you have a reference to follow a workshop
We’ll be with you for
all the steps to come.
362 842
people have been
supported by Relief
since its inception
15 421
people have participated
in our workshops
98 %
of participants in our workshops
feel better equipped
" When I discovered Relief and its workshops, I immediately realized that it was for me. I got to know people who were going through similar things [...] The workshops allowed me to get reacquainted with myself, to embrace my mental health, to look at it from different perspectives, and to take care of and better protect it. "
- Living with Bipolarity workshop, participant
we understand you
we know you’ve had enough
We don’t yet know what exactly you are going through and what brings you here.
- You may be living with anxiety, depression or bipolarity.
- You may or may not have a diagnosis.
- A mental health worker, an insurer, or your employer have given you the reference of our workshops.
But we know that you’ve had enough. You are sick and tired, to say the least.
We know this because for years, we have been supporting hundreds of thousands of people like you. And because many of us have experienced it personally.
We know what it’s like to be afraid of spiralling out of control when your body and mind are overcome with symptoms.
We know what it’s like to become isolated to the point of letting your voicemail pile up with dozens of missed calls from you loved ones.
We also know what it’s like to have a dark cloud follow you everywhere you go, 24/7.
But your suffering doesn’t have to become your “new normal.”
yes, change is possible
You can know what to do when things aren’t going well
and more importantly, before things aren’t going well.
here are 8 reasons to participate
in one of our workshops
To connect with people who understand you
Speaking with 10-15 other participants gives you the opportunity to learn from their experiences and connect with others who are going through the same thing as you.
To benefit from our support
You will be supported throughout your journey by mental health professionals who will facilitate the workshops and guide you in your choices.
To be supported over several weeks
Unlike other more one-off services, our workshops last 10 to 12 weeks with one 2.5-hour meeting per week. This comes out to roughly 25 to 30 hours of support!
To take action with concrete tools
Our online platform gives you access to practical tools, interactive exercises and information capsules to help you get into action.
To be able to pick the format that suits you best
You can participate in the workshops online or in person, as you wish. You choose, we adapt.
To enjoy the workshop content for 1 year
You will have access to all the workshop content for one year in order to help you assimilate and apply the tools.
To continue the process beyond the workshops
When the workshops end, you are not left to your own devices. You will be able to participate in our Living+ sessions for one year in order to expand on what you learned in the workshops and share your challenges and progress with other participants.
To give yourself the gift of proven workshops
Our workshops have been designed and reviewed by mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, and outreach workers)—and they boast a 98% satisfaction rate among our participants.
" I now have concrete tools that are easy to understand and apply [...]
So I can be more in control of my life and happier. "
- Participant in the Living with Anxiety workshop
we offer you more than a workshop
Each workshop includes*:
- A diverse, personalized toolbox
- 10 to 12 explanatory capsules
- 15 complementary resources
- 20 to 40 hands-on exercises
- One-year access to the platform
- Computer and mobile access
- Certificate of participation
*The number of included items vary according to the workshop.
Plus a bonus:
- Support after the workshops with our exclusive Living+ Service (valid for 1 year) depending on the chosen workshop
" Today, I feel better equipped to face the challenges that will come my way. I feel stronger and more confident in my abilities. In the beginning, I saw myself as an illness and now I know the difference between the illness and me. I’ve gone back to working part-time and my challenge has been to listen to myself and to apply the lifestyle guidelines I set for myself in order to stay in balance. It’s going really well and I’m proud and happy about this. "
- Martine Maisonneuve, participant in the Living with Bipolarity workshop
choose among our 5 workshops
according to what you are experiencing
living with anxiety
topics addressed
- Better understanding and observing yourself and your anxiety
- Identifying your anxiety triggers and maintenance factors
- Learning anxiety reduction techniques
- Understanding the role of avoidance and exposure
- Understanding the concept of acceptance and taking action
- Addressing the filters of our perceptions and how they influence anxiety
- Reflecting on the relationships between the self, anxiety and others
- Regaining power over your situation and your anxiety
length: 10 weeks (2.5 hours per week)
do you still have questions?
Write to us at [email protected]
or call us at 514-529-3081 ext. 100
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
upcoming workshops
- Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. from October 9 to December 18 2024 (virtual)
- Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. from February 12 to April 23 2025 (virtual)
living with depression
topics addressed
- Developing a deeper knowledge and observation of yourself, your depression and your warning signs
- Learning more about available resources in order to make better use of them
- Understanding, accepting and influencing your emotions
- Receiving support from others
- Finding your anchors
- Reconsidering your lifestyle habits
- Addressing the filters of perceptions and how they influence mood
- Learning to relieve tension and better manage stress
- Adjusting at work
length: 10 weeks (2.5 hours per week)
do you still have questions?
Write to us at [email protected]
or call us at 514-529-3081 ext. 100
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
upcoming workshops
- Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. from February 4 to April 15 2025 (virtual)
living with bipolarity
topics addressed
- Developing a deeper knowledge and observation of yourself, your bipolarity and your warning signs
- Learning more about available resources in order to make better use of them
- Reflecting on your lifestyle habits and how they influence mood
- Better understanding your emotions and finding ways to channel them better
- Fostering healthy interpersonal relationships
- Understanding the importance of and receiving social support
- Drawing up a self-management plan
length: 12 weeks (2.5 hours per week)
do you still have questions?
Write to us at [email protected]
or call us at 514-529-3081 ext. 100
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
upcoming workshops
- Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. from February 4 to April 29 2025 (virtual)
living with a better self-esteem
topics addressed
- Considering self-esteem as multidimensional
- Developing deeper self-knowledge and self-observation
- Focusing on perceptions and how they are shaped by, and in turn influence, self-esteem
- Exploring your emotions, better understanding the role they play, and managing them better
- Considering self-esteem in interpersonal relationships
- Working toward healthier assertiveness
- Determining actions according to your life priorities
length: 10 weeks (2.5 hours per week)
do you still have questions?
Write to us at [email protected]
or call us at 514-529-3081 ext. 100
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
upcoming workshops
- Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. from February 12 to April 23 2025 (virtual)
living with a better workplace balance
topics addressed
- Defining what work represents for you and developing a realistic view of it
- Understanding the different manifestations of anxiety, depression or bipolarity in the workplace
- Recognizing your warning signs at work
- Pinpointing your functional cycles
- Recognizing the influence of your perceptions so that you can work on modifying them
- Better managing your stress at work
- Addressing disclosure and accommodation issues
- Better understanding and managing medical leaves of absences and concerns about going back to work
- Facilitating your return to work
length: 10 weeks (2.5 hours per week)
do you still have questions?
Write to us at [email protected]
or call us at 514-529-3081 ext. 100
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
upcoming workshops
- Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. from February 6 to April 17 2025 (virtual)
it’s time to take care of yourself
With us by your side.
Because no, you don’t have
to go through it alone.
frequently asked questions
what are the costs of a self-management workshop?
The workshop is offered free of charge to people who are referred by authorized partners. Those partners have approached Relief in order to agree on a specific agreement to cover the registration fees for self-management workshops.
For people who are not referred by authorized partners, the costs are $555 (10-weeks workshops) and $655 (12-weeks workshop).
As soon as you register for a self-management workshop, you automatically become a Relief's member.
how do I cancel for my participation in a self-management workshop?
cancellation of a workshop by Relief
Relief reserves the right to cancel a self-management workshop if the minimum number of participants is not reached. Registered participants will receive a full refund. In such case, the organizers will inform the registered participants by phone or email.
cancellation of a registration by a participant
If a participant wishes to cancel their registration, the person is invited to do so before the meeting of week 3. In the case of virtual workshops, the pre-workshop week (week "0") does not count.
why do the workshops cost money?
The workshops are entirely self-funded, as there is no outside financial assistance to provide this service. However, thanks to private individual and corporate donations, we are able to offer a limited number of spaces at a reduced rate.
when and how do I register for a self-management workshop?
Thinking of registering for one of our self-management workshops? There is nothing more simple!
All you have to do is fill out our registration form and book your private 30-minute meeting with one of our mental health workers. The objective of this private meeting is to prepare you for your workshop.
what is self-management?
Self-management refers to taking action to regain control over our mental health through daily behaviours that diminish symptoms, help prevent relapses and improve well-being.
A self-management approach does not replace conventional treatment, but can be a very effective complement to psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.
what does a self-management workshop actually consist of?
A self-management workshop is a group-based psychoeducational intervention. Each workshop is composed of 10 to 15 participants and lasts 10 to 12 weeks, with a 2.5-hour meeting each week.
Participants complete exercises and reflections at home, engage in group discussions in the workshop and have access to resources (organized by topic).
who are the self-management workshops for?
-
Anyone 18 years of age or older living with anxiety, depression or bipolarity. No diagnosis is required, except for the Living with Bipolarity workshop.
-
The intensity of symptoms can vary widely, from mild to severe.
-
To participate, an individual must find that the signs and manifestations of their anxiety, depression or bipolarity sufficiently affect their well-being and functioning to justify spending a total of 25 hours in a group workshop.
do the workshops replace psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy (medication)?
No, they are complementary.
Our self-management workshops should be seen as another step on the path to mental health. They do not replace psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy (medication).
do you have to have received a diagnosis to participate in the workshops?
It is not necessary to have received a diagnosis to participate in our workshops, with the exception of our Living with Bipolarity workshop.
how many participants are there per group?
Each workshop includes 10 to 15 participants and two facilitators.
do you have another question?
discuss with a mental health worker
15 minutes
By appointment
Monday to Friday,
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Book
email us
[email protected]
Monday to Friday,
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Write
write to us on Messenger
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Monday to Friday,
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chat with us
" It exceeded my expectations. I was very reluctant to attend the workshops and in the end it was very helpful. I’m now better equipped to cope with my anxiety. "
- Participant in the Living with Anxiety workshop
ready to take the second step
to getting better?
find a workshop in your area
Relief offers online and in-person workshops in the Montreal area. But if you wish to participate in an in-person workshop in another region of Quebec, this is also possible thanks to our 60 partners across the province.
facilitate a workshop
Are you from an organization that works with clients living with anxiety, depression or bipolarity? Are you interested in taking self-management support training to be able to facilitate one of our workshops?
offer a workshop
Become a Relief partner and offer our self-management workshops to your clients living with anxiety or mood issues.