Counselling for Essential Service Workers
What is Helping the Helpers?
Helping the Helpers is a new virtual counselling service offered specifically to first responders and essential service workers by the Family Counselling Centre, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Helping the Helpers provides an opportunity to address the ongoing stress and challenges, which is critical to maintaining a healthy sense of well- being.
Who is this aimed at and who provides the service?
Helping the Helpers is designed to support first responders and essential service providers.
This includes, but is not limited to: social service workers supporting vulnerable populations (ie those working at food banks, with vulnerable youth or providing mental health or addiction services), essential service workers such as grocery store employees, healthcare, law enforcement and EMS professionals; and final responders such as palliative care teams, hospice, transfer and funeral service workers.
Helping the Helpers is a program provided by the Family Counselling Centre, a division of Family and Children’s Services Niagara. Accredited by the Canadian Centre for Accreditation, our therapists are trained in critical incident debriefing, trauma informed counselling, domestic violence and family counselling.
Employers are encouraged to call us for more information.
How is it provided or accessed?
Helping the Helpers is a virtual counselling service that provides phone and video counselling sessions to first responders and essential service workers.
We encourage Employers to contact the Family Counselling Centre to arrange a service that best meets the needs of your employees and your organization. (905) 937-7731 ext 3266
Adrian McKenzie, MSW is our Senior Manager of the Family Counselling Centre and will be happy to assist you in developing a service that is right for you.
Why is the Family Counselling Centre offering this service at this time?
The COVID – 19 pandemic is impacting the entire community, including those very people serving on the front lines, working around the clock to keep us healthy, fed and safe.
A number of community service partners have reached out to our Family Counselling Centre seeking crisis support and counselling for their frontline staff, as their EAP (Employee Assistance Programs) become overwhelmed.
Now, more than ever, we need to support essential service providers. Long hours, time away from family and exposure to trauma can take a toll, leaving people with a heightened sense of fear, worry, anxiety, anger and feeling overwhelmed.
It is important that we protect the health and mental health of our essential service workers so that they can continue their vital work during this unprecedented time.
When is the service available?
Helping the Helpers will be available starting April 1st, 2020. Evening and weekend sessions will be offered. Please call during regular office hours to arrange for services or to book an appointment.
For more information about Helping the Helpers,
please call (905) 937-7731 ext 3266
Caring for Yourself is Essential to Caring for Others
