Charity Classic confirms non-golfer's career plans

Counselling Resident and Registered Provisional Psychologist, Sheena Gauthier was the recipient of funds raised from Calgary Counselling Centre's Charity Golf Tournament.

She doesn’t know who Charl Schwartzel is,

...the only Masters that matters to her is the one she’s earned in Psychology,

...and she’s never lifted a club…

...yet it’s a game of golf that has confirmed Sheena Gauthier’s career decision.

Counselling Resident and Registered Provisional Psychologist, Sheena Gauthier was the recipient of funds raised from the 2010 River Spirit Golf Club Charity Golf Classic, benefitting Calgary Counselling Centre. $30,000 from the funds raised paid for Sheena’s bursary, which funded her tuition and provided her with a living allowance for a year while she trained at Calgary Counselling Centre.

“I knew the first day, that I wanted to be here,” says Sheena.  Although she had a number of options to train as a counsellor, she chose to train at Calgary Counselling Centre for her graduate training. She was then chosen to be part of our post graduate training program in October, 2010.

“With the variety of clients I work with and the in-depth cases I have had the privilege to learn from, I have discovered skills I didn’t realize I had. This is truly my calling – this is my dream job.”

The ‘dream job’ varies daily and includes playing Barbie’s with kids on the floor of Bob and Pat’s Playroom (on site at Calgary Counselling Centre), depression treatment with youth or adults, or work with clients impacted by abuse.  Sheena’s also had the opportunity to go off site, to help mitigate the effects of trauma after an oil field explosion.

“My ideal career goal now is to work in trauma,” says Sheena. “Trauma affects people in so many facets of their lives. A traumatic experience can impact any individual in a dramatic way – divorce, abuse, crime – it’s exciting work and especially rewarding when a client can get past their traumatic event. It’s so great when a client tells me ‘I’m done’ with treatment and I know I’ve helped them rebuild their life.”

From the University of Lethbridge (where she earned her undergraduate degree), to Yorkville (the online program based in Fredericton where she received her Masters of Counselling), Sheena and her husband are now settled in Calgary. She will continue with Calgary Counselling Centre as a full time counsellor when her Residency ends this September.

Residents like Sheena are recipients of an outstanding learning experience where they acquire exceptional hands-on training.  Competition for the 17 available positions exceeds capacity.  Residents selected for the program enhance their counselling knowledge and develop advanced counselling skills.  We provide opportunities for Residents to gain the supervised hours of counselling practice required to gain professional licensure within their chosen occupation.  Some graduates from the program are hired as full-time staff with Calgary Counselling Centre, while others go on to practice in communities throughout North America and beyond.

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