Clinical Counsellors
UNYA's clinical counsellors offer individual counselling to Indigenous youth ages 13 to 24.
Our counsellors will help you recognize and positively deal with issues affecting your mental wellbeing. This could be anything affecting the way you think, feel, or act.
The support our counsellors provide is non-judgemental, and can help you with handling stress, making decisions, and dealing with issues related to drugs, alcohol, relationships, family, friends, gender identity, sexuality, or with anything else that you're struggling with. They will take into account your own personal needs and goals, in a way that's culturally relevant to you.
For individual support, our counsellors can meet you at UNYA, or in an area of your choice in East Vancouver, as long as it's safe and has a confidential place to talk.
Our counsellors also run group sessions and workshops, at UNYA and with other community organizations. These cover a wide range of topics, including substance use, healthy relationships, parenting, and mental health.
Program Activities
- Individual counselling for one-on-one support
- Group counselling sessions that will help you strengthen and maintain your mental wellness
- Help dealing with issues such as healthy relationships, substance use, dealing with stress, making decisions, gender identity, sexuality, and mental health
- Education on mental health issues, such as depression, self-harm, anxiety, and impulse control
- Information on other resources and help navigating them
- Suggestions for and referrals to other programs
- Incorporating and creating connections to culture
- In addition to all of the above, each of our counsellors has a unique focus:
- Jason: our Mediation Counsellor, focusing on support and resources to positively resolve conflicts or misunderstandings in your life, working with you and others in your life such as family, friends, and peers
How To Get Involved
Counselling is available for Indigenous youth ages 13 to 24.
Call or email us to make an appointment, through the contact info below. Our intake counsellor works on Mondays, and will respond to your message and connect you with a counsellor as soon as possible.
We also have counselling drop-in hours at the Native Youth Health and Wellness Centre - see our calendar on the programs page for drop-in hours.
Other people can refer you to our counsellors (for example, a parent, guardian, family member, or youth worker), as long as you are aware of and agree to the referral.