The What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic
What is the What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic
The What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic is the only free guidance counselling clinic in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Furthermore, according to the what’s up walk-in home page, there is no fee, appointment, or even health card needed for the walk-in clinic making it free and accessible for everyone and anyone. The What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic is a partnership between six agencies across the GTA including Skylark, East Metro Youth Services, YouthLink Youth Services, Yorktown Family Services, Griffin Centre Mental Health Services, and The Etobicoke Children’s Centre.
Yorktown Family Services Website – Yorktown Family Services Logo
The What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic deals with children, youth, young adults and their families, and families with infants at walk in clinic. There are no issues considered too big or too small for the walk-in clinic.
In the clinics, it will typically take 45-60 minutes to complete a counselling session and there will be a form with basic information that needs to be filled out before one meets with the counsellors (what’s up? walk-in clinic website –How it Works).
There is a series of videos (music of the videos is done by Kevin MacLeod) that describes what the What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic is all about and the services they provide to youth across the GTA.
First, we will look at the technique guidance counsellors use with youth at guidance counselling sessions called strength-based therapy.
Google Maps, April 2019. Google – 2015 Eglinton Avenue East, Yorktown Family Services
Strength-Based Therapy
Griffin Centre Youth Services Website – Griffin Centre Youth Services Logo
Strength-based therapy is the technique guidance counsellors use with youth who visit the guidance counselling clinic. The technique is used to highlight a youth’s self-determination and resilience while finding solutions to problems.
Many teenagers have low self-esteem or beat themselves up too much so this technique would increase the youth’s confidence and self-esteem and be more likely to work or find a solution to their problem. Also, it might also tell the parent of the positive points their son or daughter has and get a better understanding of what their child’s problems are.
However, if these problems come up, just tell the guidance counsellors; who will understand as these reactions are perfectly natural.
Google Maps, May 2019. Google – The Etobicoke Children’s Centre
Working with the Same Guidance Counsellor
Unfortunately, at the What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic, Jaeyall, an Individual and Family Therapist, says that a client may not meet the same guidance counsellor two times in a row. However, the guidance counsellor would have a file of the youth beforehand and will know everything about the youth. Furthermore, after the first guidance counsellor asks about the youth’s situation, other guidance counsellors will not ask about the youth’s situation because of the document created in the youth’s first visit. The good thing though is that there is no need to get a mental health diagnosis.
Does Someone Need a Mental Health Diagnosis to Come?
Emma, an Individual and Family Therapist, says that there is free mental health counselling walk-in for infants, children, youth, young adults, and families. “You don’t need a mental health diagnosis to come into the walk-in you only need to have something to talk about this could be something that you are currently dealing with like a recent breakup school concerns anxiety issues your child’s developmental concerns anything that you need to talk to someone about we are always here to help you achieve your goals of a happy and fulfilling life we look forward to seeing you there.”
This quote is very important to both What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic and YouthLink Youth Services as they both deal with mental health. The most important point is that there is no need for a mental diagnosis. This is a very important point as many youths may feel ashamed or have less self-esteem because they may think something is wrong with them.
Another reason behind this is to allow the youth to freely express his/her situation and talk about the mental health anxieties they are facing. This way youth can talk about their issues freely with the guidance counsellor during the counselling clinic.
How Long Are the Guidance Counsellor Clinics?
Emma, May 2018. what’s up walk in YouTube – WUWI: Q1 – What is what's up walk-in?
Jaeyell states that counselling sessions are generally about an hour but have no minimum or maximum time for the guidance counsellor session. The goal of the first guidance counsellor session is to know a bit about the youth like his background and the problem the youth is currently facing now. After the initial counselling visit is done, the counsellor with then either do a follow-up or tell the youth to meet someone else to more effectively deal with the youth’s problems.
Homework and Follow-up for Counselling Clinic
It is important to follow-up for a counselling clinic as counsellors are aware of the major problems’ youth face today. According to Pooky Knightsmith, three children in each classroom have a diagnosable mental health problem.
Counsellors are able to follow-up by asking youth strategies to deal with everyday life.
These according to Stacy, a Walk-In Clinic Supervisor of What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic could be: “discuss next steps with you to come up with a plan to achieve your goals we discuss what kind of follow-up we may need to do or whether we can refer you to someone else who may be able to better support your needs.”
These are the next steps taken by the guidance counsellor in the best interest of the youth. Based on the first clinic with the youth, the guidance counsellor can either do a follow-up or refer the youth to someone else who is better suited to fit the needs of the youth. The guidance counsellors also allow youths to come to the clinic without their parents.
Can Youths or Parents Come Alone?
Yes, a youth can go to the guidance counselling session on their own. However, if one is under the age of 12 years old, they may need consent from the parents before starting the guidance counselling clinic (Emma, May 2018. YouTube, what’s up walkin – WUWI: Q9 – Can a Youth Come Alone?).
Furthermore, if a parent feels that their child is not ready for the clinic, parents can also go to the clinic alone (Stacy, May 2018. YouTube. What’s up Walk in – WUWI: Q10 –I’m a Parent, Can I Come on My Own).
Guidance counsellors at what’s up walk-In prefer the child and the parent both to come together to help the youth in order to discuss the problems and anxieties of the youth with their parents.
These videos are only a snippet of what’s up? walk in counsellors do for the youth. They have faced youth with challenges like kids being bullied, having fights with their parents, or parents concerned about their kids’ school progress or concerned about their child development (what’s up walk in website – Need to Talk?).
The Legacy of What’s Up Walk-In Clinic?
Google Maps, May 2019. Google – 63 Wellesley Street East, Skylark Youth Services
According to the what’s up? walk in clinic website there has been 5,000 counselling clinics across the GTA. The most common issues talked about are anxiety, depression, family conflict, and school related issues.
The strength-based theory model has also worked very well for the what’s up? walk in program as only 6% of people needed to use more intensive services.
The What’s Up? Walk-In Clinic has helped several youths across the GTA in six larger agencies like YouthLink Youth Services. More importantly, seen on the what’s up? walk in home page, they are the only free walk-in mental health counselling clinic in the GTA, which requires no fee, appointment, or health card. That means even people who do not have a citizenship yet can still go to the clinic free of charge.
Google Android, April 2019. Google Maps, Google – YouthLink Youth Services Entrance