Small Business Spotlight: Spacious Mind Counselling

After moving to Canada in 2014, Shane worked in children’s mental health, autism services, and addiction treatment before opening his own therapy centre in Guelph. What began as a solo practice has since evolved into a team of 15 therapists offering support for adults, youth, children, couples, and families through a wide range of services, including walk and talk therapy. “As I got busy myself I started to take on other therapists who shared similar skills and life experiences and from this Spacious Mind Counselling grew into what I consider to be an awesome group of people who are committed to providing down to earth, easy to access, no BS therapy to people who want to cope better, learn about themselves and grow,” Shane shared.

As the business continued to grow following the pandemic, Shane recognized that the way people accessed mental health support had fundamentally changed. While reopening in-person services in Guelph was important, many clients wanted the flexibility to continue online therapy or move between both formats depending on their schedules and comfort levels. To help strengthen the business’s online presence and better connect with clients, Spacious Mind Counselling participated in the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) through Digital Main Street in 2023.

“The experience was fantastic,” said Shane. “I got solid advice and guidance on how to improve our online presence and how to grow and build a connection with the people we serve online.”

Through the CDAP program and grant, Spacious Mind Counselling invested in SEO support, marketing expertise, and social media strategy to increase visibility and make therapy services more accessible to people across Ontario. The team also focused on improving the user experience of their website and online booking tools to reduce barriers for new clients seeking support. “Through the program I learnt that having a sustained and ongoing digital (strategy) is hugely important to maintaining connection with the clients we serve,” Shane explained. “Having an easy to use website that shares important information around mental health acts as an entry point for potential clients who may want to learn more about us before booking an appointment.”

The impact was significant. Increased online visibility helped new clients discover the practice, while the hybrid model of care allowed clients to access therapy in ways that fit their lives. Many clients now move seamlessly between in-person and online sessions, helping make mental health support more flexible and accessible.“We reopened our physical offices in Guelph but we also saw that many people wanted to continue with online therapy,” Shane shared. “Some people wanted to come to the office for a session or two and then transition to online therapy as it suited their lifestyle not having to drive to our office.”

Today, Spacious Mind Counselling continues to expand its digital presence while growing the educational resources available through its website. Looking ahead, Shane and his team hope to continue sharing accessible mental health information online while supporting even more people across Ontario through both virtual and in-person care.“We believe in sharing resources and information with people who are seeking mental health support through our website and we hope to continue to grow this offering,” said Shane. “Having a digital strategy to manage how we present information to the public is important to us in achieving this goal.”