Job Summary:

In accordance with the Purpose, Vision, Values and Coast Salish Teachings, and strategic direction of PHSA, safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

The Counsellor reports to the Clinical Coordinator, Patient and Family Counselling Services and works as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide treatment and case management services that are both inclusionary and flexible for the client population served. Working in collaboration with the clinical team, the Counsellor provides individual, couples, and group counselling services alone and as a co-facilitator. The position carries out intake, assessment, treatment planning, crisis intervention and supports clients’ access to other services. The Counsellor consults with a variety of health care providers, hospital and community-based, on a wide range of clinical issues pertaining to illness and treatment; participates in case consultation with the interdisciplinary team; and refers out to other agencies and programs as necessary. The position plans, develops, delivers and evaluates client-based and community-based education concerning the illness and treatment; participates in aspects of training for students within a variety of related professions; and is involved in research projects where appropriate.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1.    Performs key duties such as, intake, mental health assessment, treatment planning, crisis intervention, consultations, individual and couples counselling, group therapy, and psychoeducation.

2.    Plans, designs, and delivers individual and family services to clients, using psychotherapeutic interventions that are evidence-based for use with the client population.

3.    Identifies clients’ goals and expectations; reviews clients’ learning needs and assists with understanding of health issues; teaches strategies for managing and changing symptoms; consults with colleagues regularly; supports clients.

4.    Plans, designs, and delivers various modalities of group services to clients, such as group psychoeducational sessions, psychotherapeutic process groups and support groups.


5.    Aids client access to other resources at PHSA or in the community by providing information and referrals and contacting relevant programs and services.

6.    Maintains confidential client files by methods such as documenting telephone and in-person contacts with clients, preparing progress notes and reports in accordance with established standards, and documenting for future reference.

7.    Consults with a variety of health care, social services and other providers, both hospital and community-based, on a wide range of clinical issues pertaining to the management of complex chronic disease client and service delivery issues including providing information based upon theory/practice, discussing client care issues and developing linkages/partnerships with other facilities, agencies, and support groups.

8.    Ensures that appropriate educational and informational resources are developed for the clinical area by supporting in initiating the planning, coordination, and evaluation of resources, reviewing resources to make sure they are in line with the goals and objectives of the program, and problem solving any aspect of the process through being conversant in using a variety of teaching modalities including videoconferencing.

9.    Engages in program evaluation and quality improvement by methods such as participating in establishing program goals and objectives, collaborating to develop quality indicators and measurement tools, identifying opportunities for change, assessing available resources, analyzing outcomes, and formulating recommendations for improved efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to enhance client service.

10.    Provides education/training to health care providers including residents, medical students, allied health and nursing students through methods such as leading small group sessions, teaching counselling skills, and providing information and guidance and the opportunity to observe and take an active role in the counselling of suitable clients.

11.    Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience

•    Master’s Degree in a related allied health discipline such as, Clinical Counselling or Clinical Social Work from a recognized program.
•    Eligible for registration with the applicable designated professional body.
•    Two (2) years’ of recent related experience in community and/or hospital organizations providing treatment services to population served including experience in planning, coordinating and evaluating within an interdisciplinary team setting or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Skills and Abilities

•    Demonstrated ability to preformed evidence-based therapy modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapies (MBCT, MiCBT).
•    Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to support populations experiencing grief and loss.
•    Thorough knowledge working with clients experiencing psychosocial symptoms relevant to the client population served
•    Broad knowledge of psychopharmacology indications and side-effects.
•    Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge of theory and practice to a case management process.
•    Demonstrated ability to engage in individual, couples, and group therapy sessions, alone and as a co-facilitator.
•    Thorough knowledge in adult education principles, methods, and tools.
•    Demonstrated ability to conduct psychological assessments, and to provide treatment planning and crisis intervention to adults.
•    Demonstrated ability to develop, coordinate, facilitate, and evaluate education/training or discussion groups on a wide range of health topics for this client population.
•    Demonstrated ability to design and develop health-care resources for a variety of audiences.  
•    Demonstrated ability to understand the provincial context as it pertains to service delivery and policy issues.  
•    Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
•    Demonstrated ability to provide consultation, leadership, and work direction.
•    Demonstrated ability to problem-solve and resolve conflict.
•    Demonstrated ability to organize/prioritize work.
•    Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations.
•    Ability to operate related equipment.
•    Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.