General Psychiatry Program

The General Psychiatry Program serves patients of Women’s College Hospital, using a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive lens. We have a specific focus on mood and anxiety disorders. ​

Those referred for care will be offered a full psychiatric assessment and may receive time-limited treatment within the program. Treatment recommendations may include referrals to brief psychotherapy in our program, recommendations for medications or other biological treatments, case management, and referrals to other programs in our department or in the community.

Recommendations for treatments will be sent to the patient’s family doctor to support ongoing care.​

*Patients with eating disorders or primary psychotic disorders should be referred to more specialized programs outside of WCH:​

• UHN – Eating Disorder Program
• CAMH – Early Psychosis Unit
• CAMH – Slaight Centre Early Intervention Service (SCEIS)
• CAMH – Psychosis Coordinated Care Service

The Mental Health in Medicine Program is a specialized mental health service that addresses mental health concerns that are secondary to or complicated by a concurrent medical illness.

Those referred for care will be offered a full psychiatric assessment and may receive time-limited treatment within the program. Treatment recommendations may include referrals to brief psychotherapy in our program, recommendations for medications or other biological treatments, case management, and referrals to other programs in our department or in the community.

Recommendations for treatments will be sent to the patient’s family doctor to support ongoing care.

Our Addiction Psychiatry service provides an integrated biopsychosocial approach to the treatment of substance use disorders (with the exception of opioid use disorders*).

This clinic supports people who are seeking help for their substance use and are considering making a change.  Patients will be seen for a comprehensive assessment and when appropriate will be offered medications and/or time-limited psychotherapy for their substance use disorder(s).

*Note: Individuals who have an opioid use disorder may be directed to the RAAM (Rapid Access Addiction Medicine) clinic at WCH.

Concurrent Disorders Consultation Service provides assessments of concurrent substance use and mental health disorders.

Through consultation, the relationship between the substance use and mental health disorder(s) is assessed. The substance use may be a cause or contributing factor to the mental health disorder and vice versa, and this is examined in the assessment.

Depending on individual needs, the following may be offered:

• Short term psychiatric care (with medication management)
• Motivational interviewing
• Referral to other services

Note: This program does not provide opioid maintenance treatment with methadone or suboxone. This can be accessed in the Substance Use Service and RAAM (Rapid Access Addiction Medicine) clinic at WCH.

The General Psychiatry Program at WCH is embedded in multiple departments and programs affiliated with the hospital:

• Centre for Headache
• Wellness for Independent Seniors  (WISE)
• TIIP (.pdf)
• YWCA
• Crossroads Clinic
• Scope – Mental Health
• Substance Use Service
• Family Practice Health Centre

Your doctor or other healthcare provider, within any one of these departments/programs, may consult the team psychiatrist at some point during your care for inter-professional communication and collaboration or it may be recommended that you meet directly with the psychiatrist for further assessment and/or you may be referred to a mental health group.

Duration: 9 weeks, 10 sessions
Frequency: 3 times a year, Winter, Spring & Fall

MBSR is a patient-centred psycho-educational group which has over 40 years of research that consistently demonstrates statistically significant reductions in symptoms for various physical and behavioral health conditions including anxiety, depression and chronic pain, along with positive changes in risk factors that may lead to more serious chronic ailments.

Those suitable for MBSR: Patients with a history of low mood or anxiety, +/- other existing medical health concerns.

This group is designed to provide participants with intensive and systematic training in mindfulness meditation and movement practices and integrating into one’s daily life. A referral from a physician is required.

Exclusion Criteria:

• No current history of active use of substances
• No history of psychosis
• No current active suicidal ideation
• No active history of trauma
• No history of personality disorders

Duration: 8 weekly sessions
Frequency: Offered 3 to 4 times per year

Based on the work of Aaron Beck, this evidence-based treatment emphasizes the relationship between our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. The CBT group helps individuals increase their skill and self-awareness regarding thoughts and behaviors and provides opportunities to practice the tools of CBT in a supportive group setting.

If there is a trauma history or alcohol/drug dependence/abuse history it is important that the patient has a solid support foundation and care/relapse prevention strategy in place​.

Patient must have a regular treating physician to follow them while they are in the group.​

Note: This group is only open to patients of the Women’s Mental Health Program at WCH and is currently offered in a virtual format only.

Duration: 13 weekly sessions
Frequency: Offered 2 to 3 times per year. No waitlist is held for this group.​

Based on the work of Dr. Lisa Najavits, PhD, this treatment is designed for people with substance abuse and trauma experience and emphasizes the relationship between the two. ​

This group will assist individuals to develop strategies to manage previously overwhelming situations thereby increasing their self-awareness and reducing their symptoms. ​

Participants will be encouraged and provided with opportunities to develop a practice of using safe coping strategies and tools in a supportive virtual group setting. ​

Patients must have a history of relational trauma and symptoms of PTSD and be deemed appropriate for the group milieu. ​

Note: This group is open to internal and external referrals​ and is currently offered in a virtual format only.

Duration: 12 weekly sessions
Frequency: Offered 2 – 3 times per year

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) was developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan and consists of 4 components; emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and mindfulness. It is an effective treatment for people who struggle with intense emotions. ​

Participants learn skills that will assist in understanding and reducing problematic behaviors (i.e. self-harm, substance use, impulsive behavior), enhance emotion regulation and build coping skills. ​

For eligibility, we require that participants are not in a mental health crisis and have additional formal or informal supports that can be accessed during the program.​ The facilitators will not be available to support patients outside of the group​.

Referrals must be completed by a physician to register for this program.​

Note: This group is only open to patients of the Women’s Mental Health Program at WCH and is currently offered in a virtual format only.

Day Treatment Program (DTP) is an in person and virtual program aimed at helping individuals suffering with mood and anxiety disorders to move forward towards more valued living.

Using the Acceptance Commitment Therapy framework, psychoeducational groups, movement and breathwork, our objective is to support clients in lowering symptoms, increasing self-awareness and commitment to act towards their defined life values with more ease.

Day Treatment Program follows this format:

• Orientation Group (virtual): The 3rd Tuesday of the month prior to your start date (10am-1115am)
• Rolling admission Program: (In person) Twice a week for 8: weeks (Mondays 930am-12:15pm and Wednesdays 1pm-3pm)
• Follow up component (TBD): monthly for 3 months

This program runs year-round and clients are admitted on a first come first served basis.

Individual time-limited psychotherapy services may be offered to patients as part of their treatment plan. This will be determined collaboratively between the patient and psychiatrist.

Mental health therapists assess and determine the most effective intervention to assist each patient one-on-one. Treatment may consist of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) as well as supportive and integrative therapies.

Length of treatment varies depending on the intervention used.

Note: All individual therapy is currently offered in a virtual format only.

The overall goal for Case Management services is to link patients to supports and services, which will aid in the wellness and recovery of patients in the General Psychiatry program. The case manager and patient will collectively set goals and develop a plan that uses inherent strengths of client to link patient to supports which will reduce social isolation and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Case Management supports are short term, goal-oriented services with a maximum of 6-8 sessions.

Referrals for Case Management Services are completed by psychiatrists within the General Psychiatry Program.

Note: Case Management services are currently offered in a virtual format only.