• Provide tertiary (i.e. specialized) care in the hospital
• Provide specialized assessment and treatment for patients with a primary Mood Disorder (e.g., major depression, bipolar disorder)
  • Assessments can help to create an individualized treatment plan that considers your current challenges, strengths, values, goals, background, barriers, and situation.
•  Collaborate with the patient to engage in shared-decision making about treatment.
• Average length of stay: 45 days

• Referral must come from a psychiatrist
• Diagnosis of complex treatment refractory primary mood disorder or severe first episodes of a mood disorder of non-organic cause or substance induced.
• Multiple failed trials on medications at therapeutic levels (i.e., where medication dose has been optimized)
• Past admissions for the primary mood disorder
• Previous suitable admission to the Mood Disorders Inpatient Unit, where the primary discharge diagnosis was a mood disorder
• Person is suspected to have a primary mood disorder with associated risks and requires specialized assessment for diagnostic clarification

Exclusion Criteria

• Court/forensic order to undergo psychiatric assessment, admission or treatment
• Legal proceedings, civil or criminal, the outcome of which will be influenced by determination of psychiatric diagnosis or occurrence of a psychiatric admission
• Primary diagnosis of Acquired Brain Injury or Developmental Disorder

The recovery model of care adheres to principles such as:

• Client and family/caregiver centred-approach
• Holding hope
• Living meaningfully while managing symptoms
• Process of moving towards a satisfying level of social, personal, and occupational engagement
• Positive sense of self

• Medication
• Electroconvulsive Therapy
• Recreation Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Vocational Therapy
• Art Therapy
• CBT Informed Programming
  • Behavioural Activation
  • Psycho-education
  • Skills development
  • Self Exploration
• Trauma-Informed Practice. Our services are provided in ways that recognize the need for physical and emotional safety, as well as choice and control in decisions affecting one's treatment.

• 24 beds
• Private rooms with ensuite bathrooms
• 1 bariatric accessible room
• 1 seclusion room
• No Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
• Exercise room
• Computer rooms
• TV lounges
• Courtyard
• Group rooms
• Visitors’ lounge
• Laundry room
• Music room

• Art Therapist
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Clinical Manager
• Dietician
• Learners from all disciplines
• Nurse Practitioner
• Occupational Therapist
• Pharmacist
• Patient Peer Support Service Workers
• Psychologist
• Psychiatrists
• Recreation Therapists
• Registered Practical Nurses (RPN)
• Registered Nurses (RN)
• Social Workers
• Spiritual Care Chaplain
• Vocational Counsellor

• Mood Disorders Association of Ontario
• Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorders Society
• Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments
• National Institute of Mental Health
• International Society for Affective Disorders (ISAD)
• International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD)
• Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression (CAN-BIND)
• CREST.BD

“We all experience changes in our mood. Sometimes we feel energetic, full of ideas, or irritable, and other times we feel sad or down. But these moods usually don’t last long, and we can go about our daily lives. Depression and bipolar disorder are two mental illnesses that change the way people feel and make it hard for them to go about their daily routine.”

- Canadian Mental Health Association

Referrals to MTRC are processed by CONNECT, St. Joe’s centralized intake service for Mental Health and Addiction outpatient programs. Click here to access the Connect referral form.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

• Age 17+
• Suspected primary mood disorder

Exclusion criteria:

• Do not have a family doctor. If you do not have a family doctor, CONNECT will assist you with this.
• Asperger’s/Autism diagnosis with an IQ less than 75
  • See Developmental Dual Diagnosis Program for more suitable care options.
• Active primary substance abuse problem
  • See Concurrent Disorders Program, Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic, Men's Addiction Service Hamilton (MASH), and/or Womankind Addiction Service for more suitable care options.
• Primary diagnosis of anxiety
  • See Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic (ATRC) for more suitable care options.
• Schizophrenia or schizo-affective diagnosis
  • See Cleghorn Early Intervention Clinic and/or Schizophrenia & Community Integration Service (SCIS) for more suitable care options.
• Presentation of dementia-related cognitive decline
  • See Seniors Mental Health Service for more suitable care options.

MTRC Structure: The MTRC includes an interprofessional team that offer consultations and time-limited treatment.

MTRC Goals: Consultation and treatments at the MTRC are developed based on best-practice guidelines for mood disorders. Our objective is to work with patients to provide treatment recommendations to minimize the impact of mood symptoms and improve coping skills. Treatment at the MTRC involves data-informed-decision making, which means you will complete questionnaires to help monitor how treatment is going. Collaboratively, we determine timely adjustments of treatment or provide referrals to other options for care.

MTRC does not: Provide long-term follow-up, individual therapy, and we do not offer emergency or crisis service.

What care in the MTRC could look like:

• 1st visit (Rooming Visit): approximately 30 – 60 minutes in length, gather background information. This appointment will take place with a nurse.
• 2nd visit (Consultation): approximately 2 hours in length, determine symptoms being experienced, difficulties in functioning, patient strengths, and goals for treatment. Treatment recommendations are typically provided during this appointment. This appointment will take place with a nurse and psychiatrist or a psychologist.
• Treatment recommendations: may include medication suggestions, lifestyle changes, and/or group therapy at the MTRC, community resources, recommended readings, or referral to treatment at other mental health services at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

1st visit
Meeting to consider if a mood disorder may be present

2nd visit
Assessment for symptoms, diagnosis, patient goals, and treatment planning.
Recommendations may include new medication and referral for group therapy

CBT Group for Depression
(14 weeks)

Discharge from Clinic with Resources Available in the Community and Invitation to Attend Monthly Booster Groups at MTRC

Our groups are based on best-practice guidelines for the treatment of mood disorders. Many of our groups follow cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) principles. Groups at the MTRC are structured, goal-oriented, and emphasize the present rather than the past. Patients are taught strategies to better manage symptoms of depression and/or mania. During a typical session, patients will review what strategies they tried over the past week to address mood, then will be taught new skills. Each group involves practicing the skills taught in session and applying them to everyday life.

Sometimes patient’s share that the idea of group therapy is daunting at first, however, the group environment is often described as an unexpected aspect of treatment that is most helpful to patients. Groups provide both practical tools (i.e., psychoeducation) and social connection to others.

Psychotherapy is determined by client’s suitability and logical algorithms to determine the timing of the psychotherapy. Patient access it through internal referrals or review of external referrals when patients do not want medication treatment. The various therapies include: Patient’s Can Be Referred to:

• CBT Depression Group– external or internal referrals
• CBT for Bipolar Group– external or internal referrals
• Select additional group therapy options can be accessed through internal referrals such as behavioural activation, recreation therapy, art therapy, emotion regulation skills group.

Group therapy with the Mood Disorders Treatment and Research Clinic is: 
"A really amazing experience with considerate members and professional staff!"

Your care team is made up of a diverse group of mental health professionals, all with a unique and specific interest in the treatment and management of mood disorders.

As mood disorders are considered an illness, effective treatment requires an interdisciplinary team approach. Our dedicated team of health care professionals includes: psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, vocational counselors, recreational staff, student learners and research staff.

• Clinical Manager
• Administrative Staff
• Nurses
• Occupational Therapists
• Psychiatrists
• Psychologists
• Recreation Therapists
• Research Staff
• Research Coordinator
• Social Workers
• Student Learners
• Vocational Counselors

Program Director:
Dr. Randi McCabe
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 36266

Medical Director:
Dr. Maiko Schneider
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 35448

Academic Director:
Dr. Benicio Frey
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 33605

Program Manager:
Sharon Simons
Tel: 905-522-1155 ext. 36738

• St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton - Patient and Family Collaborative Services
• St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton - Peer Support Group
• CREST.BD
• Mood Disorders Association of Ontario
• Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorders Society
• Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments
• National Institute of Mental Health
• Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression (CAN-BIND)
• Wellness Together Canada
• Canadian Mental Health Association - Mood Disorders
• International Society for Affective Disorders (ISAD)
• CANMAT - CHOICE-D Patient and Family Guide to Depression Treatment
• Bipolar Family Guide
• MoodFx
  • An interactive app to help people with depression and low mood feel better.

As a premier academic and research healthcare organization, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton is committed to making a difference in people’s lives and creating a lasting future for our community through integrated health services and internationally recognized programs. Our threefold mission is to provide dynamic research, revolutionary methods in health sciences education, and the highest standard of clinical care with an ethos of compassion.

The success of St. Joseph’s Hamilton Healthcare’s current clinical program is mirrored by our ongoing research activities that further our abilities to treat patients safely and effectively. The vision of St. Joseph’s has been firmly laid in innovation and cutting edge research. We see research into the causes and treatments of mood disorders as a central part of our program’s mission.

We continuously evaluate our programs for research purposes and to ensure the quality of the services we deliver are meeting patient needs. Various components of the program are evaluated in terms of satisfaction on a rotating basis.

The Mood Disorders Program also continues to reach out to community partners to offer educational opportunities in the form of workshops, courses, and rounds for both professionals and individuals affected by mood disorders. Our faculty members are active teachers in McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, teaching both medical students and residents. We are closely linked with the new Centre for Clinical Neurosciences.

 For more information about SJHH studies that are currently recruiting participants visit the Research Institute of St. Joseph's Hamilton website or visit the following social media pages for Dr. Benicio Frey’s Biomac lab:

Contact Taylor, Research Assistant, at tloucks@stjoes.ca or 905-522-1155 ext. 33246 to learn more about participating

• Prevent relapse
• Support continued practice of the skills learned

In order to participate, you need to be set up with a MyDovetale account, have internet access and a device that will support video calls. If you are not yet set up with MyDovetale please contact Lisa LeBlanc, Group Therapy Coordinator, for assistance.

There are a limited number of participant spaces, and you can reserve your space no sooner than one month before the group you wish to join. 

Leave a message for Lisa at 905-522-1155, ext. 36372 

Please provide the following information: 

1. Your name (please spell) and date of birth
2. Inform that you are registering for Booster group on ‘give date’
3. Whether you require assistance ‘on-boarding’ MyDovetale & the apps

Sessions are held on Thursdays once a month from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

• January 4, 2024
• February 1, 2024
• March 7, 2024
• April 4, 2024
• May 2, 2024
• June 6, 2024
• July 4, 2024
• August 1, 2024
• September 5, 2024
• October 3, 2024
• November 7, 2024
• December 5, 2024