Mental Health Counsellor - ACT

Carlington Community Health Centre; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health center in Ottawa is seeking a Mental Health Counsellor to deliver comprehensive counselling and support to clients, including psychotherapy where applicable. This role involves crisis intervention, psychoeducation, and assisting clients with daily living needs while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate has a counseling or psychology degree and strong crisis intervention skills.

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering psychosocial assessments and psychotherapy.
• Ability to conduct assessments for clients with substance use concerns.
• Strong skills in crisis planning and coping strategies.

Responsibilities

• Deliver comprehensive psychosocial assessments and psychotherapy.
• Provide solution-focused and motivational counselling.
• Conduct independent home and community visits, crisis intervention.

Skills

Cognitive-behavioral counselling

Crisis intervention

Solution-focused therapy

Psychoeducation

Community assessment

Education

Relevant counseling or psychology degree

Job description

Job Description

The Mental Health Counsellor – ACT delivers counselling, rehabilitation / recovery support, treatment, crisis intervention, and advocacy to clients, and may provide psychotherapy where within the regulated scope of practice. The role includes active involvement in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs and services for individuals, couples, families, and the broader community. A substantial portion of client contact takes place independently in community settings.

Program-Related Activities

• Deliver comprehensive psychosocial assessments and psychotherapy to promote client functioning and independence for individuals, couples, families, and the community.
• Provide solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral, and motivational counselling to support clients in achieving personal goals.
• Conduct assessment, psychoeducation, and referrals for clients with substance use concerns.
• Support clients with:
  • Symptom management, including medication support, crisis planning, distress tolerance, and coping strategies.
  • Daily living and instrumental functioning, including employment, education, finances, housing, social activities, and transportation.
  • Housing needs, liaising with landlords, housing providers, and Landlord‑Tenant Board processes.
  • Provide independent home and community visits, as well as crisis intervention during on-call, evening, and weekend hours.
  • Deliver family counselling to address conflict or crises, including formal sessions in collaboration with the team psychiatrist.
  • Conduct comprehensive client assessments using discipline‑specific and multidisciplinary tools.
  • Implement mandated monitoring and interventions for clients under Community Treatment Orders (CTO) and Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) – Ontario Review Board jurisdiction, while supporting clients in meeting other legal requirements (e.g., parole, probation).