Mental Health Clinician
How would you describe the current stage or most recent stage of your career as a Mental Health Clinician?
My current role is Mental Health Clinician with a Paramedic Service, where I provide mental health support, crisis intervention, and wellness programming for paramedics and staff. My role focuses on promoting resilience and preventing burnout among paramedics, mitigating psychological risks, and supporting after psychological injury or personal stressors. Each day looks a little different — I might provide one-on-one support, respond to member needs after critical incidents, provide consultation to service members on how to support their teams, or design wellness initiatives that strengthen team culture and support mental health across the organization. My role is unique in that each day I could be intervening individually, within teams or cohorts, or on systems levels. I love getting the opportunity to innovate – creating new programs and adapting to the needs of the service to alleviate some of the impacts of the challenging work faced by our first responders.
In addition to this role, I maintain a small private practice where I provide ongoing therapy to clients. This balance allows me to continue developing my longer-term treatment and psychotherapy skills while working full-time in a position that emphasizes brief/crisis support and program development.
What was your first ‘real’ job after graduating?
My first job post-graduation was as a Crisis Intervention Counsellor with Victim Services where I provided brief therapeutic interventions and service navigation to individuals immediately following crime and tragic incidents. This could be on-scene alongside police and other emergency services, or it could be via phone or office visit in the days following. This was a great starting place for me as I have always had a passion for trauma work. This led to me pursuing additional training in trauma treatment modalities to deepen my skills and guide my career in this area. Working in partnership with first responders also gave me invaluable insight into emergency service culture and the realities of frontline response—experience that continues to inform and strengthen the work I do today.
What skills or knowledge learned in your university courses have you found most useful in your career?
Some of my most impactful learning was done in experiential components of my courses. I recall having the opportunity to participate in a recorded practice therapy session with an actor, and to receive my recording to review and seek feedback. Because it was optional, and to most students, very nerve wracking (including me), not many people did it. This turned out to be one of the most impactful moments during my education, and something that built confidence more quickly than traditional coursework.
Don’t miss out on opportunities to apply the skills that you are learning (especially when it feels nerve wracking) – this is essential to both cement these learnings, but also to build a sense of confidence in your own professional capacities.
What have you found particularly useful about the specific degree program(s) you completed at McMaster?
We also have placements as part of the program. Again, this hands-on experience, and the accompanying course that helped us think critically and reflect on the hands-on work we were doing, was monumental in supporting my career trajectory. Through this, I was able to learn about what type of social work I wanted to pursue, and what therapeutic models I aligned with and wanted to seek further training in.
BSW/MSW programs are incredibly practical. There is such a wide range of roles for a Social Worker, and the education you gain from these programs truly lays the foundation for a fulfilling and dynamic career.
Did you get involved in any on-campus clubs, associations, or leadership roles? If so, how do you reflect on that experience?
I was involved with MUSSWSA (McMaster University School of Social Work Students Association) throughout my time in the program. Highlights included attending the CASW (Canadian Association of Social Work) conference as the student delegate in my third year and holding the role of President for the group in my 4th year. I was also a general member of the Anti-Oppressive Education Committee. External from my program, I was a Welcome Week Residence Rep and took part in various activities and events such as the Mac Veggie Club events, Relay for Life, and MacServe New Orleans service trip.
Each of these experiences enriched my university experience by increasing opportunities to learn, to grow skills, to form connections, and to simply have fun! A lot of my experiences in these realms also contributed to future career/life path decisions, such as being a founding member of DEI committees within workplaces, holding chairperson or co-chair roles in various boards and collectives, or networking that led to unique opportunities I would not have had otherwise.
What’s the most valuable or impactful piece of career advice you’ve received that you’d like to pass on?
Nerves, fear, and uncertainty are normal emotions to experience as you embark on your career path. This does not mean you are incompetent, or an imposter – it means that you are stepping into something new and unfamiliar and that you care about doing it well. In fact, a little bit of nervous energy will actually serve you well – keeping you on alert for learning opportunities and to continue showing up as the best version of yourself. Confidence and capacity follow action, so take those first steps, embrace the lifelong process of learning, and know that you have a lot to offer.
Which degree(s) did you complete during your education, either at McMaster, or at another institution? Please add any degree program details you think are relevant to understand your academic path (e.g. specializations, minors, post-graduate certificates, etc.)
- BSW and BA Sociology – McMaster University
- MSW – Dalhousie University