'Mental health is important for anybody': Youth Centre in Quispamsis, N.B., offering free counselling

Youth seeking mental health services in the greater Saint John area now have an affordable option to turn to.

The KV Oasis Youth Centre in Quispamsis, N.B., is offering free counselling sessions in partnership with Seen Heard Found Counselling, to youth aged 10 to 18.

“People are super excited,” says Danielle Lee, program director at the KV Oasis Youth Centre. “The public seems to be responding really well and we couldn't be happier to be able to offer the service.”

Lee says the average session is anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes with a counsellor. While the focus is on helping youth, Lee says they will also offer some parent/caregiver sessions as well.

Appointments can be made online ahead of time and walk-in appointments are also accepted given there is time available. Counselling sessions are available Wednesday and Thursday between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Lee says the idea behind offering this service was to make getting help more accessible and affordable for those in her community.

“I think mental health is important for anybody, whether you feel like you're struggling or not,” notes Lee. “When it comes to youth you're in your prime social period, you're dealing with all of your activities, your academics and they can add up.”

When you take care of your mental health, Lee says you can be more successful and give back to your community.

“Counselling can be just one of those things where you're checking in, you're able to talk to somebody, get some advice on something, but you're also just taking care of you.”

Tricia Wilson is a clinical traumatologist and the founder of Seen Heard Found Counselling, the company providing the counselling services. Knowing some of the hurdles that can come with securing a counsellor, Wilson thought a partnership with an organization like KV Oasis Youth Centre was a perfect match.

She admits there can be challenges when working with youth, and it can take time to build up trust with a client.

“Youth don't always talk to parents and youth don't always have safe enough people that they can talk to in their lives,” says Wilson. “To have something like this available, to be safe enough to open up and get the tools that they need so that they might not have to be in counseling for a long time as an adult, or even at all.”

Wilson is offering the counselling at no charge. She says performing this service has never been about the money.

“It's really to have a service available so that there's something for kids,” says Wilson. “Somewhere kids can go or youth can go to have someone to talk to that has tools available. It's not just a neighbor or a friend or somebody who doesn't have the education to really kind of help them grow.”

The KV Oasis Youth Centre moved into their new Hampton Road location earlier this year. Lee says they plan to add more free, or low cost, courses for the public, such as babysitting and financial literacy courses.

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