Searching for Counselling For Abused People

Coordinates a group intervention program for men who have abused, neglected, or exposed their children to domestic violence

• Offers an out-patient mental health program with a multidisciplinary approach to treating a variety of mental health issues
• Provides individual counselling
• Emphasizes skill based training and other integrative educational strategies to help clients achieve their goals

Offers groups including:

• Anger Management Group
• Anxiety (Understanding Anxiety)
• Assertion Group
• Communication Group
• Depression (Understanding Depression)
• Family Issues Group
• Feeling Good Group
• Life
• Living with a Loss Group
• Men's Group
• Relationships Group
• Self-Esteem
• Soul (Returning to Soul)
• Spirituality Group
• Stress Management
• This Is Your Life - A Peer Support Group
• Wellness Group

Provides legal assistance for low-income people

Services include:

• Legal representation for eligible clients who appear in court without a lawyer
• Legal aid applications and information over the phone
• Legal resources and referrals to other social assistance agencies
• A certificate program for complex and serious cases

Areas of law served include:

• Criminal
• Domestic violence
• Family

Does NOT cover applications for:

• Wrongful dismissal
• Change of name
• Personal bankruptcy
• Power of attorney
• Money lent to others or money owed to others
• Sponsorship of relatives
• Commercial litigation
• Real estate matters and libel
• Defamation and slander

Assists individuals with family law issues who are being assisted by Legal Aid Ontario

• Provides professional counselling services
• Offers faith-based counselling if requested
• Offers the Family Strengthening program

Counselling service include help with:

• Abuse and neglect
• Addictions
• Depression and anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Grief
• Residential school experiences
• Self-esteem and identity
• Trauma

Note: This agency is part of a larger faith-based registered charity but individuals do not have to conform to a specific belief system in order to participate in counselling

• Assists abused women in making the transition to an abuse-free life
• Helps women secure and maintain housing
• Helps with safety planning and developing short and long-term goals
• Provides transportation assistance

Connects women with necessary community support, including:

• Counselling
• Education upgrading
• Health and wellness services
• Housing
• Income support
• Job training
• Legal aid
• Parenting support

• Provides holistic healing services
• Offers individual and group counselling

Programs include:

• Anger Management for Women (court approved)
• Child Witness
• Drumming Group
• Grief Counselling​
• Sacred Circle
• Sexual Abuse/Sexual Assault healing
• Support for Indigenous Trafficking Survivors
• Women Living Free From Violence Group
• Women's Addiction Program
• Walk-in Counselling

Offers weekly walk-in counselling on a first-come, first-served basis

Types of counselling include:

• Abuse/Sexual Abuse Trauma
• Addictions
• Anger management
• Depression and anxiety
• Grief
• Residential School trauma
• Provides seminars on health issues such as depression, diabetes and parenting teens

Telephone crisis support continues to operate 24/7.  In Thunder Bay, call 807-346-8282, or in the district, call toll-free at 1-888-269-3100.  Mobile Unit and Crisis Support Residence currently suspended due to covid-19.

• Provides 24/7 telephone support
• Offers an 8 hour mobile unit to provide in-person crisis assessment
• Operates a short-term Crisis Support Residence

Telephone support provides the following:

• Crisis assessment and intervention
• Follow-up
• Referrals to other community services
• Support to family and friends
• Wellness Planning

LOCAL CMHA BRANCH SERVICES DURING COVID-19

CMHA branches are open but many are offering alternative service delivery at this time
Service delivery may be provided:

• in person
• by phone 

or in the following virtual ways:

• PCVC - Personal computer video conferencing
• OTN - Ontario Telemedicine Network
• ZOOM -  Video/web conferencing platform

Please note: CMHA branch offerings are subject to change in response to the ongoing developments of COVID-19. The website below will reflect the most accurate and current information.

Follow this link to determine how service delivery is being provided by choosing the appropriate CMHA location from the website's drop down list.

Works in partnership with First Nation communities to assist youth in conflict with the law and their families

• Involves youth in appropriate community activities and encourages more traditional healthy lifestyle choices
• Refers youth to appropriate agencies, community supports and/or treatment
• Provides clinical counselling
• Educates youth about the criminal justice system
• Coordinates appropriate workshops

Workshops address various topics such as:

• Addictions and substance abuse
• Anger Management
• Bullying
• Creative Life Skills
• Family Violence
• Life skills
• Self-esteem

• Provides emergency shelter for women and children who require safe accommodations and are seeking refuge from abuse
• Allows women and children to stay up to 6 weeks

Offers the following services to residents of the shelter:

• Crisis and supportive counselling
• Safety planning

Operates as a program under the Healing and Wellness Branch

• Developed as a new program aimed at supporting healthy and whole Métis families
• Works to reduce family violence, the number of youth involved in the justice system and the number of children in care
• Focus is on providing direct one-on-one client services and educational resources and family wellness planning

Services provided can include but are not limited to the following:

• After school safe places and homework clubs
• Assistance in navigating the community support system
• Assisting children and youth to foster self-identity and to develop life skills
• Court-related supports
• Empowering parents to be their children's best advocates
• Ensuring families have their basic needs met
• Guidance for building healthy relationships and raising awareness of personal safety issues
• Peer support for youth involved in justice and correction issues
• Referrals for employment and training programs
• Supports for children and youth who have experienced or witnessed violence
• Supports for Métis youth to stay in school
• Support in case meetings and conferencing

Supports individuals who were sexually abused by convicted pedophile Ralph Rowe

Open during the pandemic.  Call the 24-hour crisis line at 807-345-0450, text 807-700-5011, or use the 24-hour chat line at https://fayepeterson.org/ to access services.

Provides the following support services to women 55 and older:

• Advocacy
• Assistance with housing applications
• Individual and group counselling
• Legal aid and court appointments
• Safety planning

Open during the pandemic.  Call the 24-hour crisis line at 807-345-0450, text 807-700-5011, or use the 24-hour chat line at https://fayepeterson.org/ to access services.

Provides the following services:

• Assistance in accessing employment and education
• Crisis intervention and referral services
• Individual counselling
• Support and advocacy for medical, legal and court appointments
• Support groups

Open during the pandemic.  Call the 24-hour crisis line at 807-345-0450, text 807-700-5011, or use the 24-hour chat line at https://fayepeterson.org/ to access services.

• Assists abused women and their children in making the transition to an abuse-free life
• Helps secure and maintain housing and develop an individual safety and transitional plan
• Assists women in identifying the choices and resources available for them and their children

Supports women through a variety of programs, including:

• Advocacy
• Confidential counselling
• Crisis intervention
• Custody support
• Education upgrading
• Health and wellness support
• Housing applications and access to priority housing
• Income support and budgeting
• Legal information and support
• Parental support

• Gives immediate legal assistance on family law issues to individuals who appear in court without a lawyer
• Provides information about legal rights, obligations and basic court procedure
• Helps negotiate or settle issues
• Reviews or prepares court documents to be filed
• Helps determines if further duty counsel services are required or if the matter requires Legal Aid Ontario's assistance in retaining a lawyer

Provides assistance in:

• the courtroom for child protection hearings
• garnishment and support hearings
• requesting adjournments
• arguing motions
• hearings for issues such as custody, access, or support where the issues are not complicated