Immigrants & Refugees
"Courage knows no borders."
We at MentalOptimist offer private, non-judgmental and confidential counselling services for issues related to the unique experiences of refugees and newcomers during their process of settling in the Greater Toronto Area.
Our Mental Health Team is specialized in culturally sensitive, trauma-informed psychotherapy for diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental illnesses.
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We offer short-term counselling and referrals for stress management, family or relationship issues, addictions, domestic violence, difficulty adjusting to Canadian life, sexual assault or abuse, parenting concerns, and grief and loss or separation and divorce.
Immigrants & Refugees:
What to expect and how it works​​
You need to ask your family doctor or other healthcare professionals for a referral. Call to make a free appointment with a healthcare practitioner at our clinic if you do not have a family doctor or healthcare provider. We accept referrals for newcomers with or without immigration status, regardless of whether or not they are covered by federal or provincial health insurance.
We are registered as a Service Provider under the Medavie Blue Cross, and we can help you if you have IFHP coverage. The Interim Federal Health Program, commonly referred to as IFHP, pays for essential health care for refugee claimants in Canada. From the date that an IRCC or Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer issues a certificate of eligibility, all IFHP beneficiaries are eligible for coverage.
