Denise Dewar
providing programs and support to families in rural and remote areas
Life can be messy - you don't need to do it alone!
About Denise
Denise Dewar has been providing support services, in both group and individual sessions, to a variety of clients since 1990. She has been facilitating community programs with adults and their children since 2000. She has experience with culturally appropriate programs in urban and rural communities as well as those with specific risk factors; she is knowledgeable in the principles of trauma informed care and in all instances services are responsive to the Individuals and the particular community that she is working in.
Customized Programs
In addition to training and expertise in the specific programs highlighted below, Denise has experience developing community specific, and online, programs that meet the variety of needs of individuals and families. She understands working with diverse groups with attention to Adult Learning Theory. She has Essential Skills training, as well as experience working with ASL and EAL Learners.
Parenting Support
Parenting Programs
Family Learning Programs
Family Learning Programs
Denise is an experienced facilitator with certification in a variety of parenting programs.
Parenting programs are offered to parents and/or caregivers - including those who work in early childhood settings - and are designed to offer a safe, friendly, non-judgmental setting to share and gain knowledge. Programs provide an opportunity to m
Denise is an experienced facilitator with certification in a variety of parenting programs.
Parenting programs are offered to parents and/or caregivers - including those who work in early childhood settings - and are designed to offer a safe, friendly, non-judgmental setting to share and gain knowledge. Programs provide an opportunity to meet with other caregivers and address a range of issues and subjects related to parenting.
Family Learning Programs
Family Learning Programs
Family Learning Programs
Denise has been delivering parent-child programs in her home communities since 2000. She has certification for a number of programs including literacy programs and Bookmates curricula.
Many of these programs are very nearly permanent fixtures in the communities where they are located and may run from September through June. Others are shor
Denise has been delivering parent-child programs in her home communities since 2000. She has certification for a number of programs including literacy programs and Bookmates curricula.
Many of these programs are very nearly permanent fixtures in the communities where they are located and may run from September through June. Others are shorter in duration and arranged to be delivered over 6, or 8, consecutive sessions.
Pregnancy Support
Family Learning Programs
Pregnancy Support
Denise is an experienced Doula. She can provide emotional support and physical help to the labouring mother, but also to the father and the entire family, freeing you to experience the birth of your child more completely.
Health Canada has identified the powerful and lasting influence that pregnancy exerts on the health of the mother, her
Denise is an experienced Doula. She can provide emotional support and physical help to the labouring mother, but also to the father and the entire family, freeing you to experience the birth of your child more completely.
Health Canada has identified the powerful and lasting influence that pregnancy exerts on the health of the mother, her infant, future children and her family. Denise is available for group nutrition programs and individual support before, during, and after the arrival of your child.
Additional Family Programs
Programs for Dads
Budgeting and Nutrition
Budgeting and Nutrition
Denise has a special affinity for working with Dads. She understands the role of fathers to be sacred and important and has experience delivering her parenting programs to moms and dads as well as father only groups.
Welcoming fathers is more than just a nice thing to do. Having a father intentionally part of his child's life makes a difference in the life of that child, the family, and the community.
Budgeting and Nutrition
Budgeting and Nutrition
Budgeting and Nutrition
$how Me the Money is a budgeting program that has been designed for delivery to rural youth and adults; Building Healthy Families is a nutrition program. Both programs place an emphasis on healthy eating as well as the benefit of saving and preserving food specific for consumers in rural and isolated communities.
A simple budget planner can help you better understand where your money goes each month.
Specialty Programs and Instruction
Grief Support and Counseling
Birth and death are the bookends of our human lives. Just as a Birth Doula can help you to plan the birth that you want, a Death Doula can help you and your family plan for and navigate the end of a life's journey. Doulas stand in service of others, advising, advocating and serving as spokesperson when necessary. Denise can help you cope with death through recognizing it as a natural and important part of your, or your loved one's, life.
Grief is a uniquely individual perception of loss and so the expression of grief is a uniquely individual process. Grief work is not limited to the passing of a loved one - we experience grief when we let go of anything, such as a relationship, a dream, or a changing body. We cannot escape grief, but we can live through it.
A Grief Support Group can provide people who are grieving a supportive environment where they can work through some of their grief; participation in a group offers members not only the chance to be helped, but also the opportunity to help others.
St. John First Aid
Members of their local fire department, Denise and her daughter can delivery the First Aid training that meets your needs. They have experience training firefighters and dentists, 4-H members and 4-H leaders, and will custom fit their program for you, and in your location.
They are able to certify you in the following St. John Ambulance Courses:
- Basic Babysitting Course;
- Emergency or Basic First Aid;
- Standard or Intermediate First Aid; and
- Basic Life Support, formerly Health Care Provider.
Courses include CPR and AED training and are fully compliant with the CSA standard.
Courses may be delivered in person solely, or a hybrid combination of online and inperson.
Denise can also deliver the St. John Ambulance Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace certificate program, on-line or in person.
Specialized Skills
Denise is a SMART Recovery Facilitator with more than 20 years of experience in delivering adult training using Motivational Interviewing, Relapse Prevention and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy approaches. She can provide programming on a one-to-one basis, as well as in group. SMART Recovery is recognized by the courts as a Recovery program and attendance verifications are available.
Denise was a Crisis Negotiator with the Province of Manitoba Corrections Division for more than 10 years. She is a member of the Westman Critical Incident Stress Management team providing support to emergency responders.
She has specialized skills, training and experience in mediation and conflict resolution as a workplace Harassment Prevention Officer. She has experience delivering Anger Management programs to both males and females, individually and in groups.
Online Support
One-on-one, or Group Services
Denise has experience delivering online circle time for families in her communities, since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
She is also providing individualized support to parents, and on-line recovery support.
Denise is an instructor of the SJA Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace training which can also be delivered in person or on-line.
Virtual Therapy
It is vitally important that you care for your mental health during times of stress and anxiety. Denise is able to provide virtual support.
In addition, the Manitoba Farm Rural & Northern Support Services provides a free counseling service for anyone living on a Manitoba farm, rural or northern community.
Wellness Together
Talking about Conflict
Manitoba hosts a number of Crisis Lines for individuals in need of immediate assistance.
There are also links to a five-session Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Mindfulness classes, held over zoom.
Lastly, there is a link to the Strongest Families Institute who follow a distance delivery model to teach evidence-based skills to help individuals overcome mild to moderate mental health issues.
Talking about Conflict
Coping Skills for Kids, big and small
Talking about Conflict
The news can be full of disturbing images; adult conversations can also increase the sense of stress and uncertainty our children may experience.
Children ... look to their parents for a sense of safety and security – even more so in times of crisis and the Unicef website gives some useful direction on how to have difficult conversations with our children.
Coping Skills for Kids, big and small
Coping Skills for Kids, big and small
Coping Skills for Kids, big and small
The COVID-19 Journal was developed as a free download by Nicole Batiste for Hub for Helpers, an online library for clinicians.
The 15 pages full of stress-reducing activities and ideas for young people remain relevant today, even as the immediacy of the COVID virus has lessened.
Don't Forget to Breathe
Coping Skills for Kids, big and small
Coping Skills for Kids, big and small
Research shows that breathing boosts health and well-being - even in cases of severe anxiety.
We all know how to breathe, of course. It is the first thing we do in life, and it will be our last. But few of us use our breath to effectively stabilize our mental health.
Breathing can help us calm down in minutes. Effective breathing lowers anxiety and depression while improving mental health and well-being.
