Newcomer Wellness Program
The Newcomer Wellness Program helps immigrants to enhance their ability to manage the stress that comes with moving to a new country.
Immigration, like many other periods of change, offers challenges that affects well-being. For information about how immigration affects your well-being and get tips about support, please visit our Mental Health & Wellness section.
For information on services to support your mental health and wellness read our Mental Health & Wellness Resources brochure available in the following languages (please note: PDFs are meant to be printed and folded):
Services offered by the Newcomer Wellness program to newcomers include:
- Bi-weekly drop-in wellness support groups
- Short term individual para-counselling support for individuals or families who require additional support
- Ongoing information and orientation sessions on wellness and mental health issues and strategies
- Navigation and advocacy services to individuals or families who require help to access support through mental health and addiction services
- Collaboration with health service providers to deliver accessible services for immigrants
- Support for service providers to increase their capacity to work with newcomer populations
Newcomer Wellness Couselling
Our Newcomer Wellness Counsellor can help you better understand and manage situations that are causing stress in your life.
Individual sessions will provide an opportunity for you to:
- Talk about yourself and the things you are worried about
- Learn to understand your emotions and to look at what is important in your life
- Get support in difficult times
- Try new ways of doing things
- Understand yourself and your situation so you can make your own decisions
We provide support for you to:
- Adjust to change
- Learn to manage settlement stress
- Work with emotions that might affect your settlement process
- Access other services that can support your emotional well-being
How does it work?
You can contact the Newcomer Wellness Counsellor to set up a meeting.
ISANS staff can refer you to speak with the ISANS Newcomer Wellness Coordinator. The staff member will ask you first and you can decide to contact the counsellor yourself or have the staff member make contact.
Please let us know if you need interpretation.
Wellness Support Groups
ISANS offers two Wellness Support Groups:
- Women’s Wellness Support Groups: Tuesdays (every other week), 12 pm – 1:30pm
- Wellness Support Group for All: Wednesdays (every other week), 5:00 – 6:30 pm
These groups meet to:
- make friends and have fun
- learn about emotional and mental wellness
- learn and practice relaxation techniques
- discuss issues related to well-being
- learn about programs and services that support well-being.
You need to register to participate. Please let us know if you need interpretation and/or childcare. Space is limited to 15 participants.
To register please contact:
Juliana Pelinsom Marques | 902-406-0994 | jmarques@old.isans.ca