KovenCounselling

When I began planning my counselling practice I knew that I wanted to provide sensitive and knowledgeable care to clients from diverse backgrounds. I have been teaching religious and cultural etiquette to students for many years and have continued to expand my own knowledge base. My latest opportunity to learn  will be the 2 day Indigenous Health Summer Gathering I'm looking forward to next week. It will highlight issues of housing and homelessness, mental health and addictions, chronic illness and spirituality and ethnicity. I am very excited to participate in such a learned atmosphere with leaders and teachers from the Indigenous communities that inform public policy.

This summer I am using some of my "down-time" to deepen my understanding of my client's concerns.  The month long course on Spiritual and Pastoral Visitor training was filled with fascinating people who represented the diversity of our city. Most of the participants were volunteers but the group also contained leaders of various faith communities.

The Refugee Mental Health course I just completed was offered by CAMH (The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) . This was an intense and multi faceted program designed to inform and strengthen one's basic counselling skills. Many of my assumptions were challenged and I found myself learning a lot more than I anticipated.

Both courses offered me the opportunity for professional development, which I greatly support.