Alix (she/her) is a registered social worker with the BC College of Social Workers. Her background is in anti-violence and anti-human trafficking work. She has worked with women and children experiencing violence both in Canada and abroad. Alix's practice is rooted in intersectional feminism, and the idea that every person is an expert in their own life. She works from an anti-oppressive and trauma-informed approach. This foundation guides her work with clients, always placing respect and dignity at the centre of the helping relationship.
Alix has a Bachelor of Arts in History, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a Master of Arts in Human Security and Peacebuilding. She is currently training to become a certified Sexual Health Educator.
Alix's goal in managing KSACC is to empower clients, volunteers, and staff to find their own path to healing, and to work creatively and collaboratively with the community in ending gendered violence.
Pearl started as a volunteer in 1986 and became a full time counsellor in 1991. Her previous experience includes working with emotionally disturbed children; creating and running groups; as well as one to one sessions for men who were violent with their partners. Pearl has also facilitated groups for women and teens who have experienced emotional, physical and sexualized violence in their lives. Pearl now works one to one, as well as in groups, with adults who have experienced physical and sexualized violence.
She believes in adapting the counselling theory to the client and that it can be beneficial for people to be curious about who they are versus the story they have been given by others. Pearl’s approach to healing trauma caused by PTSD and CPTSD includes, but is not limited to, attachment, cognitive, Gestalt, behavioural and narrative techniques.
Heidi (she/her) is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Masters degree in Counselling from Thompson Rivers University.
Her background is in trauma-informed therapy, including narrative therapy, mindfulness and systemic family therapy. She believes in a holistic approach to counselling and her therapeutic philosophy is built on the belief that people are inherently positive, capable and resourceful with the ability to reflect, understand, and create change within themselves.
Her aim is to help clients better understand the impact trauma has on their mental, emotional and physical well-being, as well as the importance of healthy relationships as a key factor in the process of healing and recovery.
Jennifer (she/her) is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. Jennifer has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Lethbridge and a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University.
As a counsellor, Jennifer's goal is to create a safe and supportive space using a strengths-based approach. Working collaboratively with her clients, they explore stressors and fears, create goals, and celebrate accomplishments.
Jennifer draws mainly from Somatic Experiencing which aims to help people move through traumatic events by regulating the nervous system and restoring safety in the body while building self-soothing and self-regulating strategies. She believes that social supports and the community are necessities in healing from trauma and that survivors have the innate ability to regulate their stress and heal from painful events. Jennifer also draws from Attachment Theory, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and relational-based approaches in her practice.
Kate (she/her) is an STV and PEACE program counsellor. In Chase, she works with children 3-18 years old who have experienced violence in their families. In Chase and Kamloops she provides counselling for adults who have experienced physical, psychological, emotional and or sexual violence. Kate strives to support the communities of Chase and Kamloops in line with her core values of inclusivity, open-mindedness and respect. Her counselling approach is warm, client-centered, and draws largely on narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, art and play therapy. Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is working towards her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. She has worked at KSACC since 2018.
Susie is a Registered Social Worker with experience working for non-profit organizations in Child and Youth Mental Health, Sexual Abuse Intervention, parent support, parent group facilitation, and community counselling. She currently works in KSACC’s Chase office one day a week.
Susie works from a holistic and strength–based perspective which locates the struggles faced by an individual within the larger context of society. Her clients are seen as experts in their own lives, each possessing inherent wisdom, strength and capabilities to create change. Within this perspective, Susie supports children and women to understand their experiences of violence, to learn skills to cope with impacts, to develop healthy relationships, and to discover inner resources which facilitate healing. A strong believer in the importance of parents, Susie is always grateful for the opportunity to support adults in their parenting roles. Her approach to counselling is gentle and client-centred, drawing on a wide range of modalities including art and play therapy, mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy, narrative therapy, attachment and family systems theory. She practices with recognition and respect of the unique history and culture of Aboriginal people.
Jody has been the CBVS worker at KSACC for 28 years. Jody started at KSACC in 1987 as a volunteer and in 1992 was hired as the Victim Support Worker.
In this capacity, Jody has assisted women, children and men through the process of going to court and giving evidence as Crown witnesses. She has supported victims of sexual/domestic violence in making reports to the RCMP, and assisted them with completing Victim Impact Statements, Crime Victim Assistance Applications and Third Party Reports.
Jody has sat on several provincial and community boards, representing KSACC and Community Based Victim Services.
STV - STOPPING THE VIOLENCE PROGRAM (Kamloops, Logan Lake &ashcroft) cbvs - cOMMUNITY bASED vICTIM sERVICES
Julie is the STV Counsellor for the communites of Logan Lake and Ashcroft. She provides counselling to women who have experienced sexual assault or other forms of violence whether physical or psychological. She also facilitates a girl's group in Logan Lake for girls in grades 9 - 12 on violence prevention.
Julie is a Registered Professional Counsellor with the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association. She joined KSACC in July 2017.
Jenn started volunteering at KSACC in 2019 and joined the team in 2020. She calls upon her decade of experience as an allied health professional with a special focus on women's health and narrative medicine as well as her years of volunteering in the social service sector, to approach her work with a client-first perspective. Her ethic is rooted in intersectional feminism, justice and body sovereignty and she endeavors to approach every aspect of her work through this lens. Jenn is currently working towards becoming a paralegal.
Abigail (she/her) has a Bachelor of Social Work and a Human Service Diploma. Her background is in youth recreation and advocacy. She has worked with at-risk youth and young adults experiencing homelessness and exploitation, women and children fleeing violence, and has developed programming for children with diverse abilities. Abigail's practice stems from a trauma informed lends and an anti-oppressive framework. She has a strong passion for brain development and how trauma impacts the brain. She believes in meeting those in need where they are at and focusing on the needs of clients.
Abigail's goals with KSACC are to learn from the staff, volunteers and client's, and to be a part of delivering KSACC's wraparound supports for those facing violence in our community.
Serena is registered as a Canadian Certified Counsellor through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Her clinical practice has included counselling support for children, youth, and adults who have experienced trauma. She has also worked in mental health and addictions as well as with street-involved and forensic populations.
Serena works from a trauma-informed lens to empower and connect with others in their healing journeys. She believes in the relational repair that can occur in the context of safe and supportive relationships. Her approach to helping and healing is guided by holistic and strengths-based practices that foster creativity, curiosity, and self-compassion. Serena utilizes an integrative approach to meet each person where they are at in their healing.
Serena's educational background includes an undergraduate degree in Psychology, a Masters of Education in Counselling, and a PhD in Health Sciences. She has engaged in trauma research focused on supporting children in schools as well as doctoral research that explored the healing experiences of adult survivors of complex trauma.
Mevonny has been the Business Manager at KSACC since 1997 and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the business and premises of the Centre. In her role as the Business Manager, she works closely with the Agency Coordinator and the Board of Directors to ensure that the business of the Centre runs efficiently.
Prior to coming to Kamloops and KSACC, Mevonny worked in public practice as well as in a business setting. She earned her associate degree in Business Administration and then transferred to accounting, completing her CGA designation in 1987.
Laura has been the receptionist at KSACC since 2014. She is the first point of contact at the Centre and strives to make that decision to step through our doors a little bit easier. Besides providing administrative support for the office, she also maintains KSACC's website and social media accounts and provides in-house graphic design support.