The Healing Collective: A Year of Growth, Change, and Community.

Last week marked the anniversary of The Healing Collective’s first year in business. We opened our doors in 2018, just as the leaves started to turn at East Lynn Park and our kids went back to school (or started school in my case). It was later than we’d initially expected; we’d set an unrealistic goal of July to open, but quickly had to tamper our expectations when our HVAC needs became apparent (and boy were we glad we waited this summer). Since we opened, we’ve added another HVAC system to our group room, and recently completed two new offices in the front of the space, which we took over completely in July of this year. Oh, and we finally got a sign and a fresh new front, thanks to the city’s facade improvement program!

I will remember this first year as a good one. Not an easy one, not a fun one (sometimes), but a good one. It was a year where we watched the seeds we’d planted in early 2018 sprout and grow those first little leaves that catch the sun and make real growth possible. In our first year, The Healing Collective was in Blog TO, and Style Democracy, and we even had a tarot card named in our honour! The biggest honour though, for me, was getting quiet messages from people who have found what they needed in our space, with our practitioners. In a world where mental health is constantly devalued, being able to be a part of normalizing conversations around therapy and mental health is one of the things I’m most proud of and excited to participate in every day.

The Healing Collective’s primary role is to support those who support others, through space, marketing, training, and by connecting them with a community who needs them. We believe that mental health in communities should be prioritized, and that the people who offer mental health care are deserving of support and community. We believe that people shouldn’t have to wait months to see someone once they’ve made the decision to seek help. We believe that there should be a balance between people who can afford to pay for therapy, and those who need a sliding scale, and that individual mental health professionals are the best people to make decisions about their rates, on a client by client basis. We believe that private practice is an important part of the health care system, and that choice around selecting a therapist, and compatibility is a key component to a successful therapist/client relationship. Our therapists come from incredibly varied backgrounds, just like the members of the community we serve. You can meet our practitioners here. 

This space grew alongside my son, Gus, who had been a silent, and is now a not so silent part of our team since its inception. If you’ve met with me through the day to tour our space and chat about your practice or a workshop, you’ve probaby met him. Like me, a lot of our practitioners see people at The Healing Collective between daycare and school pickups, and full-time day jobs, and a host of other obligations. Their practices and their clients are a meaningful part of their weeks, and we’re so honoured that they’ve chosen to spend their sliver of extra time in our space each week.

In 2019, we plan to refine and grow what we’ve started, and continue to meet the evolving needs of our community. We’d like to add to our non-traditional mental health offerings and more groups and workshops to our calendar, recognizing that growth looks different for everyone, and the best way to support is to give people a variety of options that work for them.

If you’re interested in starting a private practice or a group or a workshop in 2019 or 2020, please be in touch. We’ve got limited spaces available, but would love to find a way to support your vision and help you help others.

Follow along for more information on our anniversary community care day on October 19th! Hope to see you there!

Thanks for an amazing year!

Caroline (and Abby)

Thank You!

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