SCALE Program

Explore the stages of caregiving and deepen your understanding of the care recipient’s experience.

Webinar Summary

Resource 1: Welcome to Holland

Resource 2: Brené Brown on Empathy

Explore the physical, emotional, and mental impacts of caregiving.

Webinar Summary

Resource 1: Distress VS Eustress

Resource 2: Distress VS Eustress Worksheet

Resource 3: The Good Stress

Resource 4: True Alarm Coping Plan

Explore where feelings of anxiety and anger come from, and how to manage them in the context of your caregiving role.

Webinar Summary

Resource 1: CBT-Based Thought Record

Resource 2: Non-Violent Communication Thought Record Activity

Learn to overcome feelings of sadness and guilt that may be overwhelming you.

Webinar Summary

Resource 1: CBT-Based Thought Record

Resource 2: Non-Violent Communication Thought Record Activity

Resource 3: Unhelpful Thinking Habits

Resource 4: The 5 Stages of Grief

Resource 5: Feeling Grief and Loss while you’re a Caregiver

Explore the seven attitudes of mindfulness and how this can be integrated into your caregiving relationship.

Webinar Summary

Manage your inner critic through developing your soothing self.

Webinar Summary

Resource 1 Self-Compassion Journal

Explore the top attributes and resources that you already possess that enable you to succeed in your caregiving role.

Webinar Summary

Resource 1 Red and Green Activities

Explore strategies on how to integrate psychological and physical tools to manage your mental health daily.

Webinar Summary

Resource 1 The Self-Care Wheel

What does the group counselling offer? 

• Guided awareness practice. 
• Explore weekly webinar topic. 
• Realize that you are not alone. 

• Give and receive support with other caregivers. 

To offer maximum support, all group counselling sessions will close registration after the 2^nd week in each session. This is to allow caregivers to develop relationships and to build on weekly lessons. If you are interested in group counselling, please register early!

What does individual counselling offer? 

• Individualized support and validation through zoom or the telephone.
• 30 minute or 45-minute options. 

• Options outside of set shifts. 
• Opportunity for problem-solving. 

Marida Etherington, RN BScN MN, has been a Certified Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse for the last 20 years, and has both personal and professional experience with caregivers. She has worked in various settings such as Acute Mental Health Units and community-based work. In her clinical and therapeutic work, she supports clients who are caring for loved ones and has presented webinars on stress, fatigue, and caregiver burnout. She strives to help individuals better understand what they are experiencing and to provide suggestions that can help them to better cope. In her late teens and early 20s, she watched her mother caring for her grandmother as she struggled with Alzheimer’s. As a parent, she cares for her son and his medical issues. She strives to role model self-care and takes time away from work to be able to keep up with all her personal and family needs. In all the roles she plays, Marida understands fatigue, stress, and worry. 

Deanna Alakoozai is a Registered Social Worker and has a special interest in working with caregivers. She is a graduate of Wurzweiller’s master’s degree in social work and provided individual psychotherapy sessions for caregivers during the winter 2023 SCALE program. She is skilled with, and thoroughly enjoys, providing caregivers insight into their emotions and needs, and works to empower them to take steps towards taking care of their own needs. She is kind and supportive in her approach and strives to listen deeply to each client, so they feel heard and seen. She has a history of working with other organizations creating alliances to further better community mental health and is currently a Psychotherapist at Dynamic Health Collaborative in Toronto.

No! OCO uses Eventbrite for registration and communication purposes only. You do not need to create an Eventbrite account to register for the SCALE Program. Simply provide your name, email and some questions regarding your caregiving experience.

Yes! The SCALE program is designed to help caregivers unpack difficult emotional experiences in related to caregiving while also providing meaningful strategies to enhance their mental wellness. 

Yes! We highly recommend watching the topics that resonate with your burnout and to sign-up for group or individual counselling right away to receive professional support, as sessions are limited.

No! This program focuses on the caregiver’s mental wellness and although system navigation may cause caregivers distress, it will focus on how to change your thinking around it instead of helping you find the exact support you are looking for. Check-out our Helpline for community navigation support.

Yes! A lot of caregiver’s sign-ups for group or individual counselling where they can go more into detail about their relationships that are causing negative emotions. It is helpful to watch the webinars and then meet with a counsellor to help you apply it to your situation.

No! We understand the flexibility caregivers need. Sign-up for any weeks you are interested in or have the time for.

Yes! Registration for each weekly topic will remain open until the webinar goes live on that date.

Yes! We have pre-recorded webinars on all weekly topics. You must have registered to access the exclusive link when the program is running, however, all recorded webinars will be published for anyone to access on our YouTube Channel once the program is over.

No! Both group and individual counselling sessions are optional after each weekly topic is presented.

Yes! Both group and individual counselling sessions are free of cost and confidential if you are looking for additional support within your caregiving role.

Preferably! There is no requirement, but we have noticed both the caregiver and counsellor benefit greatly from having the caregiver review the webinar before the session.