Family Service Saskatchewan website connects people to free, immediate counselling
Family Service Saskatchewan has started a website offering quick access to free counselling and mental health services for people across Saskatchewan.
“I think all of the uncertainty that people have been experiencing over the past year has created a lot of anxiety which has escalated a lot of issues for people,” said Christa Daku, chair of Family Service Saskatchewan.
“Sometimes people just need someone to talk to. Just having that support and validation for what they’re experiencing is really, really crucial to someone’s wellbeing.”
The service is for anyone 12 and up looking for help with a wide range of issues including stress, depression, anxiety and family conflict.
Through Rapid Access Counselling, people can connect with qualified counsellors for a free, immediate and brief counselling session ranging from 50 minutes to an hour.
“By offering brief and solution-focused style therapy, individuals can come in simply for one or two or three sessions, it just depends on their need. And we know that a lot of people just need some tools to be able to carry on when they have a little hiccup in their life,” Daku said.
OPENING DOORS IN RURAL AREAS
She said Family Service Saskatchewan can also help connect people who have more significant issues to a long-term counsellor in their community.
Family Service Saskatchewan has been offering Rapid Access Counselling in over 23 communities since 2019 in partnership with 11 agencies.
In addition to walk-in sessions, it now offers virtual and telephone counselling sessions due to the pandemic.
Daku said this option has also helped them reach more people in rural communities who may not have the same access to service as those in urban centres.
“We wanted to be able to open the doors up to those who are rural. We know that most of Saskatchewan is rural, so just providing the opportunity,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Have you been removed from your family doctor’s patient list for visiting an Ontario walk-in clinic?
Some Ontarians are expressing frustration after they said that they were removed from their family doctor’s patient list for visiting a walk-in clinic in a process being called “de-rostering.”
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Canadian government proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.