ACB Mental Health Counsellor Bilingual: English/French

Somerset West Community Health Centre; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health organization in Ottawa seeks an ACB Mental Health Counsellor to provide culturally responsive mental health support. This position requires at least 2 years of counseling experience, fluency in English and French, and a Master's degree in a relevant field. The successful candidate will work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team while promoting mental health awareness in the African, Caribbean, and Black communities.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2-3 years in community-based counseling and psychotherapy.
• Experience with diverse populations, including low income, refugees, and racialized groups.
• Fluency in English and French required.

Responsibilities

• Provide brief and longer-term counseling and psychotherapy.
• Conduct psycho-social assessments and case conceptualization.
• Facilitate group sessions and outreach programs.

Skills

Counseling

Crisis intervention

Client advocacy

Culturally responsive care

Education

Master’s level clinical training

Registration with a recognized professional body

Job description

Career Opportunity

Position Title: ACB Mental Health Counsellor Bilingual: English/French

Classification: Therapist

Job Type: 0.8 FTE (28 hrs/week) TERM until March 31, 2026

Department: Mental Health & Counseling

Location: Eccles / Rosemount

Reporting to: Manager, MH & Counseling

Compensation: $37.13 – $43.77

Deadline to apply: August 29th by 5:00pm

Apply to: https://swchc.bamboohr.com/careers/714

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About us

We are Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC), a non-profit, community-governed organization that serves over 18,000 clients annually. Established in 1978, SWCHC provides a wide range of health care services such as primary health care, health promotion, community development, mental health, and harm reduction. We are deeply connected to the communities we serve and committed to removing barriers to accessing services for people who experience vulnerabilities because of their age, income, ability, sexual orientation or gender identity, and language or culture.

SWCHC strives to ensure that our team reflects the communities we serve. We work within an anti-racist, anti-oppressive framework that acknowledges the existence and impacts of systemic racism and seeks to ensure that systems are fair and equitable for everyone.

What the Program Entails

This position is situated within the Black Mental Health Program, which operates under a “by the community, for the community” model of care. The program aims to reduce barriers and stigma related to mental health within African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities in Ottawa. Rooted in principles of equity, culturally responsive and affirming care, and guided by Afrocentric principles of well-being, the program addresses mental health through community outreach and education, individual and group counselling, system navigation, and client advocacy.

This role is vital in helping to normalize conversations about mental health within the ACB community and provide culturally responsive mental health counselling supports. The Black Mental Health Program is an integral part of SWCHC’s Mental Health and Counselling Team – supporting the broader mission to promote health and wellness for marginalized communities using a client-centered, harm reduction, and social determinants of health approach.

What You’ll Do

Reporting to the Manager, Mental Health and Counselling, the ACB Mental Health Counsellor provides brief and longer-term counselling and psychotherapy to ACB clients, as well as group facilitation, outreach, crisis intervention, and system navigation. This works involved conducting psycho-social assessments, case conceptualization, treatment planning, and psychotherapy within a strength based, culturally centered and trauma- informed practice. The ACB Mental Health Counsellor will work collaboratively with other members of the ACB Mental Health team, as well as within the multi-disciplinary environment of the Community Health Centre.

This position involves a hybrid of work from home, in office and in community client and administrative hours.

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What We’re Looking For

• Life and Work Experience
• Minimum 2-3 years counselling and psychotherapy in a community-based setting with emphasis on counselling, crisis intervention including risk assessment and safety planning, and client advocacy
• Minimum 3 years’ experience working with a wide range of diverse populations e.g. low income, refugees and newcomers, racialized groups, people who use drugs, people who are houseless, older adults, and people living with chronic conditions
• Experience working in multidisciplinary environment
• Familiarity with harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and advocacy in the mental health system
• Experience providing counselling to individuals impacted by systemic barriers, discrimination and trauma

• Your Education Path
• Successful completion of a Master’s level clinical training program (e.g. Counselling, Social Work, Psychology, M.Ed.) of Social Work or equivalent
• Registration, and member in good standing, with a recognized professional regulatory body (ie. CRPO, OCSWSSW) that authorizes the practice of psychotherapy

• Required Language
• Fluency in English and French required
• Other languages considered an asset

What You Bring to the Table

• Lived experience as a member of the African, Caribbean, and/or Black community, and a demonstrated commitment to a “by the community, for the community” model of care
• Deep understanding of the social, emotional, spiritual, and physical health needs of ACB communities
• Strong clinical skills in assessment, case coordination, and client advocacy, with experience supporting individuals facing grief, loss, racial trauma, mild to moderate mental health concerns, addiction, family conflict, and stress
• Proficiency in short- and long-term counselling approaches, including evidence-based and trauma-informed modalities such as narrative therapy, CBT, DBT, solution-focused counselling, mindfulness, or other strength-based practices
• Knowledge of culturally responsive and Afrocentric counselling frameworks, and ability to integrate these into therapeutic and community-based work
• Experience working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary environment (e.g. health care providers, settlement workers, allied health professionals)
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build therapeutic relationships across diverse backgrounds
• Familiarity with adult education, health promotion, and community mental health services
• Comfortable working independently, taking initiative, and adapting to flexible work hours (including evenings or weekends)
• Proficient in using electronic medical records and maintaining accurate clinical documentation

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Your Day-to-Day at a Glance

As our ACB Mental Health Counsellor, your responsibilities are:

• Provide individual counselling using culturally relevant and evidence-based therapeutic approaches (short-term and longer-term)
• Deliver mental health education, outreach, and therapeutic group facilitation in community-based settings
• Offer crisis intervention, emotional and practical support, and service navigation
• Conduct risk assessments and refer clients to appropriate resources and supports
• Coordinate client care and collaborate with internal and external service providers
• Advocate with social services, housing, and mental health systems on behalf of clients
• Build and maintain relationships with ACB community members, leaders, and organizations
• Lead workshops to promote mental wellness and reduce stigma within the ACB community
• Participate in clinical team meetings and case reviews to support care planning
• Maintain accurate documentation in the electronic medical record system
• Stay informed about changes and updates to community programs and resources

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Ready to Apply?

Take your career to the next level! Submit a cover letter and your resumeby5:00pm on August 29th, 2025, to: https://swchc.bamboohr.com/careers/714

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Somerset West Community Health Centre is an equal opportunity employer who values the diversity of individuals in our programs and services.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of Indigenous, Black and racialized communities, Two-Spirit, nonbinary, LGBTQ+ people; people with disabilities; and members of other equity seeking groups.

Applicants are encouraged to share accessibility needs in the application process, and every attempt will be made to accommodate them.

We sincerely appreciate your interest in working with us. Due to high volume of applicants, we can neither confirm receipt of nor respond to inquiries regarding your application. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.