BOARD MEMBERS 2023-2024
Gabriel Larose, President
Tommy Léger, Vice President
Maribelle Silveira, Treasurer
Lucie Bissonnette, Secretary
Ammielle Bouchard, Administrator
Julie Gendron, Administrator
Jean-François Larose, Administrator
Team
Sandra Robert, director
Martha Bois, administrative support
Stephanie Baril, psychoeducator
ABOUT US
Le Versant was created by a team of volunteers who understood that mutual aid was the secret to managing anxiety. Since the beginning, at least 90 volunteers have given of their time and energy to either facilitate workshops or to sit on the Board of Directors which has helped the organization grow substantially over the years. They helped more than 2300 participants and led more than 300 groups. At least 20 volunteers are present each year to listen and to share their experience with those who are ready to address their anxiety disorders.
WHO WE ARE
Workshops inspired by those offered in Montreal by the organization La Clé des Champs, were introduced in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region in the early 2000s by a social worker from the CLSC La Presqu'Île, Mireille Demers.
Among the participants of the first workshops, some became facilitators to future groups thereby becoming peer helpers. Guy Francoeur, a CLSC community organizer, gathered and supported these volunteer facilitators and soon the workshops multiplied. After a few years, the group of volunteer facilitators became independent from the CLSC. Le Versant, réseau d'entraide pour les personnes souffrant de troubles anxieux, was created as a non-profit organization registered under Part 3 of the Quebec Companies Act, on June 8, 2008.
The first Board of Directors was formed by Jean-Marc Bouchard and his team: Marc-André Rioux, Anne Lasnier, Chiarina Mossa, Annie Rozon, Line Handfield and Chantal Besner. In 2010, Chantal became president of the newly founded organization and remained as such until 2016 where Julie Reid succeeded her for three years. It should be noted that Line Handfield was responsible for the facilitators and workshops, and sat on the Board since the founding of Le Versant until June 2022.
WHAT WE OFFER
Our workshops bring together a maximum of 8-10 adults and are led by two facilitators who have already participated in the workshops and have learned to manage their anxiety. We offer :
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Three workshop sessions per year, Spring, Fall and Winter.
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Regular workshops for adults take place over 10 weeks consisting of a 2 hour meeting per week. The intensive workshops are held in two days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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The groups are closed and reorganized again each session.
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The workshops are offered either in person or by videoconference,
in French or English (when possible). -
We use the cognitive-behavioral approach, problem-solving
technique, breathing and relaxation techniques. -
Our services are free. However, to attend our adult workshops, a
participant must pay $25 to $30 for the workbook and $10 for the
annual membership fee. -
A workshop for parents who have children suffering from anxiety is scheduled once a year, in French.
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A workshop in nature is offered in French, from September to May for children between 5 and 11 years old.
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We created a workshop for teenagers helping them « surf their
anxiety » with assistance from their parents. -
We are collaborating with Centre de services scolaire des
Trois-Lacs to offer special workshops for children in elementary school to help them learn to deal with their anxiety.
Le Versant is a member of
