Thank you for adding value to VWHC's free trauma-informed counselling services in support of women and gender-diverse folks. Every breath and effort you dedicate to Workout for Women's Day provides mental health support for someone currently waiting to bring positive change into their life.

Requests for free counselling services at VWHC have more than tripled since 2020. Our waitlist continues to grow faster than we can respond. Wait-times are currently around 4 months and increase by approximately 1 week/month. Since February 1st 2021, the waitlist has grown by an average of 1.7 people per day.

Approximately 90% of participants in our free counselling program have reported recent lived experiences of gender-based violence (GBV) and approximately 20% have been directly supported around reducing the amount and impact of continuing/ongoing lived experience of GBV. More than 50% of participants in our free counselling program identify as LGBTQIA2S+.

Counselling offers an objective perspective and strategies to assist in managing each participants' particular situation, be it anxiety, life transitions, self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, identity issues... Counsellor and participant work together to create individual plans that lead to life-affirming choices and creating supportive environments. Thank you for being part of this plan!

About VWHC

The Vancouver Women's Health Collective - VWHC has supported women in their efforts to share their ideas and advocate for changes in the healthcare system, since its inception in 1971. Our mandate is of helping all who identified as women, non-binary and gender non-conforming foster health, wellness and equity through feminist approaches to advocacy, shared knowledge and low-barrier programs and services. True to our original philosophy of providing no-fee programs and services to ensure access to underserved or under-represented women, we hosts many different free and volunteer-run programs or services related to all aspects of health, including counselling, a wide range of self-help workshops and hosting community clinics for primary care in partnership with BC Women's Hospital and the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine - Boucher Campus. Our drop-in space also provides access to respite daybeds, make-up counters, food, clothing, hygiene & beauty products, computers & phone. These achievements could not have been reached without the vital support from donors and volunteers!

womenshealthcollective.ca/

About Workout for Women's Day

Workout for Women’s Day (March 1-8) is a coming together of local movement instructors and fitness studios to offer by-donation classes in support of charities that serve girls, women and gender expansive people.

 The campaign is organized by local fitness instructors and has raised $61,447 in the past 3 years!

Classes are open to everyone, so sign up and get moving with Workout for Women’s Day. The schedule will be released at the end of February on their website – Strongertogethervancouver.com