Therapist – Shunda Creek Recovery Center

THERAPIST
Shunda Creek Recovery Center

ENVIROS – Who We Are:
Enviros is an innovative social services agency that provides critical, individualized programs to children, youth, adults, and families in vulnerable situations to meet their desired outcomes and wellness.
Enviros helps our clients make strength-based changes to move to independence within a healthy community.
Enviros focuses programs on the unique needs of individual clients practicing experiential learning to provide opportunities for personal discovery and growth.
Enviros focus is on building relationships and is the foundation of the work we do. This enables clients to develop skills, healthy trust, and independence.
Since our founding in 1976, Enviros has been an early adopter of new evidence-based best practices and has developed and informed other leading practices.

Why People Choose Enviros
Simply stated, our vision is: “The Power of Human Relationships Invites Belonging and Inspires Growth.”

 Program Overview
Shunda Creek is a wilderness-based addiction Treatment program for youths aged 18 – 24.

Position Overview
As the Shunda Creek Therapist, your primary responsibility is to direct the delivery of an adventure therapy addiction treatment program in accordance with agency directives, policies, and priorities within the Service Operating Requirements established within the Young Adult Treatment provincial program. As well in partnership with the Program Supervisor and Manager, you must ensure the daily program activities are in compliance with accreditation and wilderness industry standards so as to ensure an integrated, effective and therapeutic service. As the Therapist, you are responsible for using an experiential approach, adventure therapy and strength-based philosophy to ensure programming is intentional and safe. The Therapist is responsible for overseeing all intake assessments and working with staff members to develop and implement treatment plans that address the needs of each client. The Therapist, along with the Program Supervisor, ensures the provision of individual and group therapies and provides supervision and consultation to staff members regarding residents and families. The Therapist supports the Enviros Community through liaison, program development, and participation and will provide emergency clinical on-call consultation as needed by the program.

This role involves the coaching of and consulting with a staff team capable of providing the wilderness component of treatment as well as the addiction treatment component.

Specific Responsibilities
In carrying out your responsibilities as a program therapist, you are expected to represent an agency perspective in all your communications and actions.

• Ensure residents have a voice and choice in their treatment
• Support staff in developing positive and professional relationships with residents
• Consult with Program Supervisor and Manager (as appropriate) regarding the overall therapeutic delivery of the program.
• Ensure treatment teams are consistent in the therapeutic direction set for individual residents.
• Provide clinical support to the staff team as it relates to residents assisting staff in acquiring further knowledge regarding mental health and how it impacts residents in treatment
• Provide clinical support to Alumni who call into Shunda Creek
• Consult with Alberta Health Services regarding the screening of incoming residents as appropriate.
• Ensure that all relevant documentation is completed, including research, case planning, CIR’s, home visits and daily case notes
• Complete monthly and quarterly reports as required. (i.e., monthly nominals)
• Ensure all Wilderness staff are trained to industry standards
• Ensure that all aspects of Adventure therapy meet acceptable therapeutic standards in collaboration with the Wilderness Facilitator and Program Supervisor.
• Ensure your practice adheres to OH&S standards.

 Health and Safety Considerations

• Practice prudent wildlife care in a wilderness setting. All trips to possess bear spray and adhere to bear safety protocols. Drive with care to minimize the risk of animal collision.
• Sour gas plants in vicinity. Though it may be easily smelled by some people at small concentrations, continuous exposure to even low levels of H2S quickly deadens the sense of smell (olfactory desensitization). Exposure to high levels of the gas can deaden the sense of smell instantly. Check windsock and drive with wind to effect dilution or drive at 90* angles to odour.
• Risk of aggressive residents. Strong practice of preventative measures such as through tone and talking residents down. In the event of an aggressive resident, Police would be called, and all other residents would be secured in a safe facility.
• Residents are screened for mental/emotional issues before attending camp and attend with appropriate medication.
• Detoxing takes place prior to camp attendance. If detoxification becomes an issue, resident is transported to a hospital.
• Some risk of slipping on ice in winter onsite sidewalks, Sand and shovel as required.
• Wilderness tripping hazards and winter conditions – snowshoes or ice shoes. Regular footwear. Walk with care.
• Forest fires are a risk. Evacuation on orders of Police or Forestry
• Propane-fueled furnaces in buildings. Monitors announce higher concentrations – evacuation if monitors announce high concentration and / or odour is smelled.
• Extreme cold – tripping stopped if temperatures exceed -25C and/or call in to be picked up.
• Cooking on large propane stove – fire extinguishers immediately accessible. Maintenance conducted by Edon.
• Food safety – food stored in refrigerators with a backup generator coming online immediately on power outage.

 Qualifications – Skills

• Master’s degree in psychology/social work/counselling
• Experience in counselling, family, and group therapy
• Registered/Chartered/Licensed by their professional discipline
• Experience with experiential learning, adventure therapy and strength-based practice.

 Qualifications – Personality Traits

• Attention to detail
• Collaborative
• Team player
• Inspirational – encourages and supports others to be their best
• Mentor to the staff team
• Creative – can think outside of the box. Creative solutions due to remoteness
• Humorous
• Calm demeanor
• Constant learner seeking individual solutions for residents
• Fun by nature

1. Direct Resident Care

• Ensure residents have a voice and choice in their treatment.
• Coach staff in the development of positive and professional relationships with residents.
• Ensure treatment teams are consistent in the therapeutic direction set for individual residents.
• Support the treatment team in assisting residents in achieving the goals identified in their individual case plans.
• Consult the second Therapist regarding overall therapeutic delivery of program.
• Consult with Alberta Health Services regarding the screening of incoming residents as appropriate.
• Consult with Alberta Health Services with respect to current residents as necessary.
• Ensure that all relevant training is up to date.
• Ensure your personnel file documents are submitted and current as per standards.
• Ensure that registration in relevant professional college is current.
• Ensure that personal supervision is scheduled, and personal performance evaluations are completed on time.
• Participate as relevant in ongoing addiction and therapeutic use of wilderness training.
• Provide clinical/therapeutic support to Alumni.
• Provide clinical support to alumni facilitator as it relates to alumni.

2. Documentation

• Ensure all resident files have a completed intake package with appropriate signatures as is appropriate.
• Complete assessments with residents as required.
• Collaborate with the lead therapist to ensure all residents have a current case plan that accurately reflects their agreed-upon treatment goals and meet accreditation standards.
• Ensure your resident notes are current.
• Ensure that all relevant research documentation is completed.
• Ensure necessary follow-up communication relevant to the treatment team is entered into the communication log.

3. Therapeutic Program Delivery

• Provide individual therapy to residents.
• Provide group therapy as requested.
• Provide support and mentoring to staff with respect to the development of their group facilitation skills.
• Support staff as needed with group development and treatment delivery.
• Provide helpful and constructive clinical feedback both formally and informally to ASW’s as needed.
• Consult with Wilderness Facilitator and Shift Supervisors to ensure trip plans are developed with intentions that align with treatment outcomes as appropriate.
• Collaborate with the lead therapist to ensure consistencies in therapeutic delivery of program.
• Connect with resident families as is appropriate.
• Provide family counselling as is relevant or can be accommodated.
• Provide consultation as appropriate regarding Alumni clients.

4. Wilderness Program Delivery

• Ensure the wilderness program component is active and running smoothly.
• Review trip proposals ensuring therapeutic framework and that trip staff are appropriately qualified.
• Overseeing all aspects of risk management as it pertains to the residents involved in various trips.

5. Facility Updates

• Report any maintenance or safety concerns you observe to the program supervisor or shift supervisors.

6. Coaching and Administration

• Provide timely constructive feedback to colleagues to ensure a healthy and supportive team dynamic.
• Ensure relevant training and orientation to practicum students you are supervising.
• Notify the Program Manager and Program Supervisor of any emerging resident or staff dynamics observed.
• The Therapist is responsible for overseeing all intake assessments and ensuring the information obtained at intake is accurate.
• Coach and consult with staff members in the development and implementation of treatment plans that address the needs of each resident.

7. Relationship with Stakeholders

• Uphold and maintain a professional rapport with Alberta Health Services.
• Liaise with Addictions Support Workers from Alberta Health Services as needed.
• Coordinate intakes with Alberta Health Services and the program supervisor.
• Ensure partners are updated as relevant to resident or program issues.
• Develop and maintain a professional rapport with Probation and drug court personnel as relevant to current residents.

8. Budget and fiscal management

• Ensure all program expenditures are submitted accurately and in a timely manner to accounting.

9. Connection with the Program Manager

• Meet with the program manager regularly, either in person or by phone.
• Meetings with the program manager should include but are not limited to a review of current resident dynamics, treatment team dynamics, emerging issues that positively and negatively impact treatment, and ongoing professional development.

How to Apply
Please submit your cover letter and resume to careers@enviros.org: attention Brinnae Erb. Quote job reference # 2378. Competition for this posting close until a suitable candidate is found.

Enviros believes in the power of diversity, and we are dedicated to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment. We ensure equal opportunity for all applicants and encourage people of all visible minorities, including Indigenous applicants and those of any religion, sex, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, to apply.

Additionally, Enviros is committed to having a workforce of skilled and diversified representation of the population we serve. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply; however, in our commitment to the population we serve, preference will be given to candidates self-identifying as Indigenous Person.

Enviros is an equal-opportunity employer. We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We regret that we are unable to accept telephone inquiries.