Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Oct 28/05) - Sometimes life can be a struggle, making it hard to cope.

For those dealing with grief and loss or trying to patch up a relationship, there's more help than ever before in the Deh Cho.

"Mental health is about living your life fully and happily," said Jen Olson, a mental health counsellor, who was brought aboard by Deh Cho Health and Social Services this summer.

Over the past year, the department has broadened its staff to include a clinical supervisor, four mental health counsellors and four community wellness workers.

The extra positions - only one of which is vacant - were created based on recommendations from a Health and Social Services report entitled A State of Emergency, said Ethel Lamothe, manager of community wellness and addictions for the Deh Cho.

The number of clients seeking counselling has risen, although a database to officially track numbers is still in the works, she noted.

Some clients come in on their own, others seek treatment based on referrals from nurses, social workers, justice officials or friends and family.

The mental health and community wellness workers are based in Fort Providence, Fort Liard, Fort Simpson and on the Hay River Reserve.

They are forming a regular travel schedule to visit outlying communities, according to Lamothe. Residents in the smaller communities can also arrange for telephone counselling, she said.

In addition, the counsellors will visit schools and will encourage parents to get involved.

"We're going to be doing some good training with our staff so they will really be able to offer the best possible programs to the community," Lamothe said.

One of the planned regional workshops is a traditional healing forum to demonstrate how organic methods can complement western medicine.

Other workshops will include suicide risk assessment and trauma training.

The common image of counselling is sitting and talking, but it could also involve art therapy or play therapy, said Kathy Szirtes, regional clinical supervisor.

When it comes to addictions, there is no simple measure or definition, she said.

If individuals are unsure whether they have a dependency, they should see a counsellor for an assessment, she advised.

Addiction interference

Generally speaking, addictions interfere with people's regular lives such as their relationships or work.

It doesn't have to be daily, it could be recurring weekend binges, she noted.

Although an individual has to want healing for counselling to be successful, education and awareness can sometimes make a people realize that there is hope and motivate them to seek help, Szirtes said.