Thorncliffe Park Youth Wellness Hub: FAQs for Youth

The following FAQs are for youth and young adults interested in accessing services at the Thorncliffe Park Youth Wellness Hub.

Are you a provider looking to refer a client or patient to the hub? Please refer to our FAQs for providers.

General FAQs

Who runs the Thorncliffe Park Youth Wellness Hub?
Our hub is a collaboration between Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario and several organizations from East Toronto Health Partners:

• TNO – The Neighbourhood Organization
• Michael Garron Hospital
• Flemingdon Health Centre
• Health Access Thorncliffe Park
• LOFT Community Services
• The Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids
• Strides Toronto

What services can I receive at the hub?
We offer the following services: wellness counselling, peer support (individual and group), care navigation, primary care and sexual health services, psychiatry, employment support, housing and settlement services, and drop-in social/recreational programs. Learn more about our programs here. We are also home to TNO Trades Connect (a trades training program), and the TNO Food Collaborative (a food bank).

What else is available at the hub?
In addition to our core services, we offer one-time activities like movie nights, game tournaments, tutoring, leadership development and volunteer opportunities. You are also free to drop by during our drop-in hours to hang out with your friends or do homework. Our games room is open 3-6 p.m. Monday to Thursday.

How do I access these services?
Feel free to drop in anytime during our opening hours! For some of our services (including counselling, peer support, psychiatry, care navigation, employment, housing and settlement), you will meet with an intake worker during your first visit, and they will match you to the service you are seeking. The rest of our services (drop-in activities, tutoring, games room) are offered on a drop-in basis and don’t require a meeting with the intake worker.

What happens when I meet with the intake worker?
For some of our services, including counselling, you will meet with an intake worker during your first visit. You will meet privately with the intake worker who will ask you for information such as your goals and the service(s) you are seeking, to assess the support you require. Rest assured that this discussion is confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside of the hub’s staff.

Can I access more than one service at the hub?
Yes, you can access more than one service at the hub. Based on your needs, our intake worker may recommend additional services that may benefit you.

How long does the intake meeting take?
An intake meeting takes approximately 20-30 minutes.

Who is eligible to access services at the hub?
All individuals aged 12-25 are eligible to access services at our hub.

Do I need a health card?
No, you do not need a health card to access any of our services.

Wellness Counselling FAQs

What kind of issues does counselling help with?
Counselling can help you through a variety of challenges! You can bring any issue to us. Some of the most common topics we discuss include:

• Stress about school and tests
• Complicated relationships at home or with friends
• Feeling low and bad moods
• Fears
• Worries about the future
• How to manage a sleep schedule
• Relationship with food and body image
• Excessive time spent on phones, computers and video games
• Feeling paranoid or concerns about hearing voices
• Drug and alcohol use

Who is my counsellor?
We have several counsellors on staff, each with different specializations and availability. Our intake worker will match you with the counsellor who aligns best with your needs.

What type of counselling do you provide?
All of the counselling we provide is evidence-based and solution-focused. Our counsellors may use elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and other therapies in their practice. All of our counsellors are trauma-informed, meaning that they can talk with you about the impacts of trauma on your life.

Are your counselling services free?
Yes, we offer our counselling sessions for free.

How long are wellness counselling sessions?
Most counselling sessions take about 50 minutes. 

How many counselling sessions can I attend?
At the Thorncliffe Park Youth Wellness Hub, we offer short-term counselling. This means each person can receive six to 12 counselling sessions, depending on the counsellor and the individual’s needs. If you continue to need support after this time, we have a Care Navigator on staff who will develop a long-term plan for you, connect you with services outside the hub, and advocate for your well-being.

What will happen at my first counselling session?
At your first counselling session, your counsellor will introduce themselves and review important information related to confidentiality. They will then ask you about your goals and what brought you in to see them. From there, you may have a more in-depth discussion about your goals and your personal history. The counsellor will also discuss the frequency of any future counselling sessions, if needed.

Will subsequent counselling sessions be the same?
Counselling sessions are different for each person. Some people prefer their sessions to focus on a specific goal, while others may prefer talking about their life more generally.

Will I be asked a lot of questions?
You will be asked some questions about your physical/mental wellness and your feelings, thoughts and behaviours. These questions will be asked at intake or by your counsellor at your first session with them.

Are counselling sessions confidential? Will anyone be notified?
All of our counselling sessions are confidential. If you are 12 or above, you do not need anyone’s permission to access counselling. Everything you discuss with your counsellor is confidential and will not be shared with your family, friends or anyone outside of the hub’s professional team, unless it's an emergency or you give us permission to share.

How is my information stored? Will staff or clients from other programs at TNO, East Toronto Health Partners, or Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario see my personal information?
Each youth has a profile in our secure database that includes your name and other identifying information, which helps us provide you with the best care possible. However, all this information is stored securely, and only staff involved in your care will access it. Our priority is to always keep your information safe and confidential.

How formal are your counselling sessions?
Depending on your preference, sessions can be formal or informal. The counsellor will work with you to provide an environment that is most comfortable. If counselling feels too scary, you can start by talking with a youth peer worker, who has their own lived experience with mental health concerns. They can reassure you and remind you that you are not alone.

Do I need to prepare for my session?
Before your first session, your counsellor will share a short questionnaire that asks about you, your goals, behaviours, and how you’re feeling. This may be via iPad, or they’ll send you a link to complete at home. This is to make sure they provide you with the best and most appropriate services they can. Your participation is voluntary, but it is important for us to know about how you’re currently doing and what you might want help with, so that we can provide the best service to you to meet your needs. For subsequent sessions, some people like to think in advance about what topics or challenges they want to discuss, but you do not need to come prepared with anything specific.

What happens after the session? Will I have homework?
You typically will not have any written homework, but your counsellor may ask you to work on certain skills. For example, if you are stressed and hoping to feel less tense, your counsellor may ask you to take note of the moments when you feel the most tense, and practice muscle relaxation techniques. In addition, your counsellor may also ask you how you thought the session went, and if there’s anything you’d like to change for future sessions.

Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Feel free to reach out by emailing us at thorncliffe@youthhubs.ca or calling us 416-421-8397, Monday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.