Family Counselling Centre Niagara offers walk-in service in Niagara Falls
Adrian McKenzie, senior manager of quality assurance and planning support for Family Counselling Centre Niagara (FCC), in front, with Tamara Coleman-Lawrie, acting director for the United Way of Niagara Falls and Fort Erie, left in back, and Karen Stearne, executive director of Heart Niagara. FCC is running weekly walk-in individual counselling sessions at Heart Niagara’s home on Queen Street every Tuesday. The program is funded by the United Way. – Richard Hutton/Metroland
Sometimes when we are struggling, what is most needed is to have someone to talk to.
For the past year, Family Counselling Centre Niagara (FCC) has been offering drop-in counselling services in Niagara Falls in space provided by Heart Niagara on Queen Street. The service is available every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at 4635B Queen. No appointment is necessary and intake is on a first-come first-served basis. The last counselling sessions begin at 5:30 p.m.
“We jumped on the opportunity to co-locate with Heart Niagara and create a service hub. It just made sense for us,” said Adrian McKenzie, senior manager of quality assurance and planning support for FCC.
The clinic — made possible through funding from the United Way — offers both individual and group counselling. An example of the latter is FCC’s new father’s group, The Importance of Fathers.
“We help in regard to children’s issues,” McKenzie said.
Tamara Coleman-Lawrie, acting director for the United Way of Niagara Falls and Fort Erie, said a program geared toward dads is something that made sense.
“There are a lot of services available for single moms,” she said. “There are (single) parents who are male who play an important role in a child’s development.”
The fathers program is run in four-week blocks and like individual services, the group sessions are entirely free and participants can come and go as they please.
“We run it back-to-back from 4:30 to 5:30. One week, we may have five people and another week we there might be two,” McKenzie said.
Karen Stearne, Heart Niagara’s executive director, said having the clinic house in the cardiac care agency’s site is a natural fit, with plenty of in kind support being offered.
“We provide reception and administration services on site,” Stearne said. “And security for clients and staff.”
The United Way’s Coleman-Lawrie said the two agencies working together are just the type of situation the charitable organization looks for.
“It’s the type or partnership we encourage,” she said.
McKenzie, meanwhile, said the location is easily accessible.
“There’s a bus stop right outside,” he said. “Transportation is an issue for many people.”
In addition to individual counselling services and the program for fathers, the FCC is offering a journalling program for women that will run for four weeks from 3:15 to 4:15. Participants will learn art journalling through the creation of such things as a vision board to help set goals.
For information on the walk-in services in Niagara Falls and other programs offered by Family Counselling Centre Niagara, visit www.fccniagara.on.ca.
Source: Niagara This Week
