Women’s College Hospital General Psychiatry Program does not provide crisis services. If you are feeling unsafe or that your situation is an emergency, visit your local Emergency Department or call 911. Additional crisis and emergency resources can be found here.
The General Psychiatry Program is committed to providing comprehensive individualized care for persons ages 18+ experiencing mental health challenges. We provide services to patients of Women’s College Hospital and only the Day Treatment Program is open to external referrals. Our interdisciplinary team strives to empower individuals to effectively manage their mental health symptoms, through the use of evidence based therapeutic modalities.
Our team consists of psychiatrists, mental health therapists, and a social worker who offers case management, as well as students in these fields. We strive to employ a trauma-informed lens to all our services, and to provide an inclusive environment and equitable services to people in all their diversity.
*Patients with Eating Disorders or Primary Psychotic Disorders should be referred to more specialized programs outside of WCH:
- UHN Eating Disorder Clinic
- CAMH Early Psychosis in patient Unit
- CAMH Psychosis Coordinated Care Services
How the psychiatric consult process works
When your referral is received, it will be determined if one of our programs will best fit your needs. In some cases, you may receive a phone call from a clinician to help gather additional information before your first appointment.
You will then be contacted by our administrative staff to schedule an appointment with one of our psychiatrists. Wait times for initial consultation vary. However, expected wait time is 1-2 months.
Once you have received your appointment, you will be asked to set up your MyHealthRecord portal. You will receive an email from our administrative staff with instructions to complete this setup. Please refer to this link for more information on setting up your MyHealthRecord portal.
Information obtained in the consultation is used to provide a psychiatric diagnosis and recommendations for treatment. A letter will be sent to your referring doctor (and your family doctor if the referring physician is another healthcare provider). 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.
Our program offers both in person and virtual appointments
In person appointments
The Mental Health Clinic is on the 7th floor. Please check in with our administrative team at the front desk or within the clinic area’s Self-Check-In Kiosks. Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment and ensure that you have your Health Card with you upon check in. The administrative staff and/or Kiosk system will confirm information about your family physician and current medications.
Virtual appointments
Please log into your MyHealthRecord portal 20 minutes prior to your appointment time, in order to complete the e-check in process. Once the check in complete, Zoom will automatically launch, and you will be able to connect with your health care provider.
NOTE: The General Psychiatry Programs accepts internal referrals from WCH programs only (with the exception of the Day Treatment Program, where external referrals are accepted).
Services
Duration: 9 weeks, 10 sessions
Frequency: 2 – 3 times per year
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
Note: This group is only open to patients of the Mental Health Program at WCH. Referrals can be made through Epic.
Duration: 4 weeks, 1 session per week
Frequency: 2 times per year
MTER is a trauma-informed mindfulness-based group emphasizing psychoeducation and skills-based interventions. This program is an alternative to a longer, more intense program like Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). It provides accessible and brief mindfulness practices. A significant focus is on psychoeducation of safety and affect regulation strategies that are an essential prerequisite for potential future intensive mindfulness training.
A referral from a physician or nurse practitioner is required.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Psychosis
- Untreated or unstable bipolar disorder
- Active suicidal ideation
- Acute crisis requiring supportive measures
- Personality disorders that may interfere with the group dynamics
Note: This group is open to patients of the Mental Health Program and across WCH. Referrals can be made through Epic.
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 Mental Health Program at WCH and is currently offered in a virtual format only. Referrals can be made through Epic.
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. Internal referrals can be made through Epic.
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 an intake assessment.
Note: This group is open to patients of Women’s College Hospital with priority given to patients of the Mental Health Program. The group 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 (10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.)
- Rolling Admission Program (in-person): Twice a week for 8 weeks (Mondays 9:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. and Wednesdays 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
- Follow up component (TBD): monthly for 3 months
This program runs year-round, and is open to both internal and external referrals.
Groups
* Physician Referral Required
Duration: 9 weeks, 10 sessions
Frequency: 2 – 3 times per year
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
Note: This group is only open to patients of the Mental Health Program at WCH. Referrals can be made through Epic.
Duration: 4 weeks, 1 session per week
Frequency: 2 times per year
MTER is a trauma-informed mindfulness-based group emphasizing psychoeducation and skills-based interventions. This program is an alternative to a longer, more intense program like Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). It provides accessible and brief mindfulness practices. A significant focus is on psychoeducation of safety and affect regulation strategies that are an essential prerequisite for potential future intensive mindfulness training.
A referral from a physician or nurse practitioner is required.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Psychosis
- Untreated or unstable bipolar disorder
- Active suicidal ideation
- Acute crisis requiring supportive measures
- Personality disorders that may interfere with the group dynamics
Note: This group is open to patients of the Mental Health Program and across WCH. Referrals can be made through Epic.
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 Mental Health Program at WCH and is currently offered in a virtual format only. Referrals can be made through Epic.
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. Internal referrals can be made through Epic.
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 an intake assessment.
Note: This group is open to patients of Women’s College Hospital with priority given to patients of the Mental Health Program. The group 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 (10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.)
- Rolling Admission Program (in-person): Twice a week for 8 weeks (Mondays 9:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. and Wednesdays 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
- Follow up component (TBD): monthly for 3 months
This program runs year-round, and is open to both internal and external referrals.
Psychotherapy and Case Management
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: In person and virtual appointments are available.
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 offered in person or virtual.
Referral Forms
NOTE:
The General Psychiatry Program accepts internal referrals from WCH programs only, with the exception of the Day Treatment Program.
Due to high volumes, Addiction Psychiatry is currently only accepting referrals from the Mental Health Program at Women’s College Hospital. Please check back on the website for ongoing updates as we will soon be opening back up to internal and external referrals.
*Patients with Eating Disorders or Primary Psychotic Disorders should be referred to more specialized programs outside of WCH:
- UHN Eating Disorder Clinic
- CAMH Early Psychosis in patient Unit
- CAMH Psychosis Coordinated Care Services
Group Specific Forms
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR)
Note: This group is only open to patients of WCH. Priority access is given to patients of the General Psychiatry Program and if space is available, other WCH mental health patients may be referred. This group is currently offered in a virtual format only.
Mindfulness Training for Emotional Resilience
This group is open to patients of the Mental Health Program and across WCH. Referrals can be made through Epic.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
A CBT referral form must be completed by a physician.
Seeking Safety Treatment Group (SS)
The Seeking Safety Treatment Referral Form (.doc) must be completed by a physician who can follow the participant while they are in the group.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills Group (DBT)
Day Treatment Program (DTP)