top of page

Past Workshops

Cultivating Body Confidence in Children (3).png

Body image is how we feel about our body. Children and teens are not immune to the pressures and ideals set by our society and culture on how they look. Poor body image, or body dissatisfaction, can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, disordered eating, and depression.

 

This workshop will help guide you as the parent/caregiver to promote a healthy body image and create body confidence in your child. 

 

  • It's for parents/caregivers to learn about body positivity, why body confidence matters, and how to encourage and help create a healthy body image with their children.

  • You can choose a night that works best for you

  • We offer in-person and virtual options.

  • Only $20 per person - the funds go towards our Free Drop-in Therapy Program. (Please contact us if finances are a barrier.)

Facilitated by Kealy, Clinical Therapist (meet Kealy)

FRHFR.jpg

A small & relaxed group for all first responders (fire, police, paramedics), 911 dispatchers, nurses, medical professionals, military members and correctional officers who have a desire to heal from the effects of trauma and thrive in their profession. 

The group is intended to help individuals weave a new story of hope and healing. Come for support and understanding, new tools to cope & build resilience against traumatic experiences.

 

Stop suffering in silence, help is available.

July 11 - August 22 | *Group Closed

Overcoming Stress & Anxiety poster.PNG

Better understand how anxiety affects you and what you can do about it as well as learn practical tools to manage stress and feel happier.

Understand the basics of anxiety, build coping skills, and learn to change negative thinking

Relaxation strategies: Calm the mind and body with breathing practices and mindfulness. Learn simple ways to focus attention in the present moment.

Understand & Recognize: Raise awareness of common unhelpful thinking patterns that accompany low mood and anxiety, and how you can apply alternative, more helpful perspectives.

Get Momentum: Learn more about how to set goals and take action in a way that can begin to boost your mood, support self-care and take better care of your basic needs.

2 hours | July 30 2019 | *Group Closed

Healthy Relationships.jpg

Join Laura Gatien, MSW Clinical Therapist, for this 2 hour workshop for women. We'll explore healthy relationships, boundaries and ways to avoid toxic people. We will discuss how to recognize red flags and unhealthy patterns in relationships. We will also cover understanding why you may be drawn to unhealthy partners over and over. We will discuss self worth, self love, and owning your story. You will learn how to identify your limiting beliefs, stop making excuses for behaviour and learn to trust your gut!
 

Cost: $35 per person
Date: September 12, 2019
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Location: Suite 215, 66 Waterloo St. Saint John

SPACE IS LIMITED! Contact us to pre-register:

email: info@lauragatien.com

call: Kelly @ 506-651-1239
 

Anxiety for youth and young adults.jpg
Self Esteem poster - update.PNG

Join Nicole Mallay, MSW Clinical Therapist for this 4 week group targeting anxiety for youth and young adults

Research has shown that Cognitive-Behavioral therapy is one of the most effective treatments for the management of anxiety. This 4-week group will help you learn to identify, question and change how your thoughts, attitudes and beliefs relate to emotional/behavioural reactions that cause difficulty. 

Some skills that will be covered include:
- Coping techniques 
- Identifying distortions in thinking
- Seeing thoughts as ideas rather than facts
- Considering situations from different viewpoints

Cost: $100 (total cost for 4 week program)
Dates: Every Thursday, September 19 - October 10
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Location: Suite 215, 66 Waterloo St. Saint John
 

 

Facilitated by Laura Gatien MSW, RSW

Let's have an honest conversation on self confidence, self compassion and learn how to believe in yourself. Learn to love your authentic self!

 

Self esteem is related to so many things in your life. Laura believes it is at the root of a lot of things like anxiety, unhealthy relationships and general happiness in life. We want to help you think and feel more confident. Your current life; where you work, who you are with and how you take care of yourself is very connected to your worth and how you view yourself.

The workshop will help you understand self esteem and what influences it. We will address things like why you are so hard on yourself, why you struggle with feeling confident and how this affects you day to day. Laura will teach you how to be more accepting of yourself and have more self compassion as well as have more confidence in yourself to live the life you want to live.

Anger Management poster.jpg

Facilitated by Nicole Mallay MSW, RSW

Check out our newest 2-part workshop being offered in November. Everything we offer is in response to what people are asking for so please join us for this educational and practical workshop on anger, specifically for men. This group may be right for you if you:


❌Want to gain control over your emotions and manager you anger in a healthier way


❌Your partner, employer or probation officer has recommended anger management


❌You have a history of unmanaged anger that has left you feeling “out of control”

 

Learn practical tools to understand and manage your anger.

Improve your self awareness and learn to address conflict in non-violent ways. Learn to change your habits and reduce your stress in a safe and supportive environment! As always, seats are limited. This will be a small group. 

EMO.JPG

EMO Night

 

Check this out! $1 from every cover paid will go to our Drop-In clinic. How exciting! Please read about the event below. Have some fun and support a great cause!

Hello Saint John!! We are back and bringing in Christmas with another banger! I know you’re all stressing out on where to go after your work Christmas party or Ugly Christmas sweater party. East Coast Emo Night is coming back to Saint John December 21st, 2019 at McGill’s from 10:00pm to 2:00am. Come on down and sing, cry and dance with us. $7 @ the door

Saint John and surrounding communities have been through so much recently with mental health and we want to give back to our beautiful city. Sarah and I will be donating $1 from every cover paid to “Laura Gatien & Associates”. You will also be able to donate through E-Transfer to emonightsaintjohn@gmail.com

Laura and her team recently launched a free drop-in counselling program on Fridays from 2-4 to help support mental health in our city and improve timely access to mental health care. Laura started her practice in the first place to make supports more accessible and we are so stoked to be able to support what she is doing. Please feel free to visit Laura’s website https://www.lauragatien.com/

Don’t forget to use hashtag #emonightsaintjohn to be featured on our Instagram account @eastcoastemonight

FRHFR2.PNG

Responding to First Responders

January 30th 2019 2:30-4:00pm for 8 weeks

Cost: $400 for 8 week program

(May be covered by VAC, RCMP, your union or employer, inquire for details)

 

This is a group for all first responders, dispatchers, military members, medical professionals, and correctional officers who have a desire to heal from the effects of trauma and thrive in their professions. The goal is to receive support and understanding, gain mental tools to cope & build resilience against traumatic experiences in the workplace.

 

The group is inclusive and doesn’t require a diagnosis to attend.

The group will address topics that have been found to lead to improved recovery and greater resiliency against PTSD

  • It will provide peer support, improved self awareness and a strong sense of community. Members report feeling a sense of belonging and making strong emotional connections. The group reinforces feelings of hope and a sense of control in your life/work and reduces feelings of hypervigilance, shame and isolation.

  • Opportunity for INFORMAL debriefing to foster recovery through group dialogue.

  • The group will teach more positive coping strategies: constructive stress management approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which addresses trauma based attitudes and beliefs, as well as treats trauma symptoms after the fact. Stress management and anger reduction techniques will also be discussed.

This will be a safe place for people to be with others who can truly understand their experiences, a place where they can be honest, feel no judgement and feel like they are not alone. 

 

Please call to reserve your place or discuss if this group may be something that could benefit you. 651-1239 or 977-3146

Surviving motherhood.PNG

Surviving Motherhood | Facilitated by Amy Buckley MSW, RSW 

Do you often feel shame or guilt about yourself as a mother or wife? Do you feel like you can't keep up with all that life throws at you? Are you hard on yourself when things don't go as planned and your kids act freakin terrible? Or maybe you feel like you are alone in this hot mess of a life.

You aren't, we promise! We are in this together mamas. Please join us to vent without judgement as well as receive support & strategies for topics including:

Mom Guilt
Control Issues
Societal pressure and "Keeping up with the Joneses"
Emotional Load of Mothering
Marriage
Parenting Strategies specific to age

Spaces are very limited so email to sign up and save your seat via emt to info@lauragatien.com

Date: Wednesday, February 26th | Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Cost: $45 | Location: Laura Gatien & Associates, 66 Waterloo St. Suite 220

IMG_0970.PNG

 

Surviving Motherhood for Single Moms

Our Surviving Motherhood Workshops have been such a success, we want to roll out a spin off of the series - Surviving Motherhood for Single Moms.

Single moms face a unique and challenging mental load of motherhood; emotionally, physically, financially and socially. As a single mom, there is often no one to pass the baton to when you're having an off day and carrying the weight of responsibilities involved with running a household alone. It is an incredibly heavy load. 

This workshop explores mom guilt, the feeling of overwhelm when you're doing it all alone, along with self care and creating a new vision for your life. It's designed to empower and connect single mothers who are doing it all.

Spaces are limited. Please email info@lauragatien.com to sign up. Payment via EMT is required to save your spot. You can send your $45 to info@lauragatien.com.

Date: Tuesday, March 19th | Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Cost: $45 | Location: Laura Gatien & Associates, 66 Waterloo St. 

bottom of page