Anxiety Canada Mindshift CBT Groups

“This program helped me to get my life back. It taught me how to accept — and ultimately overcome — my fears of my panic disorder sensations. I also learned many strategies for calming myself when anxiety symptoms do arise. It’s been truly a life-changing course for me.”
– Sue

Evidence-Based Anxiety Therapy Groups

MindShift CBT Groups is an 8-session online group therapy program for small groups of adults (aged 18+) with mild to moderate anxiety using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Groups are a maximum size of 12 and provide people with support, encouragement, and tools to help them cope better.

What You’ll Learn

  • How anxiety works and why people experience it
  • How to manage anxiety using Anxiety Canada’s free MindShift CBT app
  • Behavioural strategies to help reorient thinking, take action, and make lasting positive change

MindShift CBT Groups meet online via Zoom for 8 x 1.5 hour weekly sessions with a registered clinical counsellor. This program is currently available in English.

Upcoming MindShift CBT Groups – Coming Soon

TO BE INFORMED OF ALL FUTURE GROUPS, CLICK HERE

You will find our fees in the FAQ section below.

MindShift Groups is available to residents in: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon.

Contact: [email protected]

The Benefits Of MindShift CBT Groups

Phone with message icon Affordable & Accessible

Allows Canadians with mild and moderate anxiety to access therapy at an affordable cost from the convenience of their own home. No doctor’s referral required. You will find our fee structure in the FAQ section below.

Brain with textbox icon Evidence-Based

Research shows that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. We use evidence-based CBT tools to help group members take charge of their anxiety.

Person with heart on shirt icon Professional

Sessions are facilitated by a registered clinical counsellor experienced in CBT, who will provide structure and guide the group.

Connected group icon Confidential

Small groups of up to 12 people provide a comfortable and confidential environment to connect with others navigating anxiety. Members are asked to not share any identifying information outside the group.

Holding hands heart icon Compassionate

Group therapy can help people with anxiety know that they’re not alone in their struggle. Hearing others’ experiences and sharing your own in a safe environment helps to normalize anxiety and inspire connection.

What To Expect

People often have different reactions when they join an anxiety group. Initial discomfort is not unusual. We encourage you to stick with it; you will probably find that your anxiety about starting the group will decrease once you have attended two or three sessions.

During each session, your counsellor will facilitate discussion amongst the group. Members are free to decide what and how much information they wish to share. People in the group will progress at their own pace. Our goal is to guide you through that progress by offering support, encouragement, and understanding as you learn to cope better.

Requirements

We want to keep these sessions as simple and accessible as possible. However, to get the most out of our sessions, we require that you to have the following:

  • A commitment to attending and participating in each session
  • A working cell phone and/or a computer (with video and microphone) to access the sessions
  • The free MindShift CBT app to use during sessions
  • The ability to complete a weekly homework assignment that will require you to use the MindShift CBT app

Frequently Asked Questions

These sessions are for people with mild to moderate anxiety. This means that they do not have a severity of symptoms that require a higher level of individual support. This program may NOT be right for you if you:

  1. Have a severity of symptoms that requires a higher level of individual support;
  2. Have other psychiatric symptoms that are more pressing or would limit the ability to participate in, and benefit from, treatment;
  3. Are not committed to weekly sessions and active participation, including completion of homework;
  4. Are unwilling to try new strategies and experience uncomfortable feelings as part of the treatment process;
  5. Are unwilling to participate in the group sessions in a private location and/or otherwise respect the privacy of other group members and the confidentiality of the information they may disclose in group sessions.

An assessment fee of $50 is payable at the time of application. This includes a 15-20 min. appointment to review your assessment results and determine if MindShift CBT Groups will be of benefit to you. If you are not accepted into MindShift CBT Groups, you will be refunded $25.

The balance of $440 will be payable when you are accepted into MindShift CBT Groups.

Please check with your health insurance provider if services provided by a registered clinical counsellor is covered by your benefits plan.

limited number of places per group are available to individuals who require financial support for the balance of $440. The request is on a first come first serve basis and can be made by checking this option on the application form. You will only be liable to pay the $50 assessment fee.

MindShift CBT Groups does not receive funding from municipal, provincial or federal governments. The fees received from MindShift CBT Groups cover partial costs of running the program. Anxiety Canada subsidizes the remaining costs through generous donations and grants.

Information that you share with the Facilitators and the group will be kept private and confidential. All members will be required to sign a confidentiality statement when they register for MindShift CBT Groups. While you’re allowed to discuss your participation in the group with friends and family, you are asked to not reveal names or any other information that might identify anyone else in the group.

The group Facilitator will be available to respond to non-urgent questions outside of sessions but will not be immediately available at any given time. In the event of a crisis, please seek support from other sources including family or friends, support lines (310-6789; 1-800-SUICIDE), or through emergency services in your area.

Because this group runs for a short period of time, it’s important that you attend each session to get the most out of the program. If you are unable to attend a regularly scheduled session, please tell the Facilitator in advance—during a session or by email.

It is perfectly normal to feel nervous or uncomfortable to participate in a group as you are adjusting to a new experience. You will probably find your anxiety will decrease upon attending two or three sessions. If at any time you feel that it is hindering your participation in the group, you may contact your Facilitator at any time.

Privacy and Protection of Personal Information

We respect your privacy and understand that applying to participate and actually participating in any kind of therapy is a personal and sensitive matter. We collect, use, disclose, protect and dispose of personal information in accordance with the MindShift CBT Privacy Policy, which we strongly encourage you to read, and with applicable law including the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.