Mental Health Counsellor

The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) offers challenging and exciting careers in health and social services delivery and administration in Canada’s North. The Territorial Authority has service locations in communities across the territory and a staff of more than 1,600 serving over 43,000 residents of the NWT and 5,900 residents of the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut. Challenging work, welcoming communities, and expanded opportunities are some of the benefits offered to employees of the NTHSSA.

This position reports directly to the Regional Manager, Mental Health & Addiction Services. Located in Fort Smith, the Mental Health Counsellor is a key member of the Mental Health and Addictions team providing direct, community based culturally sensitive, therapeutic mental health services to clients. These services include but are not limited to: intake and screening; assessment; therapeutic counseling and treatment; aftercare; prevention and promotion initiatives; planning and delivery of community based mental health services; case management; and crisis response.

The Mental Health Counsellor is also a key referral agent and service provider for complex addictions and psychiatric clients. The Mental Health Counsellor operates within a philosophy of education, prevention, therapeutic counseling, out-patient treatment, and aftercare, to minimize the negative physical, mental, social and emotional impacts of mental health and trauma through providing clients with therapeutic interventions and support to maintain psychological well-being. This involves having the skills to work with various cultural groups and all members of the population (elders, adults, adolescents, children and families). The incumbent works collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team.

Typically, the above qualifications would be attained by:

The knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position are typically attained with a Master’s degree in clinical or Counseling psychology (or related field), with a minimum of 1 year supervised direct clinical Counseling experience. The experience and/or education of the Mental Health Counsellor must include a minimum of 500 Counseling hours obtained under a qualified clinical Counseling supervisor where at least 120 of those hours are direct client contact