The Dr. Peter Centre mental health team

The Dr. Peter Centre is equipped with a robust and multi-disciplinary team of professionals all geared to addressing the mental health concerns of each individual participant on any given day.

 

Counselling Services

We call this “meeting people where they are”.

In the course of a single visit, an individual might have several points of contact with members of our staff and clinical team. With every interaction, individuals experience the face-to-face, one-on-one conversations that build and maintain a caring community of support.

This style of “relationship-based counselling” could be as simple as starting a conversation while playing cards. This style of engagement works well for our participants, who have often experienced harsh treatment and stigma when in traditional health institution settings. With trust established, clients can choose to enter into in-depth, one-on-one counselling and experience a greater probability of success.

Foremost the Dr. Peter Centre offers is a safe place where community emerges through building empathetic relationships, mutual support and shared understanding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art Therapy

Art Therapy is a versatile form of therapy that caters to anyone, regardless of artistic background or skill level. Through the art-making process, individuals can explore and process feelings, revisit trauma or emotional troubles, and work through issues in a safe space.

Therapists trained in this form say that the first step lies in making the decision to “create”. From there the therapists help address the link between the mind and body by allowing the person to address the fear, anxiety, tension, and trauma that limit a person’s ability to cope with illness and build a path towards well-being.

Artistic techniques available to participants include painting, drawing, fabric art, quilting, small sculpting projects, papier-mâché, beading, sewing, weaving, and pottery.

The art studio is open every day from 10:30 am until 1:00 pm. 

 

Recreation Therapy

Our recreation therapists utilize recreation and other activity-based interventions to meet the needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions. RT includes techniques such as arts and crafts, sports, games, dance and movement, drama, music, and community outings. Recreation Therapy also covers additional domains such as physical functioning, normalized socialization, and overall wellness concepts.

 

 

 

 

Music Therapy Services

Music Therapy uses the power of music to achieve various goals including personal, musical and non-musical ones. It can help manage a range of conditions, enhance health and wellness, and improve quality of life. Music therapists work with individuals of all skill levels, regardless of whether they have a musical background or not. Therapists tailor sessions to individual needs and interests which can include singing, playing an instrument, listening to music, or discussing the meaning of lyrics. They also offer group activities including Group Music Jam on Wednesdays and Karaoke on Fridays.  

 

 

 

The Indigenous Wellness Program

The Indigenous Wellness Program at the Dr. Peter Centre is a cornerstone of the Centre’s commitment to delivering culturally safe, inclusive, and holistic care. Designed to address the unique needs of Indigenous participants, the program bridges traditional Indigenous practices with the Centre’s trauma-informed care framework.

Grounded in Indigenous ways of Knowing and Being, the program fosters physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness through cultural programming, ceremonies, and land-based activities. Over the past year, it has supported more than 150 Indigenous participants, representing approximately a third of the Centre’s Day Health participants, offering a vital space for cultural reconnection, community-building, and holistic healing.

Through culturally aligned activities such as smudging, storytelling, and land-based healing, the program integrates the Balanced Wellness approach, also known as the Two-Eyed Seeing approach, blending Indigenous Knowledge Systems with evidence-based healthcare practices.