By Ethan Ready
Miracle on Third

Community Counselling Centre named beneficiary for 3rd Annual Miracle on 3rd

Nov 18, 2020 | 4:38 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Community Counselling Centre serves two important functions here in the north: one, they provide low cost, low barrier long term mental health services for community members. Secondly, they train masters level counselling students from UNBC with high-quality teaching and training in mental health.

The Community Counselling Centre will serve as this year’s beneficiary of Miracle on Third.

“We have been in the community for over 11 years now and getting out there to get awareness out, to raise funds, to do some more charity work, has really been the focus in the last five years or so. With a partnership like this, we’re just thrilled that we were chosen and that the recognition of how important mental health is and the clients we serve is really be recognized. We feel really grateful and honoured to be apart of this fundraiser.”

And for those working at the centre as part of their practicum, it’s been a rewarding experience for both current students and past.

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“Not only are we providing mental health services, but we have this amazing environment where there’s this built-in support, not just from the supervisors on site but the peer support,” says Ralla Lodge, a now Registered Clinical Counsellor who is a graduate of the Masters Counselling program at UNBC.

“There’s often a handful of students here who are all going through the same program and I think the ability to connect with each other, learn from each other, as well as learn from the supervisors and from clients is really a unique and valuable experience the Community Counselling Centre offers.”

Simon Zukowski is a current student of UNBC’s Masters Counselling Program, and his experience at the Community Counselling Centre has been as warding for him as it has for his clients, admitting he himself dealt with his own challenges with mental health. As a result, he recognized the importance of mental health, leading him to the program offered at UNBC.

“Just being able to work with people and help people, offer them the type of help they can’t really find anywhere else is very fulfilling for me personally,” said Zukowski. “One of my clients said this isn’t like talking to a friend or family member, this is really something that trained counsellors can offer.”

Currently, there are nine students serving as counsellors at the centre, as well as 78 clients receiving long-term counselling right now.

From November 1st of 2019 to November 1st of 2020, 238 clients have received counselling services and 102 students have been trained in the centre’s 11-year history.

“The work that the students do here, and it is all students who provide the services, is incredible and very powerful work.”

The 3rd annual Miracle on 3rd will be taking place on Thursday, December 3rd.

by Ethan Ready

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