Before We Begin

Sometimes the mind can feel like a tangled ball of yarn. Hopefully through our work together, it will begin to feel like we are pulling on the ends of some of those threads to create some coherence and calm. During our time together, we will discuss both the issues that caused you to seek therapy and the ways in which these issues are impacted by the different broader systems in your life, both internally and externally.

It can be intimidating to reach out for help, especially if you’ve never done it before. We highly commend you for starting the process! It is important to remember that there is nothing wrong with you if you decide to give therapy a try. Feeling heard and understood is an incredible and powerful relief in and of itself that you can carry with you out of the therapy room. The most important thing to remember is that you are always leading the therapy process. We are there to challenge some beliefs you may have about yourself but we are also there to be your strongest ally. Therapy with Diverse Roots is designed to go at your pace and we strive to do the best work we can for you to move towards healing and growth. We will work together to create the therapeutic experience that best suits you. We will spend our first 1-3 sessions determining what you would like to work on in therapy. Your therapist will also gather important preliminary information about you and your life thus far.

Some important pieces of our work are advocacy and psychoeducation. We are strong advocates for all, whether this is helping people to feel confident using their own voices to advocate for themselves or whether it is us using our voices to advocate on your behalf. We use psychoeducation as a tool to provide external resources and referrals as well as to educate people about how the mind and other systems work. We believe that information is power – the more you have, the more confident you will feel as you move through life.

The Practicalities

Assignment Process

Once you submit the contact form on our website, fill out a profile on Juvonno or email us requesting an appointment, our admin will add you to our waiting list. Once on the waiting list, our practice owner will review your information and recommend a therapist. Our admin will then reach out to you and let you know who was recommended for your approval. If you agree, admin will then give your contact info to the therapist so that they can reach out to you to book a first session. Typically, this entire process should take less than a week.

Physical Accessibility Notes

Entrance

The entrance to the office has 2 steps or can be accessed by a wheelchair accessible ramp. You will go through one door to enter the building and a second door to enter our office. The doors are not automatic and are a medium heaviness. If you require assistance to open either door, please let your therapist know and they can meet you at the door at your session time.

Office Space

Our waiting room is on the ground floor. On the desk in the waiting room, there are packaged snacks, water and hot drinks available. The hallways in the office are wheelchair accessible. Throughout the office, the walls are kept partially clear in order to be used as a support to lean against. Our space is typically quiet, with the addition of white noise machines while sessions are occurring. The main office spaces have soft lighting that can be adjusted on request.

Each therapist’s office may differ in terms of accessibility. Some offices are up one and a half flights of stairs. The stairway has a railing in addition to clear walls. If your therapist’s office is upstairs, there is an option to use an interior ramp and elevator to access our space. Your therapist will be happy to work with you to provide any accommodations that are needed for you to access our space comfortably.

All of our therapists and staff are happy to wear a mask (free masks provided at reception) upon your request.

Washrooms

Within our office space, there is a gender-neutral bathroom, that is up one and a half flights of stairs. The washroom has free menstrual products available. There is a wheelchair accessible washroom available to Diverse Roots in the lobby of the building. The key to access this bathroom is available on a hook, attached to a unicorn pop-it, in our waiting room.