Our Approach
Our approach consists of interventions for the prevention and management of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use. We collaborate with schools to train teachers in evidence-based mental and behavioral health interventions and integrate mental health literacy into their curricula. And, we partner with the public sector and diverse peer-led grassroots organizations to design, develop, and integrate equitable mental health care into their services.
Psychosocial Support Services
Interpersonal Counselling (IPC)
Adapted from Interpersonal Psychotherapy, IPC is used to manage manifestations of distress due to common mental health disorders (such as depression, anxiety, somatization, etc.), physical illness (communicable & noncommunicable), chronic pain, or from exposure to adverse events.
Group Talk Therapy
aka Wisdom&Wellness® Circles
Safe-spaces facilitated by elderly women where members of a community connect, share wisdom and experiences, and strengthen social support systems. This form of psychotherapy aims to help people manage mental health conditions or cope with negative experiences and behaviors.
Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation includes:
* information given verbally in a counseling session;
* written material in the form of psychology tools—information handouts, guides, and booklets;
* exercises or homework tasks where individuals are empowered through self-awareness.
Life Skills Building
Teaching positive and adaptive behaviors that empower people to be able to deal with the many challenges of life. Having good life skills promotes mental health and can also help to prevent mental health conditions by reducing a person’s stress in response to these challenges.
Vocational Skills Training
Embed skills transfer in the community by providing instructional programs that focus on skills required for a particular job function or trade, disregarding traditional, unrelated academic subjects.
Business Coaching & Mentorship
Build entrepreneurial skills and help reach their goals and sharing knowledge and experience. Provide training and development opportunities for interns by helping them adjust to the workplace culture and providing exposure to different aspects of the organization.
Referrals
Specialists, Community & Social Services
Strengthen community linkages to public health care pathways and social services. Assist in obtaining community resources, including health care, mental health care, employability development and job training, and other social services.
Advocacy & Awareness Raising
Reduce stigma and discrimination by promoting community engagement to enhance social change. Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
Survey Research
Participatory Action Research
The research is conducted using clinically-validated assessments—Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and AUDIT-C—for depression, anxiety and alcohol use; with additional multiple-choice and open-ended questions regarding stressors and coping mechanisms.