Mental Health Therapist

Be the Spark that ignites the potential in people! At our YMCA, we believe in the power of people. Every day, our dedicated employees and volunteers bring energy, positivity, and inclusivity to everything they do. They are the spark that ignites potential in others -- helping individuals grow, thrive, and truly belong.

• When people feel connected and supported, communities become stronger, more resilient, and full of life.
• That’s the impact of people-powered change.
• Together, we create welcoming spaces where everyone is valued, differences are celebrated, and possibilities are endless.
• Be the spark.
• Shine bright.
• Help others shine too.

About the Role

YMCA of Northern Alberta is seeking a Mental Health Therapist to provide timely in-person clinical services to young people (11-25 years old) affected by mental health and substance use concerns. The Therapist will collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to provide quality, client-focused, inclusive and culturally appropriate services, for young people and their families/caregivers across Edmonton. They will adhere to ethical and practice standards when applying evidence-informed practices and foster relationships with community partners to ensure effective care.

The successful candidate will be expected to utilize individual and group interventions to engage participants in addressing mental health, substance use, and related physical and social health concerns and create a planning partnership to achieve the highest level of community. They will have a strong appreciation for how mental health challenges and substance use impact young people, showing competency in effectively engaging people from diverse experiences, solution-focused and single-session psychotherapy skills, group facilitation techniques, and clinical assessment skills. This is a full-time (32 hour week) on-site permanent role with benefits.

Responsibilities

• Deliver accessible, solution-focused, short-term therapy within a drop-in model (first come, first serve basis) designed for young people (ages 11 – 25) and their families/caregivers.
• Deliver a range of services including brief intervention, crisis support, psychotherapy, family work, and psychoeducation.
• Conduct psychosocial assessments and develop collaborative and innovative strength-based treatment plans, including psychotherapeutic techniques to facilitate change and improve subjective feelings of mental wellness.
• Apply evidence-based, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and inclusive care practices.
• Engage clients in shared decision-making and measurement-based care to monitor progress and adjust treatment while acknowledging the expertise of the client and their families and maintaining respect for their dignity and independence.
• Develop and deliver psychoeducational resources for clients, their families/caregivers, and staff, including creating materials and coordinating group sessions as needed.
• Maintain quality clinical documentation in compliance with relevant legislation and standards and to support the development of accurate performance indicators.
• Collaborate with members of the interprofessional team by providing recommendations to support service development, quality improvement and program evaluation.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in a relevant health-related discipline such as Social Work, Clinical Counselling, Clinical Psychology, Occupational Therapy or Nursing from an accredited university (Candidates with the Master of Social Work degree will require Restricted Psychosocial Interventions)
• 3 years of recent, post-graduate experience working with youth and young adults across the mental health and substance use continuum including experience with interventions and evidence-based treatment modalities.
• Familiarity with integrated youth services models, including the ability to work collaboratively across sectors to address the complex and intersecting needs of young people.
• Demonstrated knowledge of community response procedures, general counselling principles and intervention techniques.
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant Acts, pertinent regulations, policies and procedures, and other statutory duties.
• Current Registration with an affiliated professional body.
• Ability to obtain a Police Information Check with Vulnerable sector check and Child Intervention Check.
• Proficiency in the use of computers to support service delivery and working with related word processing and database management software applications.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends and travel within the local community for appointments and events.

Why work for the YMCA?

YMCA of Northern Alberta is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead, and give back to their communities. We are committed to helping our employees and volunteers reach their full potential and are recognized as a great place to work and volunteer. We offer meaningful opportunities to make a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of our communities.

Joining the Y means contributing to over 100 years of providing opportunities for people to shine! Our Y serves tens of thousands of people each year through programs and services like health and fitness, licensed child care, day camps, mental health, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families and seniors.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Inclusion has power, and we take strides to create a diverse, inclusive workplace where everyone can belong. Diverse teams unleash new ideas, and employees thrive in a culture that recognizes and appreciates the unique perspectives and backgrounds of others. Through our differences in how we think and act we can form innovative and effective teams and deliver organizational success.

If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please let us know when we reach out about an opportunity so we can work with you to accommodate your needs.

In keeping with our commitment to safety and child protection, job offers are contingent on the successful completion of a Police Records Check. Prior to your first day and every three years thereafter, a Vulnerable Police Records Check is required.

The YMCA only considers applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only contact candidates who are selected for an interview.