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This post was originally posted on Blogger November 3, 2024.

On August 11, 2024, I wrote a blog post about Bounce Back, a Canadian Mental Health Association program that helps people with mild to moderate depression and anxiety develop healthy coping mechanisms. I signed up, and last week I had my first Bounce Back coaching appointment.

The first appointment covers administrative details like confidentiality, information sharing with your doctor, and how the program works. The only requirement for Bounce Back is having a family physician, as your coach will share your progress with them. You can self-refer, but a doctor is necessary, as the program includes updating them on your progress.

Bounce Back has been in British Columbia for 15 years and is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) based program. You complete mailed workbooks and then review them with your coach.

During the introductory appointment, your coach also emails you an information package summarizing the call, along with questionnaires to establish a baseline and the first workbook, which helps set goals for subsequent booklets. My coach has a preferred order for working through the initial books.

The phone call with my coach lasted only 15-20 minutes, but it was packed with information.

We scheduled my first "official" coaching session for today to discuss the questionnaires and my answers in the first workbook.

I look forward to sharing my progress and thoughts about this program in future blog posts.