We at Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy are overjoyed and deeply honoured to share this exciting news with you. We won the Provincial Nurse Innovator Award! Congrats to our fantastic and enthusiastic team!
Our clinic, located in Peterborough, has been acknowledged by the Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario for its innovative approach to mental health care. This award celebrates our commitment to compassionate and professional excellence and is a significant milestone that reinforces our dedication to transforming the healthcare landscape.
The Nurse Innovator Award
Through its charitable endeavours, the Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario fortifies nurses like us with the financial support necessary to bring our innovative visions to life. Their awards and scholarships empower us to pursue breakthroughs in care that ultimately benefit the entire community. The foundation’s support and opportunities fuel our collective aspirations, nurturing the health and wellness of communities across Ontario.
This year’s award ceremony, hosted by CBC’s Mary Ito, recognized five nursing projects for their innovative approaches. Alongside our peers, we were honoured not just for our unique model of mental health care but also for the potential our project has to influence the healthcare sector further positively. The financial support that accompanies this award will aid us in expanding our reach and enhancing the impact of our work.
For these reasons, we are proud to be the recipients of this year’s Nurse Innovator Award, a testament to our team’s commitment to thinking differently and leading with heart in the nursing field. We understand that it is a great honour, which comes with a great responsibility. We will try to exceed the expectations. Our team will turn this award into a motivation to push our limits even harder and continue to make even bigger changes in this field.
How it all started and where we stand today
Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy opened in October in the Be Well Centre at 459 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. As of today, it is Canada’s only psychotherapy clinic staffed exclusively by nurses. When our founder, Sheena Howard, saw the need for mental health care outstripping the capacity of her private practice, she knew something had to change. We couldn’t bear to turn away those who reached out for help. Thus, Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy was born from a need to keep our doors open to everyone to ensure no call for help went unanswered.
This award is a great inspiration for our team. It proves to us that our efforts are always well-spent. We didn’t like how things worked and wanted to make a difference by creating a love-led, understanding environment where everyone was accepted and listened to. We will use this opportunity to help more patients and make an impact in this field.
Our Mission
Our mission is both a promise and an aspiration: “By 2033, we aim to ensure that every individual, couple, or family seeking our help can access mental health care.” This vision is anchored in a philosophy of love-led leadership—a creed that inspires us to be curious, have faith in our abilities, and embrace the differences that make our team and clients unique.
“love-led leadership” is a principle that goes beyond traditional management; it’s about steering our practice with compassion and empathy, not just for our clients but also our team. This leadership style empowers us to meet challenges creatively and approach every situation with an open mind and heart. It is how we maintain a nurturing environment for our staff and those we serve.
Long way to Go
Achieving our main goal requires us to be innovative and proactive, continuously learning and adapting to the ever-evolving field of mental health care. We understand that to remain at the forefront of our field, we must embrace changes and challenges as they come, viewing them not as obstacles but as pathways to better service and care.
The diversity of experiences and backgrounds of our team is our greatest strength. Our varied perspectives foster an environment where unconventional ideas flourish, leading to more holistic and effective approaches to care. We are committed to upholding this inclusive culture as it is essential to the fabric of our identity and the care we provide.
Final Thoughts
To get here, we’ve worked hard and dedicated ourselves wholeheartedly. We’ve seen the profound impact that accessible, nurse-led psychotherapy can have on individuals and communities. With this award and its financial support, we are poised to expand our services and reach even more people in need. This gives us hope for a future where mental health care is within reach for all.
As we celebrate this special occasion, we remain focused on our mission. The recognition from the Provincial Nurse Innovator Award does not signify an end but a beginning. It is an invitation to continue pushing the boundaries and to persist in our efforts to provide exceptional mental health care. At Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy, we are more committed than ever to using this opportunity to help more people, deepen our impact, and ultimately achieve our goal of making mental health care accessible to all who need it.
