Job Description

Job Posting

Trauma & Wellness Counsellor

One-year Full-time Contract

Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic offers trauma-informed legal services and representation, counselling, and multilingual interpretation, and drives system transformation to support women and gender diverse people who have experienced violence. Rooted in the foundations of intersectionality, innovation, and a client-centered approach, we foster the skills and resilience of the people we serve and amplify their voices to create individual and collective change.

The Clinic is currently seeking a Trauma and Wellness Counsellor who specializes in helping individuals navigate and recover from trauma while promoting overall wellness. The Counsellor will address the emotional, psychological, and physical impact of traumatic experiences of individual clients accessing the Clinic. In addition to providing trauma-focused interventions, the Counsellor will also emphasize strategies and practices that contribute to the holistic wellness of clients, creating a therapeutic environment where clients can explore and process their trauma, develop coping mechanisms, and work towards healing. The Counselor's role will also include incorporating wellness practices such as mindfulness, self-care techniques, and stress reduction strategies into the counseling process.

The successful candidate must have experience serving folks 16 years of age and older, using a gender-lens in an anti-oppression, trauma-informed practice. The candidate will have a minimum of three (3) years substantial recent employment delivering individual and group counselling to survivors of violence. The successful candidate will demonstrate expertise in the following areas: adult sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual harassment, and childhood sexual abuse, as well as interpersonal violence such as but not necessarily limited to, physical, emotional, psychological, and financial abuse. Experience counselling survivors in the area of forced marriage, and human trafficking is considered an asset. In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate an understanding of the interconnectedness of trauma, addictions, oppression, and mental health. It is also necessary that the successful candidate have experience counselling racialized, marginalized and religiously marginalized clients including non-English speaking and newcomer clients

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

All duties and responsibilities will be conducted in accordance with Barbra Schlifer Clinic's Mandate, Mission and Values Statements.

COUNSELLING

Provides trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, feminist, psychotherapeutic counselling Supports with long-term counselling and clients with complex trauma Counsels clients, provides individual therapy and facilitates group sessions Uses trauma-informed interventions to assist individual clients as well as groups of survivors to identify, understand and overcome the effects of trauma and violence in order to achieve personal objectives Develops and implements counselling programs to assist clients in determining goals and means of attaining them Interviews clients, prepares case histories and assesses presenting issues Liaises with community agencies or partners and identifies additional or alternative services and provides referrals Evaluates the effectiveness of counselling programs and interventions and client progress in resolving identified problems and movement toward objectives Conducts safety planning and risk assessments Develops, implements, and facilitates groups as a leader and as a support to external facilitators Consults with management about high-risk situations

ASSESSMENT AND REFERRAL

Provides support for psychosocial assessments based on observations, counselling notes, history of abuse, family of origin, and social location as well as impacts of trauma, social determinants of health and other information Conducts research to identify services for referral and makes referrals Advocates on behalf of clients and provides in person accompaniment to a variety of meetings such as, court appearances and immigration and CAS meetings Provides therapeutic support to new clients while assessing with them the resources and support they need Drafting letters and finalized upon manager approval Group assessments/Feedback forms

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Works with assisting survivors with complex needs and from underserved communities who are experiencing violence or its aftermath Supports and advocates for clients in establishing a sense of community and belonging in which they experience less isolation, more stability, and expanded personal agency within relationships Supports clients in interacting with numerous systems that maintain and promote mental health Providing support and advocacy for clients navigating systems (eg. CAS, housing) Connects clients to available support systems that help them successfully navigate context and challenges over time Assists clients in accessing resources that improve social context and economic circumstances that shape environment. Facilitates clients in joining with other clients in bringing about change Improves clients' knowledge of and access to rights and remedies Engages with stakeholders from a framework embedded within an understanding of the global nature of gender-based violence Provide trainings and capacity building to various agencies and conferences and marginalized communities Conducts psychoeducation in and out of the clinic around trauma, mental health, and gender-based violence Building partnerships with different agencies for collaboration and participate at relevant roundtables/networks Engage in ongoing community trainings relevant to this role (eg. VAW trainings) Coordination with guest group facilitators

COORDINATION

Plans for group sessions and coordinates room and food preparation for group sessions Coordinates childcare and interpretation services for clients Coordinates team consults, high risk service coordination meetings with client's circle of care, and transfer of care meetings Scheduling client pickups, arranging for group packages and coordinating with front desk for scheduling of client services and group related activities

AGENCY AND TEAM SUPPORT

Conducts research and creates and facilitates workshops on violence against women, which includes providing case consultation to other service providers about client needs Communicates with team members to share information, provide debriefing opportunities, and resolve problems Participates on agency committees and contributes to events which include participating in clinical meetings and staff meetings Create client feedback forms and surveys for individual and group counselling for statistics, funders, and improvement of services and future groups Apply appropriate counselling procedures and framework Collaboration between different departments and roles (eg. THSP, legal, interpretation)

ADMINISTRATION

In consultation with Director of Counselling, prepares support letters to service confirmation, housing support, legal purposes and maintains case notes Completes and submits monthly timesheets and other reports as required Drafts letters for psychosocial assessments for refugee claimants and consults with Manager of Counselling

OTHER

Complies with Clinic and funder policies and procedures Performs other tasks as assigned by management

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Must have MSW, M.Ed. C. Psych. or equivalent degree and/or experience with a minimum of 3 years' fulltime employment delivering individual and group counselling to clients (16 years and up) who are survivors of violence using a gender-lens grounded within a feminist, anti-oppressive trauma-informed practice, and demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the related issues and dynamics Must have membership in the appropriate regulatory body eg. Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, College of Psychotherapists etc. 3 years' experience will include facilitating open and closed groups, with a trauma-informed psycho-educational focus on effective interventions to address symptoms, affects and coping strategies consistent with trauma that is not pathologized Strong understanding of safety planning and risk assessment Must have experience counselling racialized, marginalized and religiously marginalized clients including non-English speaking and newcomer clients Must have expertise in the following: adult sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual harassment, and childhood sexual abuse, as well as interpersonal violence such as but not necessarily limited to, physical, emotional, psychological, and financial abuse Must have an understanding of symptoms, effects and interconnectedness of trauma, addictions and mental health Experience counselling clients in the area of forced marriage and human trafficking Must demonstrate a comprehensive and applied knowledge of safe and effective use of the self Must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the key elements of clinical supervision. Strong clinical skills are mandatory for this position Must have assessment skills, knowledge of social services and social welfare systems Experience working within a diverse work setting and with a diverse staff and volunteer population Excellent administrative skills and letter writing skills and intermediate computer skills Demonstrate commitment to teamwork and team building Excellent communication and conflict management skills The following will be considered assets: International professional experience with trauma in conflict zones; fluency in a second language; experience with intake

CORE COMPETENCIES

Commitment to working collaboratively with and supporting clients of diversity within the context of a diverse agency Engagement in a self-reflective, ethical and collaborative practice that is non- judgmental and empathic and reflects the vision and mission statements of the Clinic Incorporation of principles of diversity and equity in responding to the service needs of clients Commitment to working toward removing systemic barriers to clients' independence and wellbeing Excellent interpersonal, organizational, time-management and problem-solving skills; written and oral communication skills Ability to work and support others in the context of a diverse environment Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a multi-disciplinary environment Be a self-starter, creative and highly motivated Share ideas and differences in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation Commitment to ongoing personal and professional development

SALARY:

$71,647 and includes a comprehensive benefits package offered through a group plan as part of our United Way membership, following a successful probationary period

DEADLINE FOR RESUMES:

August 31, 2025. Posting will remain open until a suitable candidate is engaged

APPLICATION:

Submit your cover letter and resume in attachment to: hr@schliferclinic.com with the subject line of . In your cover letter, please indicate where you found our job posting.

Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes candidates from equity-seeking groups and is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities. Please let us know if you require accommodation due to a disability during any aspect of the recruitment process, and we will work with you to address your needs.

We thank all candidates for their interest.

However, only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Pay: $71,647.00 per year

Benefits:

Employee assistance program Extended health care Life insurance Vision care
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 2025-08-31