Mindfulness: Find your grounding in everyday mindfulness. Mindfulness helps us bring awareness to our thoughts, feelings, and body sensations so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, we are better able to manage them. This group will include learning, practice, reflection, and discussion. Any level of experience is welcome!

Sleep Fitness: This 4-week group series will explore why we need sleep and how lifestyle habits can enhance it. Clients will be encouraged to track and share their sleep record weekly. Join us for 60 minutes of learning and strategizing how we can catch and keep those elusive extra zzz’s!

CBT for Depression: The Changeways Clinic Core Program is an evidence-based 8-week series to learn Cognitive Behavioural Therapy skills. The program provides illness education, thinking strategies, & lifestyle management skills for people who experience depression. Anxiety management skills will also be touched on. *There are specific entrance criteria for this group; please see recovery coach for details.

Yoga With Nyk: This community yoga class, taking place at Christ Church Cathedral (930 Burdett Ave.), will replicate a community experience with the support of Grow staff. Nyk Danu, Therapeutic Yoga teacher, will teach Yin yoga – a grounding & centering practice with basic movements to gently warm the body & increase circulation. All skill levels are welcome!

Pottery With Erin: Over 7 weeks, you will learn new skills, enjoy creating and socializing along with your peers, and gain confidence through the ceramic process. No prior experience is needed! Please reach out to your coach to register, as space is limited. *Clients who have not yet taken Pottery at Grow will have priority.

DBT Skills: Managing Big Emotions DBT Skills is a 12 week course which teaches people to accept their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and the techniques to change them. Not only are personal skills taught in DBT, but skills for interpersonal relationships are also emphasized. DBT is based on CBT, but it focuses more on the emotional & social aspects of living. *There are specific entrance criteria for this group; please see recovery coach for details

DBT Advanced: DBT Advanced is an 8-week alumni course for those who have completed the DBT Skills group. Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness skills taught in the DBT Skills group will be reviewed and expanded upon in greater detail through group discussion. Topics not previously explored, some at a more advanced level, shall also be introduced based on group interest and need.

Brain Workout: Do you like playing computer games? Do you sometimes have trouble remembering, organizing, or socializing? With a combination of computer games, role playing activities, & strategy discussions, we will target thinking skills in separate 4-week modules.

1. Speed & Attention

2. Memory

3. Organization & Planning

4. Social Cognition

Zoom Group: Build confidence & connections in this weekly morning meet-up group. We will share our thoughts on a different theme each week, & discuss our thoughts & feelings. This can be a good way to change up a morning at home and get more social. The 4-session blocks will be: 1. Music Appreciation/Share 2. Poetry Appreciation/Share 3. Art Appreciation/Share. Participants are welcome to join one or all of these modules.

Dance & Movement: A creative class designed to help individuals incorporate more movement into their day, express emotions, and foster social connections. No experience is required to participate, and all bodies are welcome. Exercises will be low impact and will range from free movement to choreographed steps. Fun and playful, as well as expressive and grounding. This group is located in the community at 137 Skinner St. (Bashirah Middle Eastern Dance Studio), which is next door to Grow.

Who is eligible for participating in Grow?

• Adults over 19 years of age who have a diagnosis of a mental illness
• Are actively supported by a primary care provider (G.P., physician or psychiatrist) for their mental health
• Symptoms of mental illness are a barrier to participating in the greater community
• Are willing to participate in groups and one-on-one goal-setting with a Recovery Coach
• Looking for short term support to promote successful engagement in the greater community.

Can I be referred by a walk-in clinic physician?

Maybe – if you are known to the physician and they are able and willing to offer on-going support and collaboration with Grow coaches it may be adequate to meet the eligibility requirement. We recommend clients that do not have a family physician develop a relationship with a walk-in clinic physician – see the same doctor (often by going the same day of the week) a number of times so they get to know you and your mental health needs.

How long can I participate in Grow?

Length of involvement in Grow will be determined based on the goals and needs of the client. The Recovery Coach and client will set Recovery Goals and the goals will be revisited and revised regularly to track progression. Typical involvement for client in Grow can be anywhere from a few months to up to 1 year.  

Is there a cost to participate in Grow programming?

Programming is free; however, if finances are the primary barrier to engagement in community programming, the Life Pass (Victoria), Life Pass (Saanich), the Downtown Community Centre or Connections Place may be more suitable options to pursue.

Does Grow provide counseling services?

No. We do not provide counseling. Participants of Grow work with “Recovery Coaches” to move toward individual goals. Our team does not include clinical counselors. If you are looking for reduced cost counseling options here are a few options: Citizens’ Counselling, Esquimalt Neighbourhood House and South Island Centre.

Does Grow have support groups?

No. ICMH does host support groups led by community agencies, including a Borderline Personality Support Group, Anxiety Management Support Group, and Mood Disorder Support Group. Please call reception at 250-389-1211 for contact information for these groups.

Clinician/Referrer Questions

My client is looking for more things to do in their day. Would they benefit from Grow?

Maybe – Grow is a transitional program, meaning we are not a resource to provide individuals with on-going structured activities. We offer a “stepping stone” toward existing activities and programs (ie. Connections Place, community Rec Centres) and short term support to pursue these activities and programs. If you feel some additional coaching and experiences in a supported mental health environment could promote success in the community and your client is willing, able and ready to engage in goal-setting, your client is likely a good fit.

My client is recently out of hospital. Are they eligible for participation in Grow?

Maybe. If the client has your on-going support for their mental health needs and their mental health is relatively stable, they could benefit from our programming. If your client is continuing to under-go medication adjustments and more “acute” mental health support, they may be better supported by Mental Wellness Day Program or may be more successful in starting Grow once they have established more stability in their mental health.

I’m ready to discharge my client. Can I refer to Grow for ongoing support?

Probably not. Grow is a collaborative, team approach – we aim to collaborate with a participant’s support system. We are not a primary mental health support. A client requires ongoing primary mental health support – this could include a family physician or walk in clinic that knows the client and supports their mental health related needs.

My client’s primary mental illness diagnosis is a Personality Disorder. Would they benefit from Grow programming?

They could – absolutely. Consideration of DBT, the BPD support group and other more specific resources for Personality Disorders should be considered; however, our Recovery Coaches and many of our workshops may meet the needs of individuals with Personality Disorder diagnoses.

My client is just looking for one-on-one support. Can they be a participant in Grow without doing any groups?

We see huge benefits of group settings to support mental health; however, individuals may not be in a place in their recovery to engage in groups. While it is ok if a participant does not wish to start in a group right away, an expectation of the Grow program is that they are working toward group participation in the future. Especially during COVID, there is flexibility around group participation. Goal-setting, Recovery Planning and other one-to-one work can support a client to overcome barriers to group participation.

My client is just looking for groups and does not see a need for one-on-one coaching. Can they participant in Grow without doing the Recovery Planning with a coach?

No. We aim to tailor our supports to an individual’s needs; however, if a client is looking for group involvement in a setting with others with mental illnesses without the one-on-one coaching, they may be better suited to Connections Place or Support groups in the community, including these hosted at 125 Skinner St (BPD Support, Mood Disorder Support, Anxiety Management Support, email kbagshawcounselling@gmail.com).

Is Grow a clinical environment?

We see ourselves as somewhere in between clinical and community environments.

On the clinical side, it is important to us to maintain a collaborative approach with primary mental health supports. We will ask questions about a person’s experience with mental illness with the aim of provided client-centred care.

On the community side, we do not document Grow involvement in Island Health records and we do not have access to Island Health records; however, we do document a client’s progress and engagement within ICMH.

We are a piece of the mental health journey – we can offer some additional mental health support to facilitate success in the “greater community” with less reliance on formal mental health supports.

Still have questions? Still unsure if this program is right for you or your client?

Please feel free to contact reception for any questions you may have at: 250-389-1211

Welcome to the Grow Program! As a participant, we hope that you will find benefit in attending our workshops, working with your recovery coach, and discovering your own sense of community within and beyond Grow.

Below, you will find information on what you can expect from the program. We have also listed what is expected of you as a participant in the Grow Program.

Attending Groups:

The Grow Program is a workshop-based program, and attending workshops will be central to how we can help you progress in your mental health recovery. You will be expected to:

• Respect other participants, staff, community members, and the environment (for example, room, furniture, supplies, and natural surroundings).
• Engage regularly in groups. After an absence of 1 month or longer, participants’ files may be closed (no longer registered with the Grow program).
• Attend at least one group per week.
• Arrive on time for group, doors will be open 5mins prior to the start of each group.
• Follow all applicable Co-vid Screening and procedures. 

Working with your Recovery Coach:

As a participant, you will also work one-on-one with your Recovery Coach. The purpose of having an individualized Recovery Coach is to support you around successes/challenges while participating in Grow groups, to create a Recovery Plan and over time help you find ways to apply newly acquired skills and interests in the community. 

Recovery Plan Meetings will typically occur once every 1-3 months and are usually 1 hour in duration. A Recovery Plan is a participant lead collaboration with your Recovery Coach identifying goals you aspire to achieve in your time with GROW. On-going Recovery Plan meetings are a chance to check-in on successes & barriers around self-identified goals.

In working with a Recovery Coach, we ask that you:

• Attend all scheduled meetings with your Recovery Coach. Call in advance if you will be late or unable to attend.
• Participate as actively as you can and make an effort to collaborate with your Coach.
• Identify meaningful and realistic goals that will help you progress through your mental health recovery.
• Challenge yourself! Do things that will help you Grow. This could mean trying a new activity or taking steps toward a goal you have set for yourself.

Transition to Community:

The purpose of the Grow program is to help you eventually develop your own sense of community, whether that be through employment, volunteer work, education, recreation, and/or social groups. In order to help you work towards this sense of community, we expect that you:

• Understand that Grow is a transitional (short-term) program, and are willing to collaborate with your Recovery Coach on a timeline for program involvement.

Have a willingness to work towards attending at least 1 group program in the community (in other words, a program that is run at another location and may involve people who are not Grow program participants).

PARTICIPANT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Each participant has the right to:

• A safe and secure environment.
• Be treated with dignity, consideration, and respect at all times. This right applies also to family members, significant others, and friends.
• An appropriately prompt, reasonable, and courteous response to requests for services or information.
• Privacy and confidentiality.
• Recognition as an individual.
• Access services.
• Freedom of social interaction.
• Appeal a decision.
• Express complaints and grievances.
• Receive complete information concerning ICMH services and programs in a manner they understand.
• Access to advocates if requested.
• Provide opinions and input concerning the needs of clients and services offered.
• Be free from abuse, harassment, or neglect from clients, personnel, or volunteers.
• Be free from retaliation if raising an issue, concern, or complaint.
• See any personal records regarding themselves and to attach a statement of corrections, if needed, unless harmful to third parties or self.
• Give or withhold informed consent to services, to release information, or to express choice regarding services or personnel with whom they work.
• Be involved in establishing their goals and defining the services they will receive.

Each participant has a responsibility to:

• Treat all others with dignity and respect.
• Respect the privacy and confidentiality of others.
• Refrain from violence, intimidation, or bullying.
• Pay any fees agreed to in a timely manner.
• Promptly inform personnel of any situation that threatens the safety and well-being of any ICMH personnel or person receiving services.
• Attend workshops they have registered for.
• Inform ICMH personnel when they will miss an appointment or group they had agreed to attend at least 24 hours prior to.
• Engage in Recovery Planning with Recovery Coach and follow through with agreed upon plan.
• Inform ICMH personnel when they wish to change or end the services they are receiving. 

In a situation where a participant does not carry out their responsibilities, personnel will:

• Communicate participant responsibilities to other participants and personnel
• Eliminate or minimize factors that contribute to disruptive behavior
• Teach positive or desirable behavior
• Integrate these actions into a recovery plan as necessary
• Document the situation and actions taken
• Breaches of responsibilities, or evidence of unchanged negative behavior, could result in discharge from the program or workshop(s).