We're Here for You

We are open from Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm

Email
info@kellymentalhealth.com

Phone
P: (807) 767-3888
Toll-free: 1 (833) 467-0275
F: (807) 346-9409​

Address
1216 Dawson Rd.,
​Thunder Bay, ON P7G 1H7

Chat With Us

Send us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as possible 

Questions?

Are services covered by OHIP?
Our services are not currently covered by OHIP, however most workplace benefits programs include coverage for sessions. See Coverage Options (below) for alternate funding sources. 
Do you offer couples counselling?
Yes. Couples counselling sessions are set at 1.5 hours to give each participant enough time to express their views and to work together towards resolution of the issues. 
Do you offer walk-in counselling services?
Yes! We are proud to provide immediate same-day walk-in counselling services. For more information, call us at (807) 767-3888
Do you prescribe medication?
No. Prescriptions must be ordered and monitored through a psychiatrist (a medical doctor with additional training in mental health assessment and treatment), or a family physician. 
What is Psychotherapy? 
​“Talk-therapy”, or “Psychological Therapy.” It is called “Psychotherapy” to differentiate the service from other therapies such as physiotherapy.
 
Clients usually access treatment when they are experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties. During sessions, the root causes of the issues are explored and analyzed, the client is able to debrief and identify how they are feeling, and they are provided with psychological education about their issue and guidance on making improvements in their lives.
 
Psychotherapy techniques can vary with each client, and our goal is to meet each individual “where they’re at,” so that clients can get the best benefit according to what works for them.
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)? 
​CBT strategies provide effective interventions on client issues by identifying and managing negative thought patterns, setting realistic goals, monitoring progress, and learning and implementing positive coping skills.
 
The educational component of CBT focuses on identifying and differentiating between thoughts, feelings, physical responses, and behaviours, and learning about the impact of our perceptions, assumptions, and beliefs.
​Do you offer other forms of therapy such as EMDR or DBT?
We do offer DBT combined with CBT during sessions.
DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) is a modified form of CBT. DBT combines standard cognitive-behavioral techniques for emotion regulation and reality-testing with concepts of distress tolerance, acceptance, and mindful awareness largely derived from Buddhist meditative practice.
 Search “Dialectical Behaviour Therapy” on www.psychcentral.com for more information.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is one of the most effective treatments for trauma. The clinician utilizes lateral movement or stimulation (handheld sensors) during sets to increase speed of processing, leading to better outcomes for trauma treatment.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialized psychotherapy protocol in which the therapist helps the client to process distressing thoughts using bilateral stimulation (left-right eye movement, buzzing tactile hand sensors, or beeps). The bilateral stimulation assists the mind with connecting emotion with logic (left brain, right brain), while the speed of the movement allows the client to process memories at a rapid pace, often leading to significant improvements in overall functioning. EMDR is most commonly used to treat Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, however it can be an effective intervention for most issues.
Where are you located?
​1216 Dawson Road – Located North of County Fair Plaza, up Highway 102 (Dawson Road). Office is located next to a Mac’s convenience store, and signs are visible from the road.
 
Bus Service:    The Jumbo Gardens and John Street city buses have a stop just across the street from our office at the corner of Dawson Road and Sherwood Drive.
What is the difference between a social worker and other counsellors?
All practitioners in this field can provide counselling services, but assessment and psychotherapy services require much more extensive education and training. 

Counsellors come from a variety of backgrounds and possess varying levels of education and training. They are not regulated bu a governing body such as the Ontario College of Social Workers, so most cannot be classified as a group. 

Master-level Therapists such as social workers and psychotherapists are able to provide assessment and treatment based on their training level and competency. They are regulated health providers licensed and governed by the Practice Guidelines of their respective colleges. 

Though Master-level practitioners are able to assess mental health and psychological issues, only Registered Clinical Psychologists, Psychological Associates, or Psychiatrists are able to deliver a diagnosis. ​
Do you provide off-site counselling sessions?
Yes, we do provide services to organizations off-site per request. Please indicate to our receptionists upon booking appointments if you're requesting an off-site session.
​Can I come to counselling if I know Linda (or another person that works there?)
​​Your confidentiality is a top priority for us, and it is imperative that you feel comfortable coming here for services, so here's what you need to know.

Your File
Your clinical file can only be accessed by two people: your therapist and their supervisor. The other staff members may see your name on the schedule, but they can't see why you're coming, nor do they go looking.
​
If you are placed with a therapist that you know personally, either you or the therapist can let us know so that we can transfer right away.
If you really want to come but you don’t want one of the staff members knowing, we can substitute another name on your chart and have you book sessions when that staff member is not in the facility (e.g., evenings, early mornings, etc.), or have your sessions done by phone or online (e.g., Skype).
As Linda Kelly is the Clinical Director for KMH, she retains custody of all files. If you know her personally, she appoints another staff member to act as the supervisor so that she doesn’t need to access your file. However, the file is ultimately in her care if the therapist moves on from the practice, and would need to be accessed if there were ever any legal issues arising down the line (e.g., client becomes involved with court and file disclosure is requested). Although this is rare, it’s something you need to know if you decide to attend sessions.

Common Areas
There is ample parking available on site. We can't guarantee that you'll never run into someone you know, but we do our best to make sure your session starts on time and you're not in the waiting area too long. We have a second exit door so you can leave a different way if you want to avoid running into someone in the waiting area. If you are waiting and there’s someone else there that you know, you can ask our staff to place you in one of the conference rooms early.

Booking/Administration
Our system is set up so that you can do almost everything remotely without consulting our admin staff. Bookings, intake forms, and payments can all be done online. In fact, you can even upload documents to share with your therapist if you choose to do so. If you are booking through Health Canada, you do need to speak directly with our admin staff to make sure the bookings are done correctly.

Casual Acquaintances
What if you are placed with someone that you sort of know, but maybe haven’t seen in a long time?
Basically it goes like this: if you have to justify to yourself whether or not it’s a good idea, we don’t do it.
We’d rather save you from the awkwardness of running into that person at a social gathering and just set you up with another one of our highly trained and fantastic clinical staff.

   Hmmm...

Not sure if your sessions will be covered? We can help you find out! Send us an email, or check out our coverage options for more information. 

Things to do in Thunder Bay that don't involve alcohol and drugs

By Marianne Wylie, MSW, RSW

Outside of our office hours and in need of assistance? Contact these other Thunder Bay Resources

​Emergency -- 911
Poison Control -- 1 800 268 9017
Nurse's Registry -- 807 623 7451
​Thunder Bay Police (non-emergency) -- 807 684 1200
​Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue -- 807 625 2103
Lakehead Social planning Council Database -- 211
Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline  -- 1 888 230 3505
​Mental Health Service Information Ontario -- 1 866 531 2600
​Beendigan -- 807 346 4357​
Thunder Bay Crisis Services --  807 346 8282
Children's Aid Society Crisis Line  -- 807 343 6100
Elizabeth Fry Crisis Line   -- 807 622 5407
Faye Peterson Crisis Line  -- 807 345 0450
Kids Help Phone -- 1 800 668 6868
​Crisis Pregnancy Services -- 1 800 665 0570
​​Talk4Healing Help Line -- 1 855 554 4325