MTER is a trauma-informed, 4-session course on mindfulness skills for mental health that combines psychoeducation on emotional regulation and the neuroscience of mindfulness, and simple mindfulness practices that can be followed in daily life. MTER is intended to provide user-friendly mental health tools that can be used in a self-directed way or with the support of a mental health provider or guide. You will learn: Mindfulness and the Window of Tolerance, Mindfulness and the Brain, Mindfulness of Emotions, Setting an Action Plan for Self-Care/ Self Compassion.

Tuesdays 6:00 – 8:00pm (select one)
March 9 – 30 (4 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL
April 27 – May 18 (4 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL

Eligibility Criteria: Interested in establishing a daily mindfulness practice for mental health and working with the support of a group.

Limited to 10 participants per group

For more information and link to group materials go to www.newpathwaystherapy.com/mter
Contact to register: info@newpathwaystherapy.com

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Skills are life skills that can be applied to many life’s struggles, big or small. In this group, participants will learn skills to assist with labelling and managing emotions; tolerating distress and accepting reality; increasing awareness; and communicating needs to others. These skills are best suited for individuals that experience their emotions as intense/overwhelming; have difficulty regulating emotions; and have difficulty tolerating distress.

Thursdays 5:30 – 7:00pm
March 11 – May 6 (9 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL

Eligibility Criteria: The ability to be present for a 90-minute period without engaging in problematic coping behaviours (includes self-harm, substance use, or verbal outbursts). Must be comfortable keeping video on (with some exceptions). Must be able to participate in a manner that allows for confidentiality (e.g. is able to log on from a location that is out of earshot/view from others and/ or can use headphones).

Limited to 12 participants

Contact to register: hailey@hrgcounselling.org

This is a skills training group that consists of 4 modules: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. DBT has evolved into an effective treatment for mental health challenges that are rooted in emotion regulation difficulties (i.e. substance use, anxiety, depression, or suicidality). DBT is an evolution of traditional Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT); it includes skills found in CBT treatments with the addition of Mindfulness and Acceptance based skills.

Wednesdays 7:30 – 9:00pm
March 17 – April 7 (4 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL

Eligibility Criteria: The ability to be present for a 75-minute period without engaging in problematic coping behaviours (includes self-harm, substance use, or verbal outbursts).

Limited to 12 participants

Contact to register: Go to https://midtowndbt.com/contact and click on “Register Here” to sign up for the Spring Solace Group.

A skills-based group for parents and caregivers. This group will offer tips and tools to support you in working towards advanced caregiving skills. We offer constructive approaches to setting limits, managing challenging behaviour and understanding your child’s emotions. As well, we focus on improving communication and building stronger parent-child relationships. We value the caregiving skills and knowledge that you bring and endeavour to support you in feeling more confident and effective when dealing with difficult situations. This is a closed group (not drop-in). The content builds week to-week with opportunities to practice skills in session. You will also be provided tasks that will allow for practice in between sessions.

Sundays 10:30am – 12:30pm
March 21 – May 2 (6 weeks / no group April 4)

Eligibility Criteria: Families with children 4-18 years old. All family structures welcome. Not suitable for families in imminent crisis or managing unprocessed trauma; families at risk of family breakdown; families involved with high-conflict divorce/family court; families with children with ASD or MID.

Limited to 10 participants

Contact to register: larap.therapy@gmail.com

This 8-week trauma-informed yoga group is for womxn, non-binary, gender diverse, and Two-Spirited people who have experienced trauma. This group offers an opportunity to learn about how and why yoga is useful for trauma recovery, deepen connection with the body, practice gentle trauma-informed yoga, and connect with others with shared experiences. This group is suitable for both beginners and those who already have a yoga practice.

Tuesdays 6:00 – 8:00pm
March 23 – May 11 (8 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL

Eligibility Criteria: Womxn, non-binary, gender diverse, and Two-Spirited people who self-identify as having experienced trauma.

Limited to 12 participants

Contact to register: clarekarasikmsw@gmail.com

This group offers Muslim identifying folks an opportunity to experience groundedness, a sense of safety and presence through mindfulness-based therapeutic practices in the context of Islam. The group will introduce practices that help manage various types of stress (intergenerational, daily, systemic, and relational) through trauma informed yoga/mindful movement, psychoeducation about the nervous system and stress response, resilience and emotion regulation. Practices are grounded in Islamic principles of Presence and Compassion.

Sundays 1:00 – 2:30pm
March 28 – May 16 (8 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL

Eligibility Criteria: Open to Muslim identifying folks (spiritually/culturally).

Limited to 12 participants

Contact to register: groups@well-nest.ca

The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly challenging for many who are living with an eating disorder or disordered eating. This non-judgemental support space will provide participants an opportunity to make connections with others facing similar challenges, share strategies for coping, and to develop new insights and knowledge through group discussion. Discussions will be guided by themes that are important to the group, within a set of guidelines designed to support recovery/harm-reduction oriented discussion.

Tuesdays 4:30 – 6:00pm
April 6 – May 25 (8 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL

Eligibility Criteria: This group is designed for folks of all genders who self-identify as having lived experience of an eating disorder or disordered eating.

Limited to 12 participants

Contact to register: kelseyjohnston.rsw@gmail.com

An introduction to meditation for queer folks. This group will primarily focus on basic techniques surrounding the art of meditation as well as how meditation and mindfulness can be used as a tool for working through difficult emotions, challenging moods, mindstates, and fixed / painful narratives. There will also be a small component of the group involving sharing and connecting with others.

Tuesdays 4:00 – 5:00pm
April 6 – May 25 (8 weeks)

Eligibility Criteria: Open to queer and trans folks

Limited to 10 participants

Contact to register: andi.yumansky@gmail.com

How can we use our creativity to build resilience during COVID times? Can we connect with our bodies, our hearts and our imagination to uncover skills that can help us get us through a pandemic? This 8-week art therapy group will be facilitated by Art Therapist Rakshanda Khan, and supported by student art therapists Anand Jaggernauth and Onyee Ip from the Toronto Art Therapy Institute. Participants are invited to experience arts-based tools for self-compassion, healing and insight through weekly art-making, movement, mindfulness, and breathing exercises.

Wednesdays 6:00 – 7:30pm
April 7 – May 26 (8 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL

Eligibility Criteria: This group is designed for folks of all genders who would like to explore arts-based coping skills. No art-making experience required. All skill levels welcome. A list of basic art supplies will be provided, but please bring any art materials you would like to work with.

Limited to 12 participants

Contact to register: rakshanda@arttherapycomics.com

This is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy skills group geared to understanding and managing anxiety and worry. This 6-week group will focus on what anxiety is and understanding how it impacts you. Participants will learn about excessive worry and how to overcome it, as well as how to cope with uncertainty, and those “what-if” thoughts. There will also be a focus on coping and behavioural skills that will help you face your fears. Elements of mindfulness, and a focus on the pandemic, and post-pandemic anxiety will also be explored. This group is suited for those who find they are often feeling stressed and worried, and want to find ways to manage their anxiety.

Wednesdays 6:00 – 7:30pm
April 21 – May 19 (6 weeks) – GROUP IS FULL

Eligibility Criteria: Open to all folks who have noticed increased anxiety, worries and fear about uncertainty.

Limited to 12 participants

Contact to register: agnieszka.laszczuk@gmail.com

Ronna Bloom is the author of six books of poetry. Her most recent book, The More (Pedlar Press, 2017) was longlisted for the City of Toronto Book Award. Her poems have been recorded by the CNIB and translated into Spanish, Bangla, and Chinese. Ronna created the Poet in Residence programme at Sinai Health and is currently Poet in Community to the University of Toronto. She runs workshops on poetry, spontaneity, and awareness through writing. To learn more about Ronna and her work, please visit www.ronnabloom.com

1 / Be good to yourself, whoever you are
Often in work, and in life, energy moves towards projects and people but there’s little left for your own restoration. In this workshop, through the use of poems and prompts, you will be nudged into writing and reflecting on what sustains you, what you love and what you need. Take this time for yourself as a flicker of possibility of how you might take time for yourself in general.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 / 12:00 – 1:30PM – CLOSED

Limited to 50 participants

Eligibility Criteria: No experience necessary. Please have a pen and paper, a notebook or whatever you like to write with on hand.

Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/be-good-to-yourself-whoever-you-are-tickets-141851428441

2 / How to be a 3D person In a flat-screened world
This is a very unembodied time. We’re disconnected physically and plugged in overwhelmingly. We miss things. Distressed. People, places, rituals that comfort. This session will offer poems that have been circulating lately, a chance to reflect, a bit of engagement with the senses, with other people, and with creative writing.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 / 2:00 – 3:30PM

Limited to 50 participants

Eligibility Criteria: No experience necessary. Please have a pen and paper, a notebook or whatever you like to write with on hand.

Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/how-to-be-a-3d-person-in-a-flat-screened-world-tickets-141858720251