There are many types of mental health professionals. You may hear the words psychologist, therapist, or counsellor all used to mean the same thing. At The Wellness Centre we employ a range of clinical staff, which provides a rich and diverse comprehensive treatment team approach. Different mental health professionals may have different levels of training or expertise, different theoretical orientations and different ways of seeing the same problem or challenge. Working as a clinical team allows us to ensure each client’s needs are met with the highest standard of professional care, and the most appropriate fit between client and clinician.
Finding the right clinician to assist you may require some research and time. It is important when choosing a mental health professional in The Cayman Islands that you contact the Health Practice Commission for the Council of Professions Allied with Medicine’s register of recognized practitioners, and licensed health facilities.
Some of the specialized treatment interventions available at The Wellness Centre include:
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectal Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Narrative Therapy
• Solution Focused Therapy
• Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)
• Parent-Child Psychotherapy
• Play Therapy (RPT)
• Filial Therapy
Our clinical team is made up of Clinical Psychologists, Mental Health Counsellors, Play Therapists, Marriage and Family Therapists and Behavioural Specialists. We work collaboratively using a model of evidence based reflective practice.
This type of model means that we are regularly taking into consideration four key aspects of client treatment;
The first step in seeking services at The Wellness Centre is to attend an intake appointment. The intake appointment is an opportunity to share the details of what has led you to seek support. It’s an opportunity to explore what goals you might have for counselling and what preferences you have in terms of the type of approach you would like to take. The intake appointment is your opportunity to ask questions to ensure you are making the best decision for you and/or your family. Research suggests that a good fit between the client and the clinician will impact therapy outcomes, so be honest about how you feel and what you need to be comfortable.
Individual therapy is a joint process between a therapist and the client, or person in therapy. People seek therapy for many different reasons, so the therapeutic models or techniques used will vary. What should be consistent is a trusting, open and confidential relationship that allows the client to explore experiences, gain insights or make changes in line with their goals. Individual therapy can be helpful in addressing a wide range of mental health problems, but also phases of life or significant changes or experiences. As a clinic, we also have clinicians on staff trained in different modalities such as Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT).
Marriage & Family therapy involves the couple or the family unit as the primary client. The goals of the family or couple are determined by exploring past patterns, family roles and rules, inter-family relationships, coping strategies of the family and of course challenges and strengths. A family therapist is a mental health professional with additional training in understanding how family systems impact everyone. Family therapy will work with the whole family to improve the relationships, communication, trust and how conflicts are handled. Family therapy can be a powerful way to address relationship discord, parenting conflicts, childhood mental illness, grief or other conflicts.
Individual therapy can assist children and adolescents who are experiencing a range of family, school & emotional adjustments. The impact of divorce, blended families, grief, anxiety, depression, bullying, issues of adjustment, learning & behavioural difficulties, family violence, sexual abuse and substance use can be greatly mitigated by therapeutic interventions. We have multiple therapy spaces specifically designed to provide a safe and engaging therapeutic experience for children, adolescents and their families. Our clinical staff possess experience and expertise in a diverse range of psychological, mental health and behavioural interventions. The involvement of parents and guardians is critical, and parents will be regularly involved in discussions around setting goals, implementing strategies or gaining awareness of the child or teens needs.
Play therapy is a structured, theoretically based approach to therapy with young children that builds on the normal communicative and learning processes of children. The curative powers inherent in play are used in many ways. Therapists strategically utilize play therapy to help children express what is troubling them when they do not have the verbal language to express their thoughts and feelings. In play therapy, toys are like the child’s words and play is the child’s language. Through play, therapists may help children learn more adaptive behaviors when there are emotional or social skills deficits. The positive relationship that develops between therapist and child during play therapy sessions can provide a corrective emotional experience necessary for healing from trauma. Play therapy may also be used to promote cognitive development and provide insight about and resolution of inner conflicts or dysfunctional thinking in the child. Through play therapy, children learn to communicate with others, express feelings, regulate emotions, modify behavior, develop problem-solving skills, and learn a variety of ways of relating to others. Play provides a safe psychological distance from their problems and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to their developmental age. Attachment-based TheraPlay sessions are now also available through our clinic.
Our psychological assessments are conducted by a team of doctoral and masters level psychologists, who work collaboratively using over 30 years of clinical experience. A psychological assessment can help identify your child’s unique learning style as well as increase understanding of their social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The purpose of an assessment should be to develop a plan forward, with the goal to assist and support. Psychological assessments should be conducted in the context of a clinical team with many years of experience in the assessment of a wide range of learning, developmental, clinical and behavioural disorders. Assessment results will guide parenting plans, medical treatment decisions, and behavioural interventions, as well as the development of an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) to ensure access to special teaching strategies in school and important accommodations on standardized board exams, including I/GCSE, CXC, SAT, and PSAT.
Adult assessments can help properly identify and diagnose problems that may have puzzled you for some time. An assessment can be extremely helpful in determining treatment goals and providing individuals and families with a better understanding of one another. A psychological assessment can help gain access to appropriate accommodations for learning and success at university and in the workplace.
Social & emotional skills are critically important to children’s development. Social & emotional skills are needed to successfully develop peer relationships, manage emotions, problem solve, and to appropriately regulate social behaviour. Our Social & Emotional Skills Groups are fun, interactive opportunities for modeling and skill development in the context of playing, friendship and fun. Our groups are available for children or adolescents and offer real community-based opportunities to develop these important skills.
We are proud to offer comprehensive support services across the lifespan for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families. Our mission is to support every child, adolescent, and adult to reach their goals for independence.
Early identification and access to evidence based intervention is critical if your child is showing signs of developmental delay. The Wellness Centre was the first on-island centre for autism assessment and diagnosis. Our team of psychologists is fully qualified to administer the assessment measures considered the gold standard in autism assessment and diagnosis. An assessment for autism begins with a conversation with one of our psychologists to discuss your concerns. The assessment process involves gathering information from parents, caregivers, teachers, other experts in the area of child development, as well as time spent interacting and observing your child in a natural social and play environment. A final assessment report will provide you with a clear picture of your child’s strengths and needs, along with a road map leading forward to ensure he/she reaches their fullest potential.
Families are every child’s greatest resource. Efforts to support families warrant the greatest long-term outcomes so we are proud to offer several parent support services. Having a child or family member with autism can feel overwhelming. Parents often fail to prioritize their own needs, as an important part of their child’s intervention plan. At The Wellness Centre we offer a range of family support services, including family therapy, parent education, consultation and training. As children grow it is critical that services take into account their wishes, goals and social needs. Families of persons 16+ are encouraged to participate in Person Centred Planning (PCP), an approach to transition planning that places the individual at the centre of decision making and goal setting.
The Growing Brain: Zero to Three Curriculum: This course provides important early brain development awareness and knowledge to parents, nannies, caregivers, grandparents, and anyone invested in supporting the young children in their lives. Delivered by our Certified Trainer courses can be delivered as 2hour workshops or full-day retreats. For more information email sseymour@wellnesscentre.ky
Help Is In Your Hands: An ESDM Parent Resource: Our training team works in partnership with families using the free online ESDM parent training curriculum. With zoom parent meetings
RUBI Parent Training: The RUBI Autism Network is a system of parent support and training to equip parents and families with the knowledge and competencies to effectively and safely manage tantrums, aggression, and self-harm. The RUBI 13-week programme can be delivered via telehealth, face-to-face, or in groups.
We are proud to offer individual ESDM Therapy as well as Parent P-ESDM, a collaborative approach between parent and therapist aimed at ensuring parents are supported to confidently help their children every step of the way. The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is an evidence based intervention for children with developmental delay, between 12 to 48 months. ESDM follows a developmental curriculum that defines social, play, communication, cognitive, self-help and motor skills. It can be delivered in a clinic, home, playground or preschool setting. ESDM integrates a relationship focused developmental model with the well validated teaching practices of ABA. In 2012, we became the first clinic in the Cayman Islands and the Caribbean to offer ESDM services.
Play2Grow is an ESDM modeled group for children 2-6 years old. The focus is on shared experiences, social engagement, social communication, and school readiness. Each child works individually and in a supported group setting, building skills and showing them off with peers.
ABA therapy uses the scientific principles of learning and motivation to teach children with autism. ABA uses positive reinforcement to increase positive behaviours and social interactions, while decreasing inappropriate or harmful behaviours which interfere with a child’s ability to learn and engage. ABA is highly individualized and each child’s programme is designed and implemented to ensure their unique needs are being targeted. Our ABA programmes are developed by a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst trained and mentored in Hanley’s Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment. MyWay is a trauma-informed relationship-based model of ABA which strives to integrate sound scientific evidence of the past 30 years with an awareness of emerging research in the area of stress, trauma, and childhood adversity. All of our therapists have a minimum designation as a Registered Behaviour Technician™. Your child will often work with several members of our team to ensure their learning is generalized across individuals and environments. ABA therapy can help individuals of all ages, but is most effective when started early and intensely.
There are many reasons parents of children with autism choose to home-school. A home-school programme should be tailored to meet your child’s unique needs and should ensure that learning is clearly measured and targets effectively developed. This can be an overwhelming task for families, but the good news is that we are an approved home-school provider, can assist in the development of a suitable curriculum, and arrange teacher support to satisfy the Department of Education requirements and ensure the most desirable learning outcomes.
Supportive Outreach Services (SOS) provide ABA based support in the community for parents and teachers. This practical hands on approach uses the science of ABA to help parents and teachers improve behaviour so that a child’s learning and independence can emerge. SOS services are individualized and often contain: a functional behaviour assessment, observations, formation of a positive behaviour support plan, parent/staff training and support, in home/school support during the implementation of strategies outlined in the support plan, and will also include maintenance and follow up to ensure success.
For more information about our Developmental Support Services contact our Programme Manager, Sloane Pharr directly at spharr@wellnesscentre.ky to arrange a free consultation.
The Wellness Centre has a long history of providing exceptional Employee Assistance Services / Corporate Wellness Training / HR Consultation to local companies, authorities and government departments committed to their employees’ wellbeing. Our corporate packages are designed uniquely for each organization after consultation with management. Packages typically include clinical services, corporate training, wellness lunch & learns, critical incident debriefing, HR consultation, and policy development and support.