More mental health options for people in Windsor.
Pure Mentality Mental Wellness Boutique, located at 871 Ottawa Street, has announced they're growing and expanding.
Since 2020, the rise in mental health concerns, specifically for children and youth, has become a great concern in the community.
Pure Mentality set out to try and meet the need for affordable and accessible mental health services in 2021, and staff say they've outgrown their space twice since opening.
They now have their location right on the corner, as well as a new space in the same building but located in Unit 160.
Pure Mentality is looking to build a community to raise awareness and encourage conversations around mental health by providing a platform that supports mental wellness, mental health and self-care.
They have a growing staff of mental health and holistic practitioners provide affordable counselling services with no wait list, specializing in children, youth and all adults, practicing through a trauma-informed lens.
Windsor-West MP Brian Masse and Ward 4 city councillor Mark McKenzie came out to the opening on Friday to show their support.
Founded by Erika Pozzuoli, along with Bianca Stefina, which originally started out of Pozzuoli's basement.
Pozzuoli is a registered social worker, who after working for 10 years in the non-profit sector, opted to open her own practice which specializes in self-care and holistic practices.
She says finishing up Mental Health Awareness month was a good time to announce this and remind the community.
"And that we are going to try the best that we can to meet the need in the community. I do have big dreams, someone asked me what happens when you're full with these practitioners? And I said I guess we grow again. The goal is to just continue to provide service for as long as I can," she said.
Pozzuoli says they offer affordable and accessible services ranging from counselling, group therapy, partner therapy, children and youth, and behaviour management.
Additionally, they're also opening a wellness gym in the new location which will offer jazzercise, yoga, and meditation.
Pure Mentality will also have time slots for the various services every single day.
"We also offer all of our services on a pay scale, so an affordable pay scale for individuals in the community who may have very few benefits or no benefits at all. We try and do our best to service them. And then we're also bringing on holistic practitioners, so reiki, mindfulness, meditation, sound healing, all kinds of things for body, mind and soul," Pozzuoli said.
Pozzuoli says it was great to have local politicians come out to show their support for what they're doing.
"We're really excited to have their support, they were so kind. They're very excited to see it grow, the BIA on Ottawa Street is excited to have us here. In this area there's huge foot traffic and there's so many families so we're excited to be where we're at."
Pozzuoli is also an ambassador for mental health with the Canadian Mental Health Association, Windsor-Essex County Branch's Sole Focus Project and partners with community agencies to build unique programming and services around client needs.
Pure Mentality is holding a family friendly event to celebrate this afternoon, taking place from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Logos being put on the new location on Friday morning (Photo taken by AM800's Aaron Mahoney)