WELCOME TO WESTWIND’S IN-PERSON COUNSELLING SERVICES

We can have up to six clients in programming and each client has their own private bedroom. Each bedroom is equipped with bedding, towels, desk, and dresser and you are welcome to bring any comfort items from home.

In your initial nutrition session, you will establish an individualized meal plan collaboratively with the dietitian. Each session will allow you opportunity to review the meal plan and set new goals. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are prepared independently by each client. Supper times include a shared meal, which you will have the opportunity to help prepare, with the support of staff. Groceries are purchased twice each week, and you will be able to request foods you need for your meal plan. A staff is present at each meal time for support.

Yes, Westwind accepts clients who are vegetarian and vegan. It will be important during treatment to assess these choices and help you identify your own values apart from the eating disorders values in regards to all food choices, including the choice to practice vegetarianism and veganism.

Everyone has a natural set point weight range that their body desires to be. Healthy bodies come in a variety of shapes and sizes. When you begin recovery, your body may be above, below or within your natural set point weight range. Westwind encourages clients to use the scale every 1-2 weeks during the recovery process. Westwind does not set weight goals for clients. Most people in recovery have fears about how improved eating and progress in treatment will affect their weight. Utilizing the scale can help you to de-power the number and develop trust in your body.

In between sessions and on the weekend you are free to spend your time how you would like. If free time is difficult for you, we will help you action plan for this time.

The duration of the program is flexible based on each clients goals and needs. The average length of stay tends to be around 12 weeks, and is determined by the client during their stay. Some people also come with a set length of stay in mind due to finances or other life obligations. We require each client to give us a minimum 2 weeks notice of departure.

An important part of the program is providing a setting where people’s eating disorder behaviors are interrupted. And also help each client address the psychological factors that are maintaining the eating disorder in their life, through our groups and one-on-one sessions. A typical program day includes: 9am group, 11am group, 3pm group, an individual one-on-one session with a counsellor or dietitian, and staff supported group meals at breakfast, 12pm lunch and 6pm dinner. The groups include a focus on recovery accomplishments, goal setting, gratitude and self compassion practices, meditation, meal planning, nutrition education, yoga, body image, and skills based learning and discussion on topics related to eating disorder recovery. Support staff are present through the evenings and weekends and available for support as needed.

Our specialized and experienced care team integrates best practice guidelines, evidence-based treatments, and promising innovative approaches to provide our clients with hope for a full, lasting recovery. We approach treatment from a holistic lens including physical, psychological, emotional, relational, and spiritual healing. Treatment addresses co-occurring struggles such as anxiety, depression, OCD and trauma.

Spaces in the program are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. When someone chooses to put their name on our wait list, they’ll be contacted when a spot becomes available. If they chose to decline the spot, their name will stay at the top of the wait list and we would let them know again when the next space was coming available. We can usually give a fairly accurate guestimate of when spaces will be available in the program, and officially confirm arrival dates with people on the wait list two weeks prior to their arrival. Westwind’s R.I.S.E.online programs are available to support our clients who are waiting to attend the residential program. Program options are flexible and can include individual counselling sessions, individual sessions with a dietitian, meal support support sessions, and access to email support. Please let me know if you’d like more information about the R.I.S.E.online program options while you wait to enter the residential program.

We have two main criteria for new clients coming to the program. The first is that they're wanting to come and feel ready and willing to work on change. We understand that change can be scary and it's completely understandable to feel some anxiety coming to treatment, and want our clients to feel ready to work with our individualized and collaborative approach. We also have a medical policy that requests some information including recent blood work and BMI. We understand that BMI alone doesn't define someone’s medical stability, and together with the blood work this gives us a "snap shot" of where someone is at medically. As we're a counselling centre and not a medical facility, we want to make sure our clients are medically safe and able to participate and benefit from the program. Part of the intake paperwork includes a medical form that a doctor would complete to confirm medical stability to attend the program.

The process for admission includes completing three steps. Complete an online intake with one of our staff, where we ask for a little information about where things are at currently. We can also use this time to answer any questions you might have about the program. We’ll then email some paperwork to be completed and returned to us. Part of the paperwork includes a non-refundable admission fee of $500 CAD to confirm the spot in the program. Once the intake is completed, the admission fee can be paid as soon as desired, to confirm the spot on the wait list. The remaining paperwork can then be completed and returned to us. We require that clients are medically stable to participate in our program, and part of the admission paperwork includes completing lab work and having our medical form completed by a doctor.

We help our clients achieve and maintain recovery as they transition back home by offering optional online aftercare support. This allows our clients to have support through online sessions with our counsellors and dietitians, as well as email support. We know recovery does not end when someone leaves Westwind and having the option of continued care allows us to remain a support to our clients on their journey to full recovery.

Westwind is a private counselling centre. We’ve had some Canadian provinces fund treatment for people to attend the Westwind program, on a case by case basis. We’ve also had some of our previous clients seek coverage or partial coverage from their private insurance companies. You’re welcome to explore these options to see what coverage / funding they'd offer you. We’re happy to accept whatever coverage you’re able to obtain, from your province or from private insurance.

Westwind is proud to partner with Medicare for your treatment financing needs.