Community hub

Innovative program offers immediate, free counselling without need for referral

The WoodGreen Walk-In Counselling Service is an innovative mental health resource that provides immediate, free access to high-quality counselling.

Sharna Cohen and David Anderson, Walk in Counselling Clinic Staff

Each week, the Walk-In Counselling Service offers free, confidential counselling sessions with both WoodGreen staff and Community Volunteer Therapists.

People come to the clinic for a multitude of issues including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, work-related concerns, stress related to unemployment/inadequate housing, anger management, settlement issues, bereavement, substance use, trauma and more.

The WoodGreen Walk-In Counselling Service is used as an important resource by many community services and referrals come from hospital Emergency Departments, probation and parole officers, public health, family physicians, community centres, mental health helplines, and online databases.

Many clients have never sought help before, while others have already tried to access help elsewhere but were placed on long waiting lists.

of clients indicated that they felt welcomed and respected.
of clients indicated that the counsellor's approach was a good fit.
From its inception in November 2010 to the end of March 2015, in one evening of service (4 hours) per week:

The Walk-In clinic offers:

  • immediate, free access to high-quality counselling services, often in times of crisis and after-hours;
  • help for individuals, couples, youth and families who were dealing with serious emotional, behavioural, and social concerns to increase their coping abilities, reduce stress, improve resilience, enhance functioning, and increase knowledge of community resources if further assistance is required;
  • a positive, low-risk first point of access for those who would not normally use traditional mental health services or who are unaware of community resources; and;
  • increased capacity for community mental health professionals to respond efficiently to clients’ pressing concerns, through training in brief counselling in the Community Volunteer Therapist program.

The Walk-In Counselling Service serves a wide range of people including adults, couples, families and youth from all across Toronto.

Program evaluation is vital to measuring the effectiveness of the counselling offered and is integrated with weekly service delivery. The numbers of cases, sessions provided, and people served are recorded each evening.

Client Satisfaction Questionnaires are collected from every client at the end of each counselling session. In a representative sample of questionnaires, clients positively indicated overall satisfaction with the service they received.

The WoodGreen Walk-In Counselling Service is a cost-effective and responsive community-based mental health resource that has proved successful in meeting the urgent need of a vulnerable, diverse population for immediate, accessible, high-quality counselling. Clients consistently report that the WoodGreen Walk-In Counselling Service has been available at times of personal crisis when no other easily accessible options were.

I had an opportunity to be heard, and open up the discussion without judgement.

–Walk-In Counselling Clinic Client