Our Services

From time to time we all experience life struggles and stress. It can be very helpful to have someone walk with us through those difficult times. When we are working towards personal growth in some area of our life, it can be helpful for us to have an objective person to talk to during that process.  Sometimes our friends and family can be the best counsellors for us. However, there are times when professional help is required. At these times, seeking the assistance of a counsellor may be of assistance to you.

Below is a list of some of the issues that we can assist with:

·         Stress

·         Pre-Marital Counselling

·         Anxiety & Fear

·         Trauma

·         Abuse

·         Grief and Loss

·         Life Struggles

·         Depression

·         Job Related Concerns

·         Parenting Issues

·         Spiritual Concerns

Our Fees

The Shepherd Counselling Centre was started in order to provide affordable counselling to members of the community. We understand that many people are unable to obtain professional counselling because of the fees charged by counsellors in private practice. In order to assist with this problem and to ensure that anyone who wants counselling can access it, we have a sliding fee scale that is based on the client’s ability to pay for counselling. The fee scale range is from $5 to $75 per session. The specific fee assigned will be discussed between client and counsellor in the first session. The first session is always complimentary.

Our Counsellors

Captain Catherine Skillin, Psy.D., R.M.F.T.                                   

Clinical Director                                                                                  

Registered Marriage and Family Therapist                                

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Kathy Park, M.Div, CYC

Counsellor     

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The Shepherd Counselling Centre is also a training placement centre for intern counsellors. The interns are usually masters or doctoral level students or recent graduates who are required to work under the supervision of an experienced counsellor in order to complete the mandated clinical training for their professional certification. Interns carry a small caseload of clients and are closely supervised by the Clinical Director.

Who We Are

“The Salvation Army is an international Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible; its ministry is motivated by love for God and the needs of humanity. The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.” (The Salvation Army Mission and Identity statement)

While our Christian faith and practice is  important to us, we respect the views and beliefs of our clients. We work with clients from a variety of faith backgrounds and those with no faith background.

Our counsellors hold masters or doctoral degrees and are either Registered Marriage and Family Therapists or are working towards that designation. We are members of the American Association For Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and adhere to the Code of Ethics of that organization.

We use a variety of clinical approaches and these are dependent upon the specific needs of our clients. We keep therapy as brief as possible while meeting the clinical needs of those we serve.

We provide confidential counselling for individuals, couples and families.

Our Intake Procedure

We accept clients from any referral source including self referral. Access to our services are not limited to clients residing in the City of Mississauga. The normal referral process is for the client to contact the Clinical Director. The Clinical Director will then conduct a brief telephone intake assessment. This is done to determine whether there is a good match between the client’s needs and the services that we provide. It is also done to determine who would be the best counsellor to assign the client to.

Due to the affordable nature of our counselling services, at times the demand for service is very high. When this is the case, we establish a waiting list and clients are seen on a first come first serve basis.  If there is a waiting list, you will be informed of this during your initial intake assessment. You will also be told approximately how long the wait for counselling will be.

History

In 2004 the staff at The Salvation Army Mississauga Temple identified a need for affordable counselling in our community. We knew that family counselling was needed by many of the clients we already served but also knew that there were people in the Mississauga area not using our services who could also benefit from Family and Personal Counselling.

We identified that while many people know of the benefits of counselling, that the standard fees of professional counsellors are cost prohibitive for many people. In response to this need, we began an affordable family counselling program.

Since 2004 the demand for counselling has greatly increased necessitating an expansion of the counselling program. The Shepherd Counselling Centre was officially opened on June 17, 2007.

Counselling Centre Name

“The Lord is my Shepherd,

I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”(Psalm 23:1-4)

From time to time, all of us experience difficulties and challenges. These are a normal part of the journey of life. Sometimes it is helpful to have another person to walk with us through those times of challenge. The staff of the Shepherd Counselling Centre are professionally trained counsellors who strive to follow the pattern of true caring as described in the well known words of the 23^rd Psalm. Using those words as our inspiration, we provide a place where our clients can experience peace, comfort, direction, support and guidance as they walk the journey of life.