Toronto Men’s Wellness Centre (TMWC) assists men in their personal growth and the unfolding of their full potential as men by teaching them to focus on their social, occupational, intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual needs through coaching, motivation and emotional cognitive bodywork. TMWC offers men one-on-one counseling with another male in a non-judgmental, affirming and safe environment either face-to-face, online or by telephone as well as an extensive referral network of bodyworkers and health practitioners.

Men’s wellness issues are many and varied; however, when embarking on the path to wellness, it is sometimes easier to start by looking at the “big picture” and then hone in on the more minute details.

TMWC has identified three major areas under which men’s wellness issues arise and these are areas where men commonly are either reluctant to seek assistance or are unable to do so for a variety of different reasons, including self-unawareness:

Relationships
Sexuality
Weight and Fitness (overall physical health)

Interestingly enough, each of these areas relates to/encompasses/embraces the six needs that TMWC has identified as integral to men’s wellness:

Social
Occupational
Intellectual
Physical
Emotional
Spiritual

TMWC teaches men how to improve their lives and how to make positive inner and outer changes through a variety of different techniques, which can be broken down into two (2) main categories: Dialogue and Bodywork.

Dialogue is a constant in the TMWC program and involves coaching, motivation and/or one-on-one counseling with another male in a non-judgmental, nurturing, affirming and safe environment either face-to-face, online or by telephone. Sessions may but do not necessarily include dream interpretation, myth and storytelling, psychodrama and other psychodynamic therapies as a means for men to understand their innermost selves. The relationship between client and TMWC counselor is one of “male bonding” and is akin to that of friends and/or confidants. At all times, 100% privacy, discretion and confidentiality are maintained and trust and mutual respect are always present.

Bodywork may or may not be recommended, depending on the situation and even if recommended by a TMWC counselor, the client can always choose whether to incorporate bodywork into his program or not. Furthermore, some bodywork modalities can be performed in-house at TMWC while others require referrals to external bodywork professionals. Bodywork entails psychosomatic therapies, which are designed to integrate and treat the soma, the psyche and the mind. These therapies include emotional bodywork, biodynamic massage, shiatsu, Reiki, reflexology, bioenergetics, biosynthesis, hypnosis, dance and movement therapy. At the very heart of all these methods and modalities is the emphasis on being in a profound and ongoing dialogue with one’s body. One must listen to what the body tells him and to honour the body as an equal partner in the awareness of one’s many layered self.

When one becomes a client of TMWC, the very first step is to communicate with a TMWC counselor and together identify those wellness areas, where work is required. Together, the client and the counselor will develop a plan that will integrate dialogue and/or bodywork. Dialogue will always be TMWC based while bodywork may be in-house or external, depending on the type of bodywork needed by the client and the backgrounds of TMWC staff. Likewise, counseling on serious physical and/or mental health issues may require referrals to outside health practitioners. Whether the work is TMWC based or external, throughout the process, regular communication will be maintained between the client and the TMWC counselor as they move together, as a team, on the client’s path to wellness.

TMWC books hourly sessions and charges a fee of $100 per hour whether the hour consists of dialogue or bodywork or both. Any treatments rendered by outside service providers referred by TMWC are subject to the outside service providers’ own fees and are not included in TMWC’s fees. Payment is accepted by way of cash only. TMWC’s fees are not covered by OHIP or by any health insurance plans.

Appointment days and times are flexible and are scheduled on a case-by-case basis on a day and at a time that are mutually convenient to both the client and the TMWC counselor.

Clients are expected to give at least forty-eight business hours notice for any appointment that is to be cancelled. If something comes up at the last minute, clients may switch to another time slot during that week, if one is available. Otherwise, clients assume full responsibility for the fee for the appointment that is missed (with the exception, of course, of illness or emergency).