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About Us

Location

Toronto Western Hospital
Main Pavilion – 7th Floor


Contact

Clinic

Phone: 416 603 5106
Email: depression.centre@uhn.ca


Referral

Phone: 416 603 5025
Fax: 416 603 5215
Email: cmhcentralintake@uhn.ca

Hours

Monday – Friday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

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Location

Contact

Hours

Location

Contact

Hours

Location

Contact

Hours


Referrals

Referrals for this clinic are processed by UHN's Centre for Mental Health Central Intake Referral system. Submit the completed form via fax (416 603 5215). The form will be reviewed to ensure that it is complete; if incomplete, the form will be returned to you. Please note that only physicians may send a referral.

After you have referred your patient, our admin team will contact the patient directly with the appointment information. Information about the appointment will also be sent to your office as per the CPSO guidelines.

Who is eligible?

Patients whose primary reason for referral is a diagnosis of depression or bipolar disorder.

Our Psychopharmacology Unit accepts referrals for consultations, diagnostic clarification and research studies/clinical trials. The unit is unable to provide cognitive assessments, treatment for patients suffering head injuries or neuropsychiatric disorders without co-morbid depression (such as sleep disorder, epilepsy, lupus, stroke or MS) or individuals seeking referral exclusively for anger management.

Unfortunately, due to limited resources, we cannot accept referrals involving active litigation (including but not limited to MVAs and WSIB), consultations for the purpose of submitting information for immigration-related issues, disability applications or forensic assessments. Additionally, referrals primarily concerning ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or developmental delay will not be accepted. Contact our central referral intake office if you are unsure as to whether or not a referral is appropriate.

Please note that clinic appointments may be virtual visits. The clinic team will let you know what type of appointment is appropriate for your care. Learn more about virtual visits at UHN »

What We Do

The Poul Hansen Family Centre for Depression is UHN's clinic specializing in depression and mood disorders treatment. Our aim is for those with depression or mood disorders to be treated directly within the walls of the Centre, to ensure patients are not required to travel elsewhere in the hospital or to our other sites for their depression appointments or services. Our team will help guide you from the moment you step through our doors to ensure you receive​ the support you need throughout your journey.

The overall goal of our Centre is to provide you with care, as soon as you need it.​

Health Information

Materials and Resources to Help You

Resources from the Patient & Family Education Program PDF Icon

* These material(s) are also available in other languages.

Service Navigation

Crisis Resources

Interpretation and Multilingual Services

Free Walk-in Counselling

Self-Guided Mental Health Resources

  • BounceBack Ontario
    Receive free workbooks on specific mental health issues (e.g., anxiety, depression) and receive telephone coaching.
  • Togetherall
    Free guided skill-building courses and online anonymous peer support.
  • Mind Over Mood by Greenberger & Padesky
    CBT workbook.
  • Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn & Nhat Hanh
    Mindfulness meditation.
  • Smartphone Applications (may have costs associated)
    Headspace; Simple Habit; Calm; What's Up; Self-Help Anxiety Management; Mindshift; PTSD Coach Canada.

Ongoing OHIP-covered or Free Individual or Group Psychotherapy

Private Therapy

  • Have private insurance or workplace benefits? Check to see if you have coverage for psychotherapy (coverage to meet with a social worker, psychotherapist, psychologist, or mental health counsellor).
  • Check if your workplace has an Employment Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Some ways to find private practitioners:
    Greenspace
    Psychology Today
    Psychotherapy Matters​

Our Team

Meet Our Team

Scientific Director and Medical Lead

  • Dr. Daphne Voineskos

Senior Clinical Manager

  • Marla Kaye

Staff Physicians

  • Dr. Venkat Bhat, MD, MSc, FRCPC, DABPN
  • Dr. Sidney Kennedy, MD, FRCPC
  • Dr. Rodrigo Mansur, MD, PhD
  • Dr. Roger McIntyre, MD, FRCPC
  • Dr. Joshua Rosenblat, MD, MSc, FRCPC
  • Dr. Rickinder Sethi, MD, FRCPC
  • Dr. Gerasimos Konstantinou, MD, MSc
  • Dr. Daphne Voineskos, MD, PhD, FRCPC​

What We Offer

How We Can Help

Pharmacology

The Psychopharmacology Unit is a centre of excellence in the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and management of adults with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. We provide diagnostic opinions and management recommendations for patients with mood disorders who are receiving treatment or who are chronically ill.

Our clinic has a particular interest in developing novel medication strategies for people who suffer from these conditions.

We continue to accept referrals for medication consultations which will be completed by virtual visits.

Please note that we do not provide prescriptions for cannabis.

Our research is recognized around the world for helping to improve the way mood disorders are diagnosed and treated.

rTMS

Our clinic offers treatment for major depressive disorder and several other psychiatric disorders where medications have been unsuccessful, using a non-invasive form of brain stimulation known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).

rTMS is a Health Canada-approved treatment for major depression and works by directly stimulating areas of the brain that are underactive or overactive, gradually returning them to healthy patterns of activity. To stimulate the brain, rTMS uses powerful, focused magnetic field pulses that are applied using a magnetic coil placed against the scalp, over the target brain region.

When applied repeatedly, these pulses can strengthen or weaken the connections between neurons, known as synapses. The long-lasting changes in neural connections can achieve lasting changes in brain activity, reversing the abnormal patterns associated with depression.

Psychotherapy

We provide short-term psychotherapy for individuals who are receiving treatment in our Centre. Psychotherapy is offered primarily in a group setting. We will assess patients for individual therapy as needed.

Types of therapy offered:

We provide support with navigation of the health care system which includes helping you become connected with community resources and supports, or supports in our Centre.

Please note: For psychotherapy services, we only accept internal referrals from psychiatrists of the Poul Hansen Family Centre for Depression.​

Research and Education

Understanding Depression and Other Mood Disorders

Research fuels our high-quality patient care, as the Poul Hansen Family Centre for Depression works to better understand depression and other mood disorders. Our team is involved in developing novel, innovative and multi-disciplinary research to improve treatments for patients, as well as communicating that work to patients and care providers so they better understand the subject of depression and different approaches to care.

Annually, we host a Friends and Family Day event, an opportunity to share information and provide mental health and wellness support to those in attendance. The event is designed for individuals who have experienced symptoms of depression as well as the care providers and close family and friends in their lives. Experienced staff discuss a range of informative topics from cutting-edge research to practical ways to improve your mental health. Recent presentations include:

 
Discussion of common depression medications and their side effects, addressing common queries from patients and families.
Medications in Focus: Navigating Depression Treatment
 
Examine the fundamentals of depression in an informative psychoeducation session. What characterizes and triggers this mental health disorder? Includes an overview of the Centre's programs, illustrating the diverse care pathways navigated by our patients and their families.
Understanding Depression: Foundations & Hope

 
Gain quick, tangible skills from various therapeutic modalities, enhancing empowerment and providing participants with valuable takeaways.
Empowering Transition: Tools for Practical Wellness
 
An overview of the history, development and effectiveness of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), which involves a series of short magnetic pulses directed to the brain to stimulate nerve cells.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Brain Stimulation and rTMS​
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