To help tackle a difficult topic with the unseen struggles regarding mental health, the Maliya Wellness Centre hopes to offer care for women, teens, and children in the community.
As a collaborative care centre in Cochrane, the organization provides psychology, naturopathic medicine, massage, chiropractic, and several other services to help support health and wellness.
Over the last 14 months, the local facility has made the decision to expand services to accommodate the mental health needs of women, teens and children specifically. Yet with six mental health professionals on their team, Maliya Wellness still cannot meet the demands of the community.
Founder and owner of Maliya Wellness Centre, Lori Bean, said when the centre first opened in Feburary 2022, they were not expecting to see an overwhelming number of individuals experiencing stress and distress in the community, especially with the post-pandemic transition back to normalcy.
From mothers who were overwhelmed during the pandemic, to teens and children who are returning to “normal” after a period of prolonged upheaval, Bean said in Cochrane and all over the world, there is still a need to address these topics.
“There are not [enough] resources available,” Bean argued. “There is some free care, but there’s this huge waiting list, and if children and women are experiencing severe issues, that care isn’t available.”
With the topic of mental health not being addressed enough in Bean’s mind, she cannot believe the number of women and children who don’t step forward to get the help they need.
“I just don’t think we as a society, never mind Cochrane, are realizing the impact that this had on the generation right now and on moms,” Bean said. “It’s so distressing the trauma that’s emerged from this time, and we don’t talk about it, we don’t really see it in the papers, and I just think it’s lacking in being addressed.”
With a variety of modalities to support the treatment of trauma, Bean said the clinic works to identify how to best treat those suffering with mental health challenges. From talk therapy, to biodynamic craniosacral therapy, to acupuncture, and even creating comprehensive care plans, she said there is a lot of attention required to support those who may be suffering from mental health concerns.
For anyone who feels hesitant about seeking professional help for their mental health, Bean strongly advises to not ignore the problem and seek help.
“There’s someone here that you can talk to, to normalize what’s going on with you, and dive deeper into the possibilities for care,” she said. “We all have those feelings and moments in time, but it shouldn’t be affecting your everyday life.
“If this is showing up in a way where it’s impeding you from living, functioning, having relationships, and being the best version of yourself, take time to come in and talk to somebody to what’s going on. Maybe you think it's a mental health issue, but maybe it's a hormonal issue and we just need the support of a team of specialized practitioners and therapists to figure out what's really going on."
For more information about the Maliya Wellness Centre, please visit their website www.maliya.ca or by calling 403-981-9868.
