COVID-19: 1 Year Later - Distress Centre's counselling program response This is part two in our multi-part series exploring Distress Centre’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, one year after we first activated our business continuity plan and went remote for the safety of our staff and volunteers. Read part one on the lead [...]
Looking back on 2020: An eventful year for Distress Centre Image: Our 2020 staff and volunteer photo, taken in December. Like the rest of the world, 2020 was one of the most challenging years we’ve had in our 50 year history. Thanks to the support and hard work of our staff, volunteers, partners, [...]
50 Stories Part 42: Face-to-Face for 50 years Image: Distress Centre counsellors in 2017. Read - 50 Stories Part 41 The professional qualifications for Distress Centre counsellors have increased over 50 years, as has the complexity and number of clients they see. Less than 300 sessions in 1970 became 1,650 in 2010 and [...]
Image: Counsellors at a team building event in 2000. Read - 50 Stories Part 33 Counsellors in the first half of the 2000s continued providing face-to- face meetings, referrals, volunteer training and volunteer supervision, practicum student guidance, as well as the administration of the Instrumental Needs Fund for families in financial crisis. Addressing changing needs [...]
Read - 50 Stories Part 20 Client confidentiality has always been foundational to Distress Centre’s work. Occasionally callers or counselling clients choose to make their stories public, to increase awareness of the service, or help with fundraising. It seems important to include at least one client story, as clients represent the heart and purpose of [...]
Read - 50 Stories Part 19 Counselling and public education continued to be a significant part of the Distress Centre/Drug Centre's (DC/DC) services. Fred Burns was Clinical Supervisor, and Suzanne Rosebrugh the Drug Counsellor. Along with five crisis counsellors they saw a variety of clients, usually within the week of them calling the crisis line. 1991 recorded 3900 hours of counselling offered, with 25% of a counsellor’s time spent in support of volunteers and 20% in [...]
Image: Dakota Douglas, Crisis Team Lead, working remotely from home. As the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic became undeniable in March, the Distress Centre leadership team and Board had a decision to make. For the safety and health of our volunteers and staff, we decided to completely close our office on March 17th, 2020. Behind [...]
Read - 50 Stories Part 15 Counselling continued to be a key aspect of the Distress Centre/Drug Centre services. At the 10th anniversary reception, Jeanette noted that there were 1000 counselling and referral calls coming in a month, along with 65 drop-ins. On-site counselling had increased 32% over 1979. The Centre was still the only [...]
There are many ways to describe Distress Centre Calgary counsellor, Edwin Morales. Most people would describe Edwin as compassionate, enthusiastic, and driven. However, if you ask him, there is one unique word that can summarize him entirely: Perspective. Although, this word is not common to describe someone in their entirety, the word couldn’t be more [...]
In 2016, Distress Centre Calgary responded to 113,975 phone calls, emails, chats, texts and requests for counselling. People from all walks of life reach out to us for support day or night- parents, professionals, teens, teachers, seniors, to name just a few examples. What we know is that you can't judge a person's situation by [...]
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity and truth, Distress Centre Calgary would like to honour and acknowledge Moh’kinsstis, and the traditional Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. Finally, we acknowledge all Nations – Indigenous and non – who live, work and play on this land, and who honour and celebrate this territory.
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