GEORGES P. VANIER SECONDARY COUNSELLING DEPARTMENT
Our goal is to empower students toward positive change and to help them to have the most successful high school experience possible!
School Counsellors:
- Katherine Brach (A-G) katherine.brach@sd71.bc.ca
- Stephanie Morris (H-N) stephanie.morris@sd71.bc.ca
- Jocelyn Schultz (O-Z) jocelyn.schultz@sd71.bc.ca
Youth and Family Support Worker:
- Sherry Patterson sherry.patterson@sd71.bc.ca
Our School Counsellors at Vanier, have Bachelor of Education degrees and also hold Masters Degrees in Counselling. Our Youth and Family Support Worker holds a Bachelor Degree in Sociology with a focus on Social Justice.
We provide many services to support all students and families including:
- Personal and mental health counselling
- Support for concerns around substance use
- Academic support, course selection, career and post-secondary planning
- Scholarship/Bursary information
- Help with study skills, organizational skills, time management, goal setting
- Family consultation and support – help for parents around their child’s wellbeing or educational needs
- Referrals – help for students, parents and families to find the resources they need in the community
- Presentations- classroom and parent presentations
Our goal is to empower students toward positive change and to help you to have the most successful high school experience possible!
Students and parents can make an appointment to see their counsellor by booking online (Click here to book an appointment) or by coming into the Counseling Centre. We can also be reached by phone at 250-338-1901.
Confidentiality
All conversations between students and counsellors are confidential; that means that they do not share information with parents, teachers, other students or school administrators without permission from the student. Counsellors take their commitment to confidentiality very seriously. There are some circumstances, however, that they are legally obliged to break confidentiality for student safety. Counsellors will always inform students when they have to break confidentiality and discuss options with them.
Limits to Confidentiality:
- When the student tells the counsellor that they (the student) or another person is at serious risk of being hurt or killed.
- When the student tells the counsellor that they (the student) or another person has been hurt or abused.
- In the rare event that a judge or court order requires a release of a student’s file.
2022/2023 Online Bookings with your Counsellor
All students are able to book an appointment with their appropriate counsellor or Jason, the Youth and Family Worker at the link below. This link replaces the sign-up sheet that we previously had in the office.
Book a Counselling Appointment
2022/2023 Online Bookings with School Nurse
The school nurse visits Vanier every Tuesday between 11:50 am-1:00 pm in the counselling office. Students can sign up for an appointment with the school nurse for health care advice, pregnancy testing, STI testing, contraception etc.
Book Appointment with the School Nurse.
2022/2023 Online Bookings with NIC Advisor
Our NIC Advisor will visit Vanier once a month (usually first Tuesday of each month). Appointments will be conducted online. This is a great opportunity for students to ask questions about dual credits, university transfers, and admissions/registration.
Book appointment with NIC Advisor.
IN AN EMERGENCY CALL 9-1-1
- Vancouver Island Crisis Hotline: 1-888-494-3888
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
- MCFD After Hours Helpline for Children: 310-1234
Some Helpful Resources (alphabetical order):
Autism Support:
Bullying:
Covid-19 Mental Health Support
Consent/Gender Based Violence:
Counselling
Eating Disorders:
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Support:
Grief & Loss:
Mental Health:
- Mental Health Supports
- Kelty Mental Health
- Anxiety Canada
- Dealing with Depression (DWD)
- Foundry BC
- Here to Help BC
- Kids Help Line
- Suicide Prevention
Newcomers to Canada:
Parenting Teens:
- Comox Valley Parent Teen Mediation
- 250-335-2343
- Positive Parenting Program
- Parenting Without Power Struggles
- Family Smart
- Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Removing Online Pictures or Images:
Self –Injury:
Sexual Abuse Counselling:
Sexual Health
Sexual Orientation and Gender:
Substance Use:
Suicide/Crisis:
Traumatic Stress:
Victim Services: