Closed for Christmas Season

The Caring Place will be closed from December 24, 2010 through January 3, 2011. We will not be checking for comments during that time.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Enjoying the Christmas Season

The Christmas season can be a lonely time for many people. Watching friends get together with family can bring back grief and sorrow for those who have lost loved ones.

Sometimes we become so wrapped us in our own pleasures that we fail to see those who are hurting. Stop for a minute and look around at your friends and acquaintances. Are any of them alone?

This is a time when those of us who are enjoying the season can "give back" to others. Invite them to your home, include them in outings and other activities, do everything you can to make them feel that they are an important part of your life. They may say "no" at first, but be persistent. Hopefully they will end up enjoying the season with you.

If you know of a person who may need a professional to talk to during this time, refer them to The Caring Place. We have a sliding scale and never turn anyone away because they cannot pay.

Introducing Our Staff

The staff at The Caring Place works as a team. Each of us has our strengths that help to build a well-rounded group of professionals. We respect and appreciate each other, assisting each other to be the best we can be. Here are our current permanent staff:

Dr. Joy Johnson is the Director of Operations. Her strength is in management and administration, helping The Caring Place work to ebb and flow smoothly. Her philosophy is that she is there to enable the counsellors to focus on their clients. She deals with planning, human resources, financial matters, facility needs and anything else in the area of operations that might arise.

Dr. Sam Berg is the Director of Counselling Services. Sam has tremendous knowledge and experience in the area of counselling and oversees the counselling functions. He works closely with each counsellor to ensure a positive and helpful experience for each client. Sam's strength is his wise perspective on life, seeing what is right rather than what is wrong.

Delmer Harrison is a Marriage and Family Therapist. His strength is in his gentle nature and wonderful sense of humour. Delmer is very sensitive to the needs of his clients and seeks to help each person gain control of events and decisions they must make. He does this very quietly, letting the client make connections rather than being told what to do.

Wayne Reed is a Marriage and Family Therapist. His strength is the ability to hone in on important ideas and feelings with his clients, to help them see issues more clearly. He does this in such a way that gives his clients insight into what they need to do to resolve their issues, in a very gentle but firm way.

Teresa Kendall is a Mood Disorder and Addictions Therapist. Her strength is her ability to deal with some very diffficult and heart-wrenching issues with a calm and controlled demeanor. Teresa is the one to call when a catastrophe hits. She is "take charge" without being aggressive and has a way of putting people at ease. Her positive approach to life gives her clients hope.

Marcia Lawrence is our Office Manager. Her strength is her ability to answer the telephone and deal with clients in a way that exudes calm and empathy. She can then match a new client to the most appropriate counsellor and put this new client at ease regarding fees. Marcia is also as good in person as she is on the phone.

These are our permanent staff. We also have three interns from Briercrest Seminary who are counselling at The Caring Place and at Soul's Harbour Rescue Mission.

As a non-profit charity, The Caring Place is a community service organization. The staff have an attitude that this is a service, a ministry, not a job. For more information on The Caring Place, see http://www.thecaringplace.ca/.

The Virtual Caring Place

The Caring Place offers caring, professional counselling to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay. Now The Caring Place has gone virtual and our counsellors will answer any questions that you have, about anything.

We cannot get "case specific" as that would violate client confidentiality, but we can give you general answers to your questions. Perhaps you have a friend that drinks too much and you want some tips on how to help him. Maybe you and your spouse argue alot and you need some tips on how to change to a more positive relationship.

Our counsellors deal in real life with a lot of different issues and so can give you some general help. Please don't construe this as personal counselling or guaranteed success (legal disclaimer)--that  can't happen in a virtual world. We know what has worked for some people and can share that information with you. Then it is up to you to be the change you want to see.

For more details on The Caring Place, go to http://www.thecaringplace.ca/ and check us out for yourself!