Student Wellbeing Counsellor

University of British Columbia; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An esteemed educational institution is seeking a Student Wellbeing Counsellor responsible for providing essential mental health support to law students. The role involves offering short-term counselling, promoting student wellbeing through various initiatives, and consulting with faculty on mental health matters. This full-time role requires a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology, relevant certifications, and at least five years of clinical counselling experience. A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential in this impactful position.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology or related field required.
• Eligible for professional certification in British Columbia.
• Minimum of five years of experience in clinical counselling.

Responsibilities

• Provide short-term counselling to support students with mental health concerns.
• Promote mental wellbeing through programming and workshops.
• Consult with faculty and staff on student mental health concerns.

Skills

Counselling Techniques

Empathy

Crisis Management

Program Development

Cultural Sensitivity

Education

Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology or related field

Job description

Staff - Non Union Job Category M&P - AAPS Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Counsellors/Psychologists, Level B Job Title Student Wellbeing Counsellor Department Student Services | Peter A. Allard School of Law Compensation Range $7,622.83 - $11,886.67 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date December 23, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date February 12, 2027

This is a full-time fixed term leave replacement appointment.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Description

Provides services and programming to the Peter A. Allard School of Law to support student's mental wellbeing and help them succeed in their law school program. Provides single session/short term counselling, triage and referral to stepped care including external resources and emergency services as appropriate. Offers consultation to faculty and staff including response to crises. Promotes mental wellbeing for students at Allard Law. Builds a network of resources on campus and in the community specific to the needs of Allard Law students. Contributes to the ongoing development and implementation of programming for students to support their mental wellbeing.

Organizational Status

Reports to the Associate Director, Embedded Counselling, Counselling Services for oversight of clinical work. Reports to Assistant Dean, Students, Allard School of Law for operational matters including scheduling vacation, work hours and personal attendance tracking, and for direction of non‑clinical work with respect to law student wellbeing. Works collaboratively with the Allard Law student services team as well as the team of professionals within UBC Health and Wellness, actively participating in and contributing to the development and delivery of effective mental wellbeing programs and services. Also works in collaboration with other UBC student services and community resources. Works in Allard Law and may provide some programming elsewhere on or off‑campus (such as Allard Law legal clinic sites) as needed to support the wellbeing of Allard Law students.

Responsibilities

1. Promotes mental wellbeing for law students through a range of programming including orientation, workshops, seminars, groups and other resources that helps students normalize stress, understand how to manage stress and maintain mental wellbeing, as well as how to seek support when needed.
2. Provides single session and short term counselling to support students experiencing mental health concerns.
3. Conducts triage as needed and referral to stepped care including connection to online tools and resources, workshops, life coaching, group programs, Student Health Service, external resources and crisis support/emergency services.
4. Builds and maintains a network of UBC and external resources specific to needs of students in Allard Law.
5. Provides consultation and support to staff, faculty and student peer leaders on student mental health concerns including crises.
6. Develops and delivers workshops and outreach programs that promote student wellbeing.
7. Assumes the Wellbeing Liaison role, providing orientation, presentations and training on how to support students’ mental wellbeing for faculty and staff.
8. Participates in and supports mental wellbeing programming for law students throughout their time at Allard Law including in Orientation, Student Services events, peer program training, Career Services and Indigenous Legal Studies events and supports Allard Law Students Society groups in their wellbeing events.
9. Participates in meetings with Allard Law student services professionals as well as Counselling Services case management and administrative meetings.
10. Liaises with external legal support services such as the Canadian Bar Association, Lawyers Assistance Program and the Law Society of British Columbia with respect to law student wellbeing, and the resources and supports available to students upon entry into the profession.
11. Considers the impact of substance use on the legal profession and takes steps to implement programs/supports in law school.
12. Facilitates, in connection with UBC Counselling Services as appropriate, the operation of counselling programs within the law school (e.g. group counselling, etc.).
13. Considers and supports culturally appropriate wellbeing programming for all students.
14. Liaises with and participates in the Community of Practice for UBC Health Promotion and Education.
15. Prepares reports, publications and other documents as required, and may be asked to sit on and participate as a member of law school committees and working groups.
16. Works closely with Communications to develop content for and promote wellbeing programming for Allard Law students. Responsible for ensuring Allard Law student wellbeing web resources are up to date and accurate.
17. May provide group supervision for practicum students as well as supervision for project staff and/or students involved in peer programs, work‑study programs, and/or volunteer assignments.
18. Performs other duties consistent with the mandate of Counselling Services as requested.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Must be able to act with a considerable degree of autonomy and independence in the provision of mental health support to students while adhering to the ethical standards of the profession. Poor professional judgment or unethical practice would be extremely detrimental to student wellbeing and in some cases could be life threatening. It would also have a significant negative impact on public relations and the reputation of Counselling Services, the Allard School of Law and the University and in some cases result in legal liability for the University.

Supervision Received

Acts independently within established clinical and ethical guidelines. Works within a model of collegial consultation and collaboration, under the direction of the Associate Director, Embedded Counselling, Counselling Services and the Assistant Dean, Students, Allard School of Law.

Supervision Given

May provide group supervision for practicum students as well as supervision for project staff and/or students involved in peer programs, work‑study programs, and/or volunteer assignments. May delegate administrative work to Allard School of Law Student Services Program Assistant (CUPE 2950).

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology or a related field. Eligible for professional certification in British Columbia. Minimum of five years of experience in clinical counselling plus experience supervising Master’s level practicum students.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology or a related field. Certification as a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the B.C. Association of Clinical Counsellors. Eligible for professional certification in British Columbia. Eligible for registration as a Registered Clinical Counsellor. Registered Social Worker in British Columbia or as a Canadian Certified Counsellor.

• Knowledge of legal education/practice preferred or a willingness to learn.
• University or college counselling experience an asset.
• Training and experience in single session, triage, stepped care, and brief therapy and knowledge and experience in cognitive therapy and high‑performance stress preferred.
• Commitment to serving the needs of a broadly diverse student population; demonstrated ability to provide services that are responsive and sensitive to the needs of specific student populations including Indigenous students, international students, graduate students, racialized students, students with disabilities and LGBTQ+ students.
• Demonstrated knowledge of student development theory and experience in program development, consultation and outreach.
• Strong interest in and commitment to effective problem solving and continuous improvement of programs and services.
• Possession of personal attributes that facilitate teamwork and the development of effective working relationships with a wide range of students, faculty, and staff.
• Appropriate course‑work and training in mental health assessment, individual and group counselling; program evaluation, adolescent and adult development; learning theory; career development, cross‑cultural counselling and diversity, personality theory and diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology.
• Knowledge of the unique issues facing university students and university life.
• Expertise and experience in treatment of a wide range of concerns that post‑secondary and professional program students may experience including stress, depression, anxiety, substance use, relationship difficulties, eating/body image issues, career/life planning, transition issues and sexual violence.