Veiner Centre members have opportunity for free one-on-one counselling

By KENDALL KING on September 28, 2022.

kking@medicinehatnews.com

Medicine Hat Family Services and the Veiner Centre are continuing a partnership which provides free short-term counselling for seniors, with the goal of supporting positive mental health and wellbeing for those 50-plus.

Established in the early 2000s, the partnership brings a certified counsellor from MHFS to the Veiner Centre each month to meet with centre members for free, hour-long, one-on-one counselling sessions.

Kerby Centre/Veiner Centre CEO Larry Mathieson says providing counselling services is one of the many ways the centre ensures the overall health and wellbeing of its member population.

“We want our members to feel heard, valued, healthy and active (so) offering mental health services for members was always a priority,” Mathieson told the News. “I’m thrilled members have this in-house support available to them.”

Members may register for up to three, hour-long counselling sessions free of charge, during which time they can speak to the counsellor about any topic of concern affecting their personal lives or relationships.

“Some common themes within counselling may be elderly neglect or abuse, challenge between how to reconnect with family now after COVID, different health issues, maintaining good relationships and new relationships, grief therapy and managing stressful family relationships,” Lindsay Heier, therapeutic counsellor with MHFS, said.

Heier has been conducting sessions at the Veiner Centre since last year and, though only offered to members on a short-term basis, he believes such sessions help support the mental health, as well as overall health and wellness, of seniors.

“Mental health doesn’t encompass just somebody with severe mental health problems, but it’s health and wellness,” said Heier. “Sometimes we have big challenges in life and we just need to process … One-on-one counselling opens (individuals) up to being able to cope with life differently.”

Heier feels the sessions also help reduce stigma surrounding mental health – something he feels still exists for many individuals who grew up with different understandings of mental health.

“Coming into a counselling agency sometimes carries a bit of a stigma for seniors,” said Heier. “If you look at mental health (in the past), it was much more drastic. If you had a lot of symptoms of major mental health, then you would be at a mental health institution … But it’s not so much in that category (today) … Now mental health has much more shifted into health and wellness.”

Mathieson agrees and feels the Veiner Centre – a community health and wellness centre – is a perfect setting for such sessions to take place as it is familiar and comfortable for members.

“There is still a stigma around mental health, and seeking help requires taking a vulnerable first step,” said Mathieson. “(But) when counselling is being offered free of charge at the Veiner Centre – where they already feel at home – there is already a foundation of trust, making the process of finding help easier and more accessible.”

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