New In Biz: Bloom Child And Youth Counselling

NEW IN BIZ Private Practice Counselling Clinic Comes Into Bloom For Children’s Mental Health Services

By Victoria Rose

One of the biggest takeaways during COVID-related lockdowns was how much the pandemic impacted mental health and how hard it was to access timely support.

Along with the general frustration of balancing a new work-home-school reality, many parents also learned their children were not immune to the mental health crisis and support for youth was even more difficult to access.

“According to Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO.org), one in five kids and teens experience a mental health difficulty and the data has shown an increase in these concerns during the pandemic,” notes Stacey Coene, an experienced therapist who recently opened Bloom Child and Youth Counselling to focus exclusively on children’s mental health.

Coene, 41, has a Master of Social Work degree and has been providing counselling therapy to children (and their parents) for 18 years.

During the pandemic, she was working as a mental health lead at a school board and saw the growing need for youth counselling. She explained her vision to colleagues and they were eager for her to create the new practice, and join as affiliates.

“Due to many funding and resource constraints, myself and many other clinicians in the publicly funded system have found ourselves stuck, having to use a reactive, or ‘Band-aid’ approach, in our interventions, rather than proactively helping kids and teens establish good mental health before they go into crisis,” says Coene.

Despite research indicating early intervention is key to preventing major mental illness in adulthood, Coene points out that waiting lists for mental health services for children in Ontario have more than doubled in the last five years.

“Only those kids who are at risk are being seen in a timely manner, leaving many others waiting for help until they go into crisis,” she states. “I am excited to help fill that gap and create a new place for families in our community to access good quality mental health care without having to drive into Windsor for services.”

The private practice provides psychotherapy for children aged six to 11, and teens 12 to 21, as well as parent consultations.

The focus is on addressing common mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, academic stress, ADHD, friendship troubles, and more.

There’s even Juno, a therapy dog, who sometimes joins as a comforting ally while exploring emotions.

Sessions are available days, evenings, and weekends and can be virtual or in-person. All services are paid for by the client, and some families utilize extended health benefits to cover the cost.

“More and more, mental health is becoming a parent’s biggest concern,” Coene indicates. “Children are very resilient and parents are doing the best they can. We are just here to give them tools and help them find solutions that work best for their families.”

She wants to continue the conversations about mental health and its long-term impacts, particularly on children. She feels it is also vital for parents to help children normalize therapy as self-care.

“Mental health IS health!” Coene stresses. “Going to therapy should be as normal as going to the dentist. Our vision is a community where all children and youth have the skills to understand and navigate emotions in order to live their best life without stigma.”

Demand for the services her business offers has been high, and in January and the coming months, five affiliate therapists will join the clinic to provide additional psychotherapy for clients. Other plans include adding group therapy and contracting psychologists to provide psychological assessments.

Bloom Child and Youth Counselling is located at 486 Advance Blvd., Unit 120, in the Lakeshore Oasis Town Centre.

To learn more about their services or to book an appointment, visit the website: BloomChildAndYouth.com.

Therapist Stacey Coene recently launched Bloom Child and Youth Counselling after witnessing the growing need for youth counselling. Her Lakeshorebased private practice allows families to access quality mental health services without having to drive into Windsor. Photo by Sanja Tabor.