own mental health issues and move on to fulfilling their life dreams and goals.  It is now used extensively by people in all kinds of circumstances, and by health care and mental health systems all over the world to address all kinds of physical, mental health and life issues.
 
WRAP Will Help You:
  • Discover your own simple, safe wellness tools
  • Develop a list of things to do every day to stay as well as possible
  • Identify upsetting events, early warning signs and signs that things have gotten much worse and, using wellness tools, develop action plans for responding at these times
  • Create a crisis plan
  • Create a post-crisis plan

Other WRAP Services and Resources:

Crest-BD - Support and Resources for those with Bipolar Disorder

The Collaborative RESearch Team to study psychosocial issues in Bipolar Disorder (CREST.BD) is a multidisciplinary collaborative network of researchers, people living with bipolar disorder, healthcare providers, and family members and supporters. Learn about managing bipolar disorder - on your own terms.

For two days every year, Crest.BD holds public Q&A about bipolar disorder on Reddit. View a wealth of information in the 3 years of all the questions and answers.

talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast

The talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder.

​Each episode is designed to provide education on strategies to live well with bipolar disorder, along with tools and resources for each topic. All talkBD episodes also feature Q&A segments where our experts answer viewer-submitted questions. 

Eight-Week Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [CBT] Skills Groups

The Vancouver CBT Skills Groups
  • Offers an 8-week psycho-education program for low to moderate severity of anxiety, depression and other lower acuity mental health diagnoses.
  • Sessions are covered by MSP, with a $35 fee for the workbook
  • Committing to completing the eight weeks and obtain a program referral through a doctor.
  • Programs are held at various times and locations around Vancouver.
What is CBT?
  • CBT stands for cognitive-behavioral therapy, a type of talk therapy that aims to change negative patterns of thinking and behavior.
  • There is a lot of convincing evidence that CBT is effective in treating a range of mental health conditions.
More Information
  • For more information about CBT and the evidence supporting its effectiveness, please click on the 'More Info' button below.

Mental Health Education Videos

In order to reach out to the public and to make vital mental health information more accessible, MDABC produces a great, wide-ranging series of original videos which they post via the website below or on a YouTube Channel.  

​The videos feature experienced professionals and/or people with lived experience from the BC community who provide invaluable insight into variety of issues surrounding mental health.

Online Live Depression Support for Men
When: Every Thursday
Time: 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free

A survey by Men's Health Research reveals that 1 in 2 Canadians know a man with depression. Yet stigma and barriers are still keeping men from reaching out and seeking help with their mental health.

Men Let’s Talk is an online drop-in group providing support for male-identified people and a safe space to discuss mental health & wellness.
​
Participants can also access one-on-one support from the group facilitator and Peer Supporter, Ty Javos. 

Contact Ty with questions, and to register and receive the Zoom link: ty.javos@cmha.bc.ca / Tel:(604) 987-6959

 ​Self-Help Modules, Worksheets & Resources for Mental Health Problems

The Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) offers resources for individuals and healthcare professionals to assist with interventions for mental health concerns. The workbooks provide information and resources specific to a variety of mental illnesses. These resources provide general information about various mental health problems and techniques that focus on a cognitive-behavioral approach to managing difficulties.

The information provided in the resources is NOT a substitute for proper diagnosis or treatment by an appropriate health professional, and it is recommended that individuals consult their doctor or health care professional about their concerns. 

Resources for mental health concerns include:
  • Depression
  • Bipolar
  • Social anxiety
  • Panic
  • Self-esteem
  • Procrastination
  • Perfectionism
  • Eating disorders​

Mental Health Commission of Canada

The Mental Health Commission of Canada promotes meaningful change through initiatives that support people in their communities. They fund research and policy work to address gaps in Canada's mental health services in order to provide better outcomes for all. They can provide curated, evidence-based information that can be trusted.

Services include:
  • Access to quality mental health care
  • Caregiving resources
  • Services for children and youth
  • Focus on diversity and representation of under-representated groups
  • Mental health, substance use, and criminal justice
  • Research and strategy work
  • Stigma reduction
  • Suicide prevention
  • Workplace mental health​

Hearing Voices Network Study Club

This group meets on a monthly basis to discuss and watch videos plus read and discuss literature related to the International Hearing Voices Network.

When:  Monthly on various Friday evenings from 6:30 - 8pm
To be added to the E-list for this group:
​Tel:604-708-5276
Where: Meeting Room #2
​Creekside Community Recreation Centre
1 Athletes Way, Vancouver

All In The Mind Podcast

All in the Mind is a podcast that explores all things mental: the mind, brain, and behaviour. It covers everything from addiction and mental illness to artificial intelligence. The podcast frequently has special guests, including healthcare professionals, scientists, athletes, and members of the community.

Recent Episode Topics:
  • ADHD, Ticktock, and Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria ​
  • The Confusion Around Concussions
  • What Psychosis Feels Like
  • Introversion vs. Extroversion
  • And more

Details:
  • Airs live weekly on Sundays
  • Available to stream anytime online
  • Produced by ABC Radio International
  • Free to stream online or using the ABC Radio app