Counsellor

CMHA Kelowna is hiring a full-time term Counsellor to provide services in the Supportive Housing Program. The term for this position is two months with the possibility of extension and offers 37.5 hours per week, with a typical work week of Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.

WHO IS A COUNSELLOR?

The Counsellor is responsible for providing counselling services to residents in Supportive Housing facing complex challenges related to mental health, substance use, trauma, disabilities, and general health conditions. This role emphasizes client-centered care, promoting the health and social well-being of residents in a compassionate and supportive environment.

WHAT DOES THE COUNSELLOR DO?

• Provide individual treatment and ongoing assessment using evidence-based modalities, including CBT, mindfulness, DBT and SFBT
• Facilitate group therapy sessions and deliver psychosocial care within supportive housing settings
• Carry a manageable caseload, providing brief and short-term interventions
• Participate in care planning as needed
• Assist residents with system navigation, advocacy, and referrals to specialized resources
• Collaborate with residents, internal teams, healthcare professionals, families, and community partners to ensure integrated care
• Offer a continuum of addiction and recovery support, employing health promotion and harm reduction strategies
• Work to identify and reduce barriers to mental health support while maintaining compassionate boundaries
• Performs other related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, or related field required
• Valid class V BC drivers license and reliable vehicle
• Criminal Record Check clearance in the Vulnerable Sector
• minimum 2 years experience working in a counselling role
• experience in mental health and substance use services, particularly with vulnerable populations is considered an asset
• Current First Aid/CPR, Naloxone, ASIST, and Mental Health First Aid certification is considered an asset
• Ability to establish rapport and trust with residents
• Skilled in active listening and empathetic engagement
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
• Proficient in multiple treatment modalities and knowledge of community resources
• Experience in using electronic health record systems
• Knowledge of harm reduction and restorative justice approaches
• Experience in facilitating group programs is preferred

•          Ability to be regularly exposed to individuals who are struggling with and/or recovering from trauma, drug/alcohol use, homelessness, mental health challenges and/or mental illness

WHO IS CMHA KELOWNA?

At CMHA Kelowna, we are dedicated to Mental Health in our community. No matter how old or how young, we provide support for families and individuals through programs that promote positive mental health and support recovery, while championing the elimination of barriers that can prevent people from thriving. We are a dynamic, innovative and visionary organization. We are looking for someone who shares our vision of a mentally healthy Kelowna and are passionate about making a difference in our community by bringing their particular expertise to our organization. To learn more, check out our website at www.cmhakelowna.org

CMHA KELOWNA OFFERS YOU:

• A competitive wage of $32.68- 37.58/hr
• Vacation Pay & Personal Health Days
• A workplace culture that fosters learning, transparency, trust and team work

As an employer, CMHA Kelowna strives to create a workplace that respects and values all individuals, minimizes bias, and promotes the equity, diversity, and inclusion of different perspectives and ideas. At CMHA Kelowna that means welcoming diversity in mental health, race, ethnicity, and culture. It also means diverse abilities, age, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, gender identities, education, marital status, language, and physical self-expression. These values are embedded in the work CMHA Kelowna does every day.

We appreciate and thank all applicants for their interest, however only short-listed candidates and those legally eligible to work in Canada will be contacted.

Please visit our careers page to see more job opportunities.