Programs & Registration

All of the programs at Sheena’s Place are free of charge, group-based, and professionally facilitated. Our programs are currently offered online as videoconferencing sessions, hosted on Zoom for Healthcare. Once it is safe to do so, we plan to return some programs to our physical location in Toronto, ON, and we will also continue to offer programs online.

Our groups run in 4 seasons throughout the year: winter, spring, summer and fall, and we also offer some specialty programming in December. We release a new program calendar each season, and there is a set registration date each season.

In order to participate in our online groups, you will need:

• A confidential space (ie. a private room where no one else can see or hear the group session)
• High speed internet access
• A free Zoom account
• Access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone
• A mic and webcam (cameras must be on in order to participate)

Our Guide to Getting Started With Online Groups has more information about getting ready for an online group. Please note that invitations for online groups will be sent out via email one hour prior to each scheduled session.

Please contact Sheena’s Place if you would like to participate in groups but do not have access to the required equipment. Click here for information about access to technology, and to learn more about accessibility at Sheena’s Place.

For a list of our current programs, please see our Program Calendar.

Our groups are available to anyone:

• Aged 17+,
• Living in Ontario (groups must be accessed from a location within Ontario),
• Who has lived experience of an eating disorder/disordered eating.
• No formal eating disorder diagnosis or referral is required to participate.
• Some groups may be designed for participants within a specific demographic (eg. BIPOC Support). The program calendar will note any specific eligibility criteria.

For confidentiality reasons, we do not allow observers to participate in our groups . If you are a family member, friend, or partner of someone with an eating disorder, you are welcome to register for groups in the “Caregivers & Loved Ones” category. Caregivers and loved ones are not permitted to register for any other groups. If you are both a caregiver and someone with lived experience, you can contact Sheena’s Place to discuss which type of group would best meet your needs at this time.

People of all ages, genders, races and ethnicities, and body shapes and sizes attend our support groups, and we welcome participants at all stages of their journey. This includes folks who think they may have an eating disorder but are unsure, those who have a diagnosis and need additional support, and those who are in recovery but would benefit from ongoing support.

We currently offer 5 different types of groups:

Support Groups: Support groups offer participants the opportunity to share their stories and help each other in an informal setting. Groups are led by a professional facilitator and are guided by the philosophy that individuals are the experts of their own experience. These groups are semi-structured; the majority of the session will be spend discussing themes raised by group members. Facilitators may offer information but do not bring specific learning material for these sessions. For many, this is the first step in moving from isolation to becoming part of a community and feeling a sense of belonging.

Skill-Building Groups: Skill-building groups are structured groups that focus on learning new skills for coping, reducing harm, and creating change. A variety of evidence-based modalities are used and the goal of these groups is to give participants the tools to make desired changes if and when they are ready.

Expressive Arts Groups: Expressive arts groups give participants the opportunity to explore experiences and express feelings through various art mediums, including: painting, drawing, writing, music, textile arts, and collage. Please click here to see some of the artwork created by our group members.

Body Image and Movement Groups: Body image and movement groups provide opportunities for participants to explore their relationship to the body, and invite a more nurturing and connected mind-body experience. In our movement groups, such as Gentle Yoga, participants will have the opportunity to explore nurturing and gentle movement to support wellbeing. In our psychoeducational body image groups, participants will have the opportunity to learn new ways to manage body image distress and shift towards body-liberation.

Nutrition Groups: Nutrition groups are structured groups that focus on developing knowledge and skills for nourishing the body and increasing comfort in the kitchen. Most of our nutrition programs offer a combination of practical cooking and food preparation skills, as well as education about food and nutrition and psychoeducation. Cooking demonstrations are a regular element of our nutrition programs.

Sheena’s Place also offers workshops and recreational programs. Our workshops are single or multi-session programs that explore a variety of topics. Our recreational programs aim to decrease isolation and the stresses of daily living through fun, social connection, and community building with others.

Our groups are open to participants at all different stages of their journey, and with any eating disorder behaviours/symptoms*. We have a set of guidelines that support us with creating a space that is welcoming of folks from all walks of life, and that supports recovery-oriented conversations. Click here to read our Participant Agreement and Group Guidelines.

*Some groups may be designed to serve folks experiencing specific symptoms. This will be clearly marked in the program calendar, as will any exceptions to our typical language guidelines.

Check out this blog post to learn more about our language guidelines.

You will notice that each program in our seasonal calendar has a specific group code. Below is a description of what each code means:

• D – Drop-In Group: Drop-in groups provide our most flexible participation option. There is no limit to the number of people who can register for our drop-in groups (ie. no waitlist). Participants will join each session on a first-come-first-served basis, up to a pre-determined number of participants. As a result, a spot in the group is not guaranteed every week. Registrants of drop-in groups are not required to contact Sheena’s Place if they are unable to attend a session. No one will be removed from these groups as a result of absences. Basically, you register once for the season and you can join if and when you want to!
• O – Open Groups: Participants can register at any time during the season, space allowing. Waitlisted folks will be brought in off the waitlist if participants withdraw. Participants are asked to report anticipated absences in their Participant Portal (under “Upcoming Activities”). If a registered participant misses 2 sessions in a row without reporting these absences in advance, they will be removed from the group in order to make space for a waitlisted participant.
• C – Closed Groups: Closed groups tend to be groups where content builds week-to-week. New members do not join closed groups following the third session. Participants who miss the first 2 sessions are removed from the group so that waitlisted individuals can be invited to join. Participants are asked to report anticipated absences in their Participant Portal (under “Upcoming Activities”). If a registered participant misses 2 sessions in a row without reporting these absences in advance, they will be removed from the group.
• WS – Workshops: Workshops are single or multi-session programs exploring special topics that change seasonally. If you register for a workshop but are no longer able to attend, please remove yourself from the workshop on your participant portal, in order to make space for waitlisted participants.

Our Program Registrar is Rhys Castro. You can reach Rhys at rcastro@sheenasplace.org, or 416-927-8900 x 100.

Registration is required for all of our groups and workshops, including drop-in programs. Participants can register at any time throughout the season, space allowing. However, Open and Closed groups tend to fill up quickly. In order to get into your preferred groups, we recommend registering on the designated registration date.

• • Seasonal registration: Our groups run in 4 seasons throughout the year: winter, spring, summer and fall. We also offer some specialty programming in December. We release a new program calendar each season, and there is a set registration date each season.
  • Each group has a maximum number of participants and groups are filled on a first come, first-served basis. Waitlists do not carry over from previous seasons.
  • Participants may register for a maximum of two open or closed groups per season and unlimited drop-in groups.

Step 1 – Attend an Infosession

If you are interested in accessing services at Sheena’s Place we encourage you to first attend one of our Infosessions, which are offered monthly.

Click here to register and learn more about our Infosessions.

Step 2 – Review our current program calendar 

Every season, Sheena’s Place puts together a Program Calendar which lists the groups that will be offered in that particular season. Each season, we bring back groups from past seasons and introduce new groups based on participant feedback, financial resources, and facilitator availability. You can learn more about group dates and times by taking a look at our program calendar.

*Please note that if you are hoping to register for a group in the middle of a running season, it is likely that a group of your choice may be at full capacity. If that is the case, you are welcome to join the waitlist and attend one of our Drop-In support groups as an alternative. To learn more about our Drop-In support groups, click on the “Understanding Group Codes” tab above.

Step 3 – Create an account

Sheena’s Place has switched to a new registration platform Gnosis. All new and returning group members will need to set up a new profile on this system.

• If you are a returning Sheena’s Place group member, you must click the link that was sent to your email to set up your profile.
• If you are new to Sheena’s Place, click here to set up your profile.

Please note that the account must be created by the participant themselves. For confidentiality and liability reasons, accounts cannot be created by parents, friends, or health care providers of the individual who will be accessing our services.

To complete your account registration, you will be asked to review and agree to our Participant Agreement and Group Guidelines waiver. This is a mandatory requirement for participation in programming at Sheena’s Place. Click here to review the Participant Agreement and Group Guidelines document.

Upon creating your account, please list the address from which you will be participating in groups. In accordance with our Participant Agreement and Group Guidelines, your address must remain up to date throughout your participation in our group sessions.

 Step 4 – Join a group

To register for a group, please log in to your personal registration account. After logging in, select “Group Registration” on the right hand side. Scroll down to select a group of your choice.

Fall 2024 Program Calendar + Weekly Calendar View

Previous Program Calendars