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About Andra
Bicycle rider. Cat cuddler. Yoga enthusiast.
I love my life's work serving children and their caregivers as a counsellor / mental health therapist in northern B.C.
I am a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW). An RCSW may assess, diagnose and treat mental disorders based on the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). I have a Master of Social Work and certificates in many effective therapies that are specific to particular ages and challenges.
I have special interests in early childhood mental health, supporting children who are neurodiverse (such as children with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder), and honoring cultural safety.
I am registered with the BC College of Social Workers, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), Autism Funding, and other funding sources. These registrations provide access to health insurance coverage for my services. Please let me know if your insurance does not cover registered (clinical) social work; I may be able to help.
About
Why Small MAGIC?
"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple."
- Dr. Seuss
One of my favourite books as a child was Ella Enchanted. Ella has a fairy godmother who hardly ever uses magic. She believes that everything is connected and making big changes may have unintended consequences. But, small magic, here and there, makes just the difference. Likewise, I know that simple, well-informed approaches, or a series of simple changes, really do make big, tangible differences to our wellness. Just like making only a one degree turn while sailing a ship will land us in a much different place. Plus, the process of family, child, and play therapy can feel ... a little magical!
Mission
We know that the most effective mental health services are focused on early intervention. Economists have estimated that for every dollar invested into children, seven are saved throughout the lifespan. Not only are mental health challenges more easily and quickly resolved when support is provided early, but associated challenges can also be entirely prevented.
Mental health challenges can interfere with otherwise functioning development; a child may miss rich and important opportunities to develop critical developmental skills because inattention, excessive worries, or other challenges are interfering with participation in, for example, social opportunities.
No single person can resolve province-wide accessibility challenges for child and family mental health. I can, however, increase the availability of child and family mental health services in northern B.C. - in my own small way. And I can ensure that I am qualified to support mental health as early and as effectively as possible. This is my mission.
My vision is for our communities to have access to early, quality mental health services for all of our children - including access to our basic needs for good health that contribute to child and family mental health, and full rich lives.
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