Youth mental health Counsellor at Osgoode Youth Association
NROCRC (Nepean, Rideau, Osgoode Community Resource Centre) received a grant from United Way of Eastern Ontario to continue youth mental health counselling work in their catchment area of Osgoode Ward, Kars and North Gower. Quinn Rivier-Gatt is the youth mental health Counsellor, and you will love her! Quinn works for NROCRC, but takes appointments both virtually and in person at the Osgoode Youth Association (O-YA). Appointments are available for rural youth ages 12 - 17.
Accessing Counselling Services
By Phone: NROCRC Youth Counselling Intake Line: 613-596-5626 Ext. 308
By Email: NROCRC Youth Counselling Intake: [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make an appointment?
If you are between 12 - 17 years old, you can either NROCRC's Counselling Intake Line at 613-596-5626 Ext. 308 or email [email protected]. In the email, include your age and your area code to make sure Quinn is the right Counsellor for your age and area.
Where does counselling take place?
O-YA has a comfortable, welcoming, private, and newly renovated counselling room (see photos below) that is available for in-person sessions. If you would prefer to meet virtually, that is okay too! Send Quinn an email and she will set up an appointment with you and send you a Teams invite to use at the time of your appointment. If you prefer to do counselling online, be sure you are in a comfortable, private location where you can talk freely and without interruption.
What does counselling cost?
Counselling is free for residents of rural south Ottawa residing in the NROCRC catchment area (All of Osgoode Ward plus Kars, North Gower & Manotick).
Will the in-person counselling setting be private?
Yes. Counselling appointments will take place in a newly renovated dedicated room at O-YA that is comfortable, welcoming and private. You can even come in through the back door, and the room’s windows have coverings.
Do I need to wear a mask during my counselling appointment?
Not at this time.
What if I have COVID symptoms?
If you were scheduled for an in-person appointment and you have symptoms of COVID-19, please email or call Quinn as soon as possible, and you can either move your appointment to another day, or we can move your appointment to meet virtually if you are feeling well enough.
Who can benefit from coming to counselling?
Everyone! Counselling can offer support to youth and help them cope with whatever life throws at them.
Do my parents have to make a counselling appointment for me?
No. Parents can make appointments, but it’s preferable if youth email or call to book appointments.
Can my parents make a counselling appointment for me if I don’t want to go?
No. Youth must consent to counselling. No one can make you attend counselling if you don’t want to.
Do I have to tell my parents I’m going for counselling?
Parent / guardian involvement is encouraged but not required.
Do I need a mental health diagnosis to come for counselling?
No. Counselling is available for any rural south youth age 12 - 17 and no referral is required. Just email to request an appointment.
Can I make an appointment just to meet the new counsellor and see if it’s for me?
Yes! The first counselling session is always a ‘meet and greet’ format. You are not obligated to continue after the first meeting, but we hope you do!
How long are counselling sessions?
Counselling sessions are usually an hour, but can be shorter if needed.
How often are counselling sessions?
Typically, you can expect to have 6 - 8 sessions, with one session every 2 weeks. We can, however, meet more or less often based on your needs and preference.
Is what I say in counselling confidential?
Confidentiality is an important aspect of the counselling process, and all information you entrust to Quinn will be carefully guarded, that’s part of her job. There are some situations when it may be necessary or required by law for Quinn to share certain information with others; these situations include:
What Happens During a Counselling Session?
What is expected of me during a counselling session?
How does virtual counselling work?
NROCRC (Nepean, Rideau, Osgoode Community Resource Centre) received a grant from United Way of Eastern Ontario to continue youth mental health counselling work in their catchment area of Osgoode Ward, Kars and North Gower. Quinn Rivier-Gatt is the youth mental health Counsellor, and you will love her! Quinn works for NROCRC, but takes appointments both virtually and in person at the Osgoode Youth Association (O-YA). Appointments are available for rural youth ages 12 - 17.
Accessing Counselling Services
By Phone: NROCRC Youth Counselling Intake Line: 613-596-5626 Ext. 308
By Email: NROCRC Youth Counselling Intake: [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make an appointment?
If you are between 12 - 17 years old, you can either NROCRC's Counselling Intake Line at 613-596-5626 Ext. 308 or email [email protected]. In the email, include your age and your area code to make sure Quinn is the right Counsellor for your age and area.
Where does counselling take place?
O-YA has a comfortable, welcoming, private, and newly renovated counselling room (see photos below) that is available for in-person sessions. If you would prefer to meet virtually, that is okay too! Send Quinn an email and she will set up an appointment with you and send you a Teams invite to use at the time of your appointment. If you prefer to do counselling online, be sure you are in a comfortable, private location where you can talk freely and without interruption.
What does counselling cost?
Counselling is free for residents of rural south Ottawa residing in the NROCRC catchment area (All of Osgoode Ward plus Kars, North Gower & Manotick).
Will the in-person counselling setting be private?
Yes. Counselling appointments will take place in a newly renovated dedicated room at O-YA that is comfortable, welcoming and private. You can even come in through the back door, and the room’s windows have coverings.
Do I need to wear a mask during my counselling appointment?
Not at this time.
What if I have COVID symptoms?
If you were scheduled for an in-person appointment and you have symptoms of COVID-19, please email or call Quinn as soon as possible, and you can either move your appointment to another day, or we can move your appointment to meet virtually if you are feeling well enough.
Who can benefit from coming to counselling?
Everyone! Counselling can offer support to youth and help them cope with whatever life throws at them.
Do my parents have to make a counselling appointment for me?
No. Parents can make appointments, but it’s preferable if youth email or call to book appointments.
Can my parents make a counselling appointment for me if I don’t want to go?
No. Youth must consent to counselling. No one can make you attend counselling if you don’t want to.
Do I have to tell my parents I’m going for counselling?
Parent / guardian involvement is encouraged but not required.
Do I need a mental health diagnosis to come for counselling?
No. Counselling is available for any rural south youth age 12 - 17 and no referral is required. Just email to request an appointment.
Can I make an appointment just to meet the new counsellor and see if it’s for me?
Yes! The first counselling session is always a ‘meet and greet’ format. You are not obligated to continue after the first meeting, but we hope you do!
How long are counselling sessions?
Counselling sessions are usually an hour, but can be shorter if needed.
How often are counselling sessions?
Typically, you can expect to have 6 - 8 sessions, with one session every 2 weeks. We can, however, meet more or less often based on your needs and preference.
Is what I say in counselling confidential?
Confidentiality is an important aspect of the counselling process, and all information you entrust to Quinn will be carefully guarded, that’s part of her job. There are some situations when it may be necessary or required by law for Quinn to share certain information with others; these situations include:
- If you tell us that somebody under the age of 16 is being hurt by someone, we have to call the Children’s Aid Society.
- If you tell us that somebody is going to be badly hurt by someone, or has been badly hurt, we will have to inform the police.
- If we think you may try to harm yourself, we will do all that we can to make sure that you are safe. We may have to tell someone about it or get you to a doctor.
What Happens During a Counselling Session?
- Your counsellor will work to get to know you and find out what is going on in your life
- The counselling session is a safe space where you are invited to share any thoughts that you are having or anything that is bothering you
- You will be met with a warm, caring, and non-judgmental attitude
- We will talk about any goals of counselling that you want to discuss – these may not be apparent right away and that’s okay
- You are in control of your own counselling process
- You will never have to talk about things you do not want to discuss or continue counselling when you no longer want to come
- The counsellor may take some notes – these are kept in the strictest confidence
- You may get resources for other supports or services
What is expected of me during a counselling session?
- Treat all staff in a respectful manner
- Arrive on time for your counselling sessions
- When possible, provide 24 hours of notice to change or cancel your counselling session
- Participate actively in your counselling sessions
How does virtual counselling work?
- If you prefer to meet virtually instead of in-person, sessions will happen over Teams platform, and you will need to confirm your physical location each session
- You should have a safe, comfortable place where you will not be overheard or disturbed during the session
- The virtual environment can have problems including needing to access technology, poor audio or video, and / or disconnected sessions
- You are not required to have your camera on, but it is encouraged
- The counsellor will also be in a confidential location where nothing can be overheard
The Counselling Room at O-YA
Youth spoke and we listened! As part of the Rural Ottawa Youth Mental Health Collective (ROYHC), rural youth were asked what aspects of a mental health counsellor would most help them get the mental health support they need. They are looking for 1) privacy, 2) a comfortable and welcoming space, 3) no cost to clients, 4) professional mental health assessment, 5) located close to where rural youth live, 6) access without parent consent and 7) in person services.
We think O-YA's new counselling service checks all the boxes! The counselling room is private (there are curtains and / or shutters on all the windows) and the door to access counselling is at the side of O-YA (you do not have to walk through programs to get to your appointment). We worked hard to make this space as comfortable and welcoming as possible (check out the pictures below, we hope you'll agree!), the service is free for rural Ottawa youth, Catherine can provide a professional mental health assessment, we are located in a rural Ottawa village and youth can make counselling appointments without parent consent.
We think O-YA's new counselling service checks all the boxes! The counselling room is private (there are curtains and / or shutters on all the windows) and the door to access counselling is at the side of O-YA (you do not have to walk through programs to get to your appointment). We worked hard to make this space as comfortable and welcoming as possible (check out the pictures below, we hope you'll agree!), the service is free for rural Ottawa youth, Catherine can provide a professional mental health assessment, we are located in a rural Ottawa village and youth can make counselling appointments without parent consent.
