Crisis Counsellor

Distress Centre Calgary; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 68,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous vacation entitlement

RRSP matching

Health spending account

Extended health and dental benefits

On-site gym

Development days & staff fund

Job summary

Distress Centre Calgary is seeking a Crisis Counsellor for a full-time, permanent role starting as soon as possible. Work on-site at Calgary location with standard hours and one weekly evening shift.

You will provide short-term crisis counselling to individuals, couples, and families, assist with intake, assessment, service planning, and connect clients to community resources while maintaining accurate documentation.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work or related field and active registration with ACSW or equivalent.
• 2–4 years of short-term counselling, crisis intervention, or mental health service experience.
• Strong interpersonal and cultural competency with diverse populations.

Responsibilities

• Provide short-term counselling and crisis intervention for individuals, couples, and families.
• Support intake, assessment, and service planning activities.
• Connect clients to appropriate resources and maintain timely clinical documentation.
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team and participate in supervision and training.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Cultural competency

Clinical assessment

Risk assessment

Care planning

Crisis intervention

Client feedback measurement

Independent & collaborative work

Professionalism & confidentiality

Documentation skills

Education

Master's degree in Social Work or related field

ACSW registration or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft 365

Clinical software

Job description

Salary Range: $68,000.00 To $71,000.00 Annually

Crisis Counsellor

This is a Full -Time, Permanent position starting as soon as possible.

Location & Hours

Work location: On-site at Distress Centre Calgary (999 8 St SW, Suite 500).

Hours: Monday-Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with one evening (11:00 am to 7:00 pm) a week as required.

What We Offer

• Generous Vacation Entitlement
• RRSP matching and Health Spending Account
• Extended health and dental benefits
• Access to on-site gym at no cost
• Paid development days and a staff development fund
• A supportive, mission-driven workplace where you can grow, take on new challenges, and collaborate with colleagues that value integrity, hard work, and making a meaningful community impact

Who We Are

For over 50 years, Distress Centre has served Calgary and Southern Alberta by providing 24-hour crisis support, information, and resources at no cost. Distress Centre does not define crisis. We do not judge. Anyone can call us day or night.

We are committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace where employees are valued, experience a sense of belonging, and are confident in being their most authentic selves . We welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and members of equity-deserving groups. We value all the ways that our community is diverse – in identity, experience and perspective.

What to Expect

The Crisis Counsellor reports to the Clinical Services Manager and provides brief crisis counselling services to individuals, couples, and families, while supporting intake, assessment, and service planning activities. This role offers the opportunity to combine clinical expertise with compassionate care to help individuals navigate difficult times and access meaningful support.

Working within a collaborative team of mental health professionals, the Crisis Counsellor will help connect clients to appropriate resources through its short-term counselling model. The role requires sound clinical judgment, timely documentation, and the ability to respond effectively in a fast-paced environment.

What You’ll Do

This list highlights core responsibilities and is not exhaustive. Additional related duties may arise over time and will be discussed and supported by your supervisor.

Provide Meaningful Client Support

• Deliver short-term counselling and crisis intervention for individuals, couples, and families.
• Support clients through challenging situations using compassionate, solution-focused approaches.
• Help clients build resilience and achieve their wellbeing goals.
• Provide responsive crisis support and service coverage when needed.

Assess Needs & Guide Care

• Conduct intake screenings, psychosocial assessments, and risk evaluations.
• Develop individualized service plans and counselling interventions.
• Prioritize client needs and connect them to appropriate supports .

Connect Clients to Community Resources

• Coordinate referrals and access to community programs and services.
• Advocate for clients and promote continuity of care.
• Follow up to support positive client outcomes.

Collaborate & Maintain Clinical Excellence

• Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation.
• Participate in supervision, case consultation, and team meetings.
• Engage in ongoing professional development, knowledge sharing, and mentorship opportunities, including supporting student learning as needed.

What You Bring

• Master's degree in Social Work , Psychology or related field.
• Active registration with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) or a corresponding regulatory body (College of Alberta Psychologists, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association) is required.
• 2-4 years of experience providing short-term counselling, crisis intervention, or mental health services.
• Proven interpersonal and cultural competency skills to work effectively and respectfully with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
• Strong clinical assessment and decision-making skills, including psychosocial and risk assessments, care planning, and crisis intervention.
• Experience using client feedback and outcome measurement tools to track progress and support positive client outcomes.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Demonstrated professionalism, including maintaining confidentiality, professional boundaries, and accurate clinical documentation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and other relevant clinical software and databases.

Additional Employment Requirements

As a condition of employment, all successful candidates are required to complete and maintain a Police Information Check. For those in direct service user-facing roles, a Vulnerable Sector Search is also required.

Distress Centre is an inclusive workplace. If you are invited for an interview and require accommodation, please let us know. If you require accommodation during the application process, please call our main office and ask to speak to Human Resources.

We may also use AI-enabled tools to support aspects of the recruitment process. All hiring decisions are made bypeople and are guided by our commitment to fairness and inclusion.