Husband and wife team Andrew and Meg Neufeld recently opened the doors of Alongside You with the aim of providing an integrated approach to enhancing their clients' overall well-being.
Located in the heart of Ladner Village, Alongside You, which opened three weeks ago, brings together a variety of services - counselling, group therapy, occupational therapy, a registered dietician and creative arts programs.
Andrew, a registered clinical counsellor who offers individual, couples and family therapy, says he has worked in many health authorities in the province and has seen a lot of the gaps in service.
The Neufelds had a dream of creating an integrated health agency to help bridge some of those gaps.
"We saw that there was nothing really like it around here," says Meg, co-founder, program director and creative arts facilitator.
"Our long-term plan is to offer a kind of one-stopshop," Andrew adds.
Already, the team includes a group therapist, an occupational therapist, a registered dietician and a second individual therapist.
"Our goal is we want people to get the help they need," he says.
Alongside You is also trying to make its services more accessible to anyone in need by offering reduced fees on a sliding scale. For those who qualify, fees are assessed based on the needs and income level of the client.
The relaxed and comfortable office in Ladner Village includes private rooms for therapy sessions, as well as a big, bright room for the creative arts programs. Meg says the creative arts programs will be less structured than typical art classes and Alongside You aims to give people the space and supplies to experiment and create.
Making art is a way to not only express creativity, but it can also help manage stress and anxiety, and connect with others in the community, the couple says. The Neufelds say they are also hoping to open up the office to provide educational opportunities for the community. Andrew says they would love to hear from feedback on what people might want to learn more about - mental health, pain management, autism, etc.
"We're here to get feedback from people," he says. Alongside You is located at 203-4840 Delta St.
For more information call 604-283-7827 or visit www.alongsideyou.ca.
