For over a decade, the Centre for Family Equity (CFE) has heard from members about a critical and persistent gap: the lack of accessible, trauma-informed mental health support for low-income parents—particularly survivors of intimate partner violence navigating the family law system. Our community’s experiences are echoed in our research with the UBC School of Social Work and supported by the findings of our legal aid charter challenge for survivors.

In response, CFE launched Healing Forward in 2023—an innovative, evidence-based mental health support program for parents and caregivers impacted by intimate partner and family violence. With the support of funders and partners, we’ve expanded Healing Forward into an inclusive, accessible online program designed to provide low-barrier access for survivors in rural, remote, and underserved regions of BC.

What Healing Forward Offers

Healing Forward is a two-part online program facilitated by registered clinical counsellors (RCCs) and designed to help participants heal, rebuild, and connect after experiencing violence and separation.

Part 1: Therapeutic Workshop Series

This first phase includes six group therapeutic workshops delivered online every other week over three months. Topics include:

• Emotional regulation and nervous system grounding techniques

• Communication and coping strategies for high-conflict situations

• Building supportive social connections after trauma

• Parenting strategies during transitions

• Self-empowerment and advocacy

• Goal-setting and future planning

Workshops are designed to be practical, supportive, and culturally safe, helping participants gain skills and confidence to navigate complex life transitions.

Part 2: Peer Support Circles

Following the workshops, participants are invited to join a series of peer-led support circles, facilitated by trained peer facilitators. These monthly online sessions are offered over three months and include:

• Practice and reflection on workshop content

• Opportunities for role-play and real-life application

• Supportive space for sharing progress and challenges

• Ongoing connection with peers navigating similar experiences

Who Can Join

Healing Forward is currently open to women and gender-diverse parents and caregivers who:

• Have separated from a partner

• Are impacted by intimate partner or family violence

• Are navigating BC’s family law system

• Face low income and limited access to mental health support

Each cohort welcomes up to 12 participants to ensure a supportive group environment. Our next cohort began in late April 2025, and demand is high.

How to Sign Up

If you’re interested in joining Healing Forward or receiving updates about future cohorts, please sign up for our waitlist and cohort alerts here. Front-line workers and service providers are also welcome to sign up to refer clients and receive program updates.

Questions? Contact Viveca Ellis at [email protected].

How Healing Forward Was Built

A Program Grounded in Research and Community Voice

Healing Forward was developed in 2023 in response to findings from our Justice at Work for Lone Mothers in BC study with UBC (2021–2024) on the impact of the pandemic, which documented deep barriers to mental health care for low-income lone mothers, especially those affected by gender-based violence. The program initially offered in-person support in Vancouver and explored a nature-based therapeutic model in partnership with Human Nature Counselling.

In spring 2024, with the financial support of UBC, we conducted focus groups and evaluation with past participants to further co-develop the program's structure and ensure it reflects the real-world needs of survivors.

Program Growth and Future Vision

Thanks to generous support from the UBC Community-University Engagement Support Fund and BC’s Civil Forfeiture Crime Prevention and Remediation Grant Program, we expanded Healing Forward to reach more families across the province through 2024.

In 2025, we will double our capacity—offering three cohorts at a time—and aim to reach our goal of six cohorts annually to meet rising demand.

Help Us Grow

We are seeking additional support to sustain and expand Healing Forward to reach every parent in need—no matter where they live in BC. If you are a funder, policymaker, or partner organization interested in supporting trauma-informed, parent-centered mental health programming, we would love to connect.

Together, we can ensure that healing is possible, accessible, and equitable.