Counselling can have benefits and risks. Since counselling often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of one’s life, you may experience unpleasant feelings of sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. On the other hand, counselling has been shown to have benefits for individuals who go through it. Counselling can lead to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, significant reductions in feelings of distress and improved self-esteem.

Seeking the insights of trained professionals can be beneficial for individuals, as it provides access to valuable guidance and facilitates the exploration of areas in life where change is desired. Counseling serves to enhance overall well-being and acquire fresh coping mechanisms for managing daily stressors. By the end of our session, our goal is for you to walk away with an action plan tailored to the specific steps you wish to pursue.

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of counselling. We believe the delicate nature of the working relationship is to be built on trust and transparency between the counsellor and the resident, we maintain strict confidentiality under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP). All disclosures made while accessing services are confidential and cannot be disclosed to a third party without your consent, except in the following situations:

1. If we feel you are at risk of harming yourself or others.
2. If there is a suspicion of abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person, such as a child or older adult, or an animal. 
3. If subpoenaed through a court of law.
4. For the purposes of supervision when consulting with members of the team.

Your information will only be released to those who "need to know" and only the minimum amount of information required to address the need is released in addition, our counsellors are not trained to provide an opinion on partnering or custody and will not provide an assessment on these matters. 

Our counseling team comprises of Registered Social Workers. They are trained to offer trauma-informed, solution-focused support to residents. 

If we are unable to meet your needs, our services include referrals to additional community psychological services that will support your mental health goals.

Short-term brief counselling is a time-limited model focused on addressing specific issues or goals within a relatively brief period. The aim is to provide efficient and effective therapeutic interventions that lead to tangible outcomes in a shorter duration. Our counselling model is goal-oriented, with a specific focus on addressing identified problems or challenges. The Community Counsellor and resident work together to define clear, achievable objectives that can be accomplished within the designated time frame often emphasizing practical solutions and coping strategies. The focus is on developing and implementing skills or behaviors that can bring about positive change in the client's life.

We provide counseling support to those 16 years of age and up. We encourage parents and caregivers to be involved in the action plan, which has been shown to significantly increase the likelihood of making a beneficial difference in a child's life. 

If a parent or caregiver is experiencing challenges, we encourage the parent or caregiver to access individual services to discuss their parenting goals and difficulties.