A Shift in Thinking To implement brief services such as walk-in/single session counselling effectively, we need to significantly shift the way we view the children, youth and families who come to us for help.

A brief therapy approach is not about providing traditional services faster. It is about providing services differently, which results in a briefer duration of involvement. It is not rush therapy, but about adopting a different set of assumptions, principles and practices about how people change.

 Philosophy that more is not better; better is better  Shift our philosophy from a focus on problems to a focus on strengths  Shifts the focus of every visit, to a therapeutic encounter and places uncompromised priority on strengths‐based tools

It is collaborative, highly respectful and taps into peoples’ knowledge, skills and abilities. As a result of working this way, people tend to require a briefer amount of involvement and are more prone to embrace their own resources. They become the primary agents of change, which results in better clinical outcomes (Duvall & Beres, 2011).

Studies have shown that engaging with families through genuine collaboration, listening to and consulting them about what they want, and how they want services delivered, results in greater participation in the therapeutic process and better outcomes. (Orlinsky, Grawe & Parks, 1994; Clemente, C., McGrath, Stevenson, & Barners, J., 2006; Lambert & Bergin, 1994).

Evidence gathered on clients’ length of involvement in services had shown that “the most common number of sessions attended by clients is one” (Talmon, 1990) This demonstrates that therapists need to maximize the impact of the first and possibly only session with clients.

Research also indicates that constructive change ramps up most significantly in the first two to three sessions (Hubble, Duncan, & Miller, 1999; Lambert, 1992).

 Offer therapy when people are ready and asking for it  Many people can benefit from a single session and may not need more  Many people will use sporadic single sessions when they want help  Everyone is multi-storied, with many versions of problem and solution events  People come for therapy because they are limited by their current known and familiar ideas/actions/choices  People have knowledge, abilities, skills to discover and develop

 August 2012  17 clients  Offered in all sites, various days  July and August 2013  47 Clients  Offered in all sites various days

 Walk in Clinic will run in all 5 sites  Please encourage clients to come into office when convenient for them, they can call ahead if they wish  Clients come in as many times as they like

Children ’ s Mental Health of Leeds & Grenville IMPORTANT July and August 2014 New referrals Will be seen through our WALK-IN CLINIC Appointments 9am-3pm BROCKVILLE OFFICE-MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY GANANOQUE OFFICE-TUESDAY KEMPTVILLE OFFICE- TUESDAY PRESCOTT OFFICE- THURSDAY Individuals in crisis can call the office during business hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) After 4:30 p.m. Please contact the KIDS Help Phone at Visit our website at or

 Children’s Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville is dedicated to providing timely service across all of Leeds and Grenville. We have five community offices, Brockville, Elgin, Gananoque, Kemptville and Prescott.  Serving Leeds & Grenville Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM  Call us toll free at or us at