Individual support for entrepreneurs
program benefits
Thanks to the support of Québec’s Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Relief launched in 2024 an innovative program designed to support 100 entrepreneurs facing mental health challenges. Successfully deployed in collaboration with over 30 partners across Québec, this program offers personalized one-on-one support focused on the realities of entrepreneurship.
Designed to directly address the needs of the entrepreneurial community, the program is rooted in Relief’s core approach: self-management. Each participant benefits from a personalized journey, built around practical, sustainable tools tailored to their everyday life.
the relevance and effectiveness of our approach
why is Relief’s approach relevant for entrepreneurs?
- Focus on autonomy: The approach resonates well with individuals who are used to relying on themselves and maintaining control over their situation. Entrepreneurs, who are generally proactive and action-oriented, find the approach pragmatic and motivating.
- Practical tools: The use of tools tailored to the entrepreneurial context helps structure their actions and maintain autonomy.
- Familiarité avec l’approche : les entrepreneurs apprécient particulièrement l’alignement entre le soutien à l’autogestion et leur mode de fonctionnement professionnel (évaluation, mise en œuvre, ajustement).
- Espace de réflexion : l'approche aide les participants à prendre du recul, à réfléchir.
- Souplesse de l’approche : la possibilité d’adapter les stratégies d’autogestion à des rythmes et intensités variés a été bénéfique.
«This is a wonderful initiative (thank you so much, by the way!), especially for entrepreneurs who enjoy learning and doing things on their own. I feel much more equipped, and personally, being able to draw from my toolbox when facing a situation is extremely helpfuln bac à outil lorsque je vie une situation est très bénéfique. »
« I really liked the format! Learning the concept, identifying ways to apply it in my daily life, then the follow-up that allowed me to reflect on my week and whether I was able to put the concepts into practice. Being able to apply the concepts in real-life situations helps me retain the information more effectively. »
self-management support
the positive impacts are supported by numerous scientific studies both locally and internationally:
Improved daily well-being
Improved psychological well-being at work
Improved adherence to treatments
Enhanced effectiveness of higher-intensity complementary care
Reduced absenteeism and presenteeism
Decreased functional difficulties at work
Fewer medical and psychological visits
Better coordination of care and services
Prévention de la détérioration
Prevention of relapses
Reduction in the duration and intensity of symptoms
Shorter wait times for services
a theme designed for entrepreneurs
the importance of the theme for entrepreneurs: a reality check.
The theme helps participants identify and categorize their stressors (work-family balance, finances, isolation, etc.) to improve their ability to manage them.
The 3R theory (rest, reevaluation, recovery) allowed participants to structure their thinking around their priorities and energy needs. The theme highlights the importance of routines and achieving a balance between professional and personal life.
Reevaluation strategies, in particular, helped participants adjust their daily lives based on their values and limited resources—something they recognized they do the least.
Validation and normalization
By addressing topics such as isolation and financial stressors, the theme validates participants' experiences, helping them feel less alone and giving them language to express their challenges.
- Testimonial from a participant
the support includes:
17 topics
psycho-educational content:
exercises, discussions
and readings
individual sessions with a mental health worker
virtual format: sessions are held via Zoom, allowing you to participate from the comfort of your home, with no need to travel
rapid access: after registering, get an appointment without delay
session content: 50 minutes with a mental health worker and a 20-minute follow-up session
frequency of sessions: one topic every two weeks
Explore the 17 available topics
detailed overview of the support program
first session
my current self-management portrait
$99
This 50-minute session will help determine your individual self-management support path together with your assigned mental health worker.
topic-focused session
$99
/ session
Price includes:
- One 50-minute session
- Access to the digital platform for one year
- One 20-minute follow-up call
final session
my self-management review
$99
This 50-minute session is intended to highlight your achievements and set a new goal to support your next steps.
here is an example to help you understand the costs of this service:
Louise lives with anxiety and wants to start her journey toward getting better.
Before the first session: Relief send an email to Louise to set a time for topic-focused sessions and follow-up calls as part of her individual support.
First session - My current self-management portrait (50 minutes): With the mental health worker’s help, Louise completes her first session. She identifies her goals and settles on 8 topics. Two weeks later, she will begin her journey. ($99)
During the week following her meeting, Louise can ask her counsellor any questions she may have during the 20-minute follow-up call.
2nd session (50 minutes): Louise is ready to begin receiving individual support in line with her personal goals. She discusses the first topic she has chosen, “Welcoming and accepting.” ($99)
During the week following her topic-focused session, she puts into practice the strategies she identified with her mental health worker, and is able to go over her reflections during the 20-minute follow-up call.
3rd to 9th sessions (50 minutes each): Louise continues to explore her chosen topics, with a follow-up call between each topic-focused session. ($99/topic-focused session)
Final session (50 minutes) - My self-management review: Louise is nearing the end of her journey. She looks over her achievements, plans for the future and celebrates and takes pride! ($99)
Louise invested a total of $990 for her entire journey, which covered 8 topics. She paid for these topics before each session. Her journey will have lasted 20 weeks.
eligibility criteria
To register and begin receiving individual support, you must:
- be over 18 years of age;
- communicate proficiently in French or in English;
- be able to use technological tools;
- live with anxiety, depression and/or bipolarity (whether you have a diagnosis or not);
- have a desire to engage in a personalized virtual self-management journey;
- be prepared to commit to an ongoing process involving sessions (every other week) throughout.
payment and cancellation policy
Each session must be paid before the 20-minute follow-up call, every two weeks.