Our Centre
When you arrive at Heartwood, you will be greeted by a team of Nurses, Doctors, Counsellors, a Nurse Practitioner, a Social Worker, Program Coordinator and Allied Health Team. Each of these people will be an integral part of your stay at Heartwood. In addition to the staff at Heartwood, you will also be joining a team of women who have started on their path to recovery.
You will share a room with one to three other clients and will change rooms at least once while you are here. In your room, you will find a chest of drawers, a bedside table with lamp, a chair, a bed and a locker with lock. If you have valuables, we highly recommend you consider leaving them at home for safe keeping.
All of your meals and snacks are provided at Heartwood. You will have an opportunity to meet with the dietitian to discuss any dietary concerns you may have to ensure that you are getting what you need.
Heartwood does have laundry facilities that are available for use. You will be able to do up to three loads of laundry per week. Laundry detergent is provided.
We do ask that you leave your perfume at home as Heartwood and the hospital are scent-free.
The hospital grounds are smoke-free, thus Heartwood is also smoke-free. As a non-smoking program, each woman is encourage to attend smoking cessation support is provided to decrease use and become abstinent. Any Smoking in the building or on the grounds may result in discharge from Heartwood.
At Heartwood, a counsellor works as a member of the team, providing counselling and support to women. The Counsellor provides group and individual counselling, conducts family support sessions, and delivers education seminars.
The recreational therapist meets with each client to review, plan and set recreation, fitness and leisure goals to include in the treatment plan. An individual assessment is completed. Group outings, leisure education and leisure activities on site are provided throughout the 12 week program.
The Heartwood dietitian works closely with the clients to review, plan and set nutrition goals and treatment plans while in the program. This is done through individual assessment, healthy-eating cooking classes, menu planning activities and simulated
Programming is provided by a yoga practitioner, expressive art therapist and acupuncturist.
The family educational series is offered to families and significant others onsite and is a one and a half hour seminar which includes speaker videos and discussion groups. Families are encouraged to attend with their family member in the last 10 weeks of the program. Counselling staff are available after the session to answer any questions and offer support.
Support Groups: Two twelve-step panels (Narcotics Anonymous and Alcohol Anonymous) are held onsite. After the first month in the program, clients can attend community support meetings as part of their treatment plan.
The Heartwood Doctors work with clients to ensure that all medical needs are being attended to including medication management while attending the treatment program. They work closely with clients to review medical history, medications and other related health issues to help clients with their recovery. They provide medical counselling related to substance dependency and physical and mental wellness issues. Educational groups are provided including sessions on substance use, chronic pain management, mental wellness and women’s health issues.
The Acupuncturist at Heartwood works closely with clients to attend to physical and emotional concerns through needling technique and acupressure. Acupuncture can treat a wide range of health concerns, including, but not limited to headache pain, asthma, arthritis, addiction, menstrual cramps, lower-back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
At Heartwood, counsellors work as members of the team, providing counselling support to women. The counsellors provide group and individual counselling, conduct family support sessions, and deliver education seminars.
The Heartwood dietitian works closely with the clients to review, plan and set nutrition goals and care plans for while they are in the program and afterwards. This is done through individual assessment, healthy-eating cooking classes, and menu planning activities.
The Heartwood doctors work with clients to ensure that all medical needs are being attended to while attending the treatment program. They work closely with clients to review medical history, medications and other related health issues to help clients with their recovery.
The expressive art therapist at Heartwood works with clients using expression as a means to begin working on emotional healing, awareness and self-development. Art is used to explore and express emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a personal and creative way.
Aboriginal Elders are available for consultation at Heartwood. Some of these Elders work within other
community organizations. The Native Friendship Centre and the Aboriginal Wellness Program are available in
Vancouver and visits can be organized to attend these organizations and to meet with Elders.
Nurses at Heartwood provide and coordinate nursing support to clients. This includes assessment, attending to medical concerns and managing medications. Their goal is to work with the inter-disciplinary team to ensure that a client’s health care goals are met at Heartwood. They also provide psycho-educational groups and individual support.
The Nurse Practitioner provides ongoing primary care for women during their stay at Heartwood, working as a team with the physicians and other healthcare members. The Nurse Practitioner focuses on women’s wellness examinations and various other medical assessments based on individual needs.
A recreational therapist plans and implements recreation programs and provides leisure education for clients recovering from substance dependence and mental health issues. Activities include exercise, art, music, crafts and outings.
The Social Worker at Heartwood provides services to clients and their families to reduce stressors at home and in the community both during the program and afterwards. The Social Worker, together with the client and the interdisciplinary team, works on a plan for the client to transition back into the community.
The yoga practitioner works with the basic principles of alignment and yoga philosophies in the program. These encourages a well-rounded practice that promotes a deeper sense of inner stillness. Yoga allows us to remain more flexible in body and mind which can open us to more opportunities in our daily life.
