“Thank You. I came here not knowing how I would be helped or what to expect.  I didn’t expect such a profound experience.  I feel like after today I’m a bit more equipped to deal with myself now” - Eastside Family Centre client.

In times of stress and uncertainty, it helps to talk. That’s why Wood’s Homes’ Eastside Family Centre and the Community Resource Team are here.

These are not easy times in Calgary: Thousands have lost their jobs or are worried they soon will be out of work.

When financial instability and/or extreme stress becomes overwhelming, it affects a person’s normal ability to cope. Speaking with counsellors and therapists can be just the right thing to do!

Eastside Family Centre (EFC) and the Community Resource Team (CRT) have been offering support to individuals, couples and families in and around Calgary for 25 years.

There are a number of situations that we can help with:

1. Parents can call counsellors to ask for advice on how to speak to their children about the economy and job loss and their anxieties.
2. Couples struggling to pay the bills can ask a therapist, without an appointment or cost, to help them talk with each other about their biggest worries and to develop a plan to tackle them together.
3. Individuals who experience anxiety can chat or instant message with counsellors, discuss strategies to reduce their symptoms, help them focus on their work demands and keep their job.
4. Teens who are worried about their parents can text counsellors and share their anxieties and fears.
5. Professionals such as teachers and community workers can call counsellors to consult about young people (of all ages) who have expressed thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

“The immediate support both on the phone and with the counsellor in person was amazing. Having a crisis on a Friday morning was very scary.  Most of my worry was how we were going to get through the weekend to be able to get professional help.  We are all very thankful.”

Support over the phone, via text and LiveChat is available 24/7 by connecting with CRT. Experienced and educated counsellors are also available for visits in a family’s home or community.  Families can choose to participate in up to five sessions with a counsellor to address parent-child relationship concerns, home rules and structure, or other family goals.

No fee and no appointments are needed to access therapy at EFC. Psychiatrists consult with a multi-disciplinary team of social workers, psychologists, nurses, and marriage and family therapists. The hours are:

• 11-7 Monday – Thursday
• 11-6 on Friday
• 11-4 on Saturday.

Our research shows:

• Close to 50% of our clients report they would have had no other option for support other than these services.
• 35% of clients would have made an appointment with their family doctor.
• 14% said they would have gone to a hospital.

“I’m talking to someone who can understand exactly what I can barely put into words.”

For more on the services of Eastside Family Centre and Wood's Homes' Community Resource Team, be sure to check out Global News Anchor Amber Schinkel's great piece, 100 Women Who Care make a big difference in Calgary area. The segment aired on Global News on Feb. 9, 2016.