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About UsCanadian School Counselling WeekCCPA School Counselling AwardChapter BusinessResources

Press Release

Canadian School Counselling Week 2024

February 5 – 9, 2024

We are Celebrating our Upcoming 10th Anniversary!

Canadian School Counselling Week
February 5 ‐ 9, 2024

Canadian School Counselling Week (February 5 – 9, 2024) recognizes the contributions of the School Counselling profession to the personal, social, educational, and career development of students at all grade levels.  School Counsellors are instrumental in supporting the mental health and well-being of children and youth in Canada.

School Counsellors support the academic, social, and emotional growth of students.

School Counsellors intervene when additional supports are required for students’ mental health, academic outcomes, and overall well-being.

School Counsellors advocate for students to help them reach their goals in a safe and inclusive school environment.

Click here to access the event’s key messages

The event: School Counsellors are invited to join in the celebration of the Canadian School Counselling Week, Feb. 5‐9, 2024. The School Counsellors Chapter of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association organizes this special recognition week. Canadian School Counselling Week is part of a North American focus on the school counselling profession.

The Goal: The goal of Canadian School Counselling Week is to increase the public’s awareness of the scope of programs and services that characterize the school counselling profession in Canada within the twenty‐first century and beyond. This special week will highlight the role school counsellors play in supporting student success. It will also build a sense of national identity within the School Counselling Profession.

Show your support: Whether you’re a school counsellor, teacher, principal, superintendent, union representative or other educational support staff, you’re invited to show you’re support for School Counsellors by sharing this webpage and the resources below with your colleagues, leadership and across your communities.

School Counselling Award

To recognize the work of exceptional School Counsellors and acknowledge their personal and professional commitment to the profession. Click the award title to access application criteria and process.

 

Resources

Certificate of Appreciation

Sample Daily Announcements

Canadian School Counselling Week Poster

School Counselling in Nova Scotia Poster

Shareables for Social Media

Join us in celebrating Canadian School Counselling Week, February 5th to 9th 2024!

A week to recognize the contributions of the School Counselling Profession to the personal, social, educational and career development, and the mental health and wellbeing, of all students in Canada.

 

About Us

As school counsellors, we believe that opportunities for attaining emotional health and mental well-being are at the heart of learning. The school counselling profession supports the personal, social, academic, and career development of students in order to provide children and youth with the opportunity to achieve their true potential.  It is with this vision for our students that we strive to build a national identity within our profession.

 

History

The CCPA School Counsellors Chapter was founded in 2000. The Chapter communicates with its’ membership through newsletters and holds their Annual General Meetings in conjunction with CCPA’s National Conference in May. In 2003, a Chapter logo was developed which is based on the philosophy in their constitution, draws on the beliefs that together we can take flight, there is solidarity in our diversity and that as an interactive member of CCPA we have a stronger national presence and voice.

Chapter Brochure

The Chapter objectives are:

  • To provide an opportunity for school counsellors to meet for discussion of critical issues in the area of school counselling.
  • To provide a forum for ongoing information exchange and professional development (skill and knowledge based).
  • To serve as a vehicle for lobbying appropriate university departments and faculties, governments and agencies to help school counselling programs meet their primary goal of preparing professionally competent school counsellors.
  • To provide a means by which school counsellors can help one another to develop and obtain research support provincially and federally through increased collaboration.
  • To serve as a direct link with the National Association, thereby providing for the presentation of mutually sought aims and objectives.

Executive

Janice Graham-Migel (NS)

President
Janice Graham-Migel (NS)

Janice Graham-Migel, PhD, RCT, CCC, CCC-S is President of the School Counsellors Chapter and Chair of the National School Counselling Committee.  She previously served a two-year term as School Counsellor Liaison with the CCPA Nova Scotia Chapter and eight years on the Executive of the Nova Scotia School Counsellors Association (Director, Vice President, President, and Past President).  Janice served two terms on the Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC) Practical and Academic Research Committee.  In 2008, Janice completed a PhD from the University of Toronto. She holds a BSA, BEd, and a Master of Arts in Education (Educational Psychology) from Mount Saint Vincent University. Janice is a Canadian Certified Counsellor and Canadian Certified Counsellor – Supervisor through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and a Registered Counselling Therapist through the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists. A member of CCPA since 1995, Janice was the recipient of the CCPA Counsellor Practitioner Award in 1999, the CCPA Counsellor Leadership Award in 2014, and the CCPA School Counselling Award in 2015.  She has worked as a school counsellor at all levels in public education (elementary, junior high, middle school, senior high) within the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (formerly the Halifax Regional School Board).  Janice holds an Adjunct Professor appointment at Acadia University where she teaches graduate courses part-time in the School of Education (MEd Counselling Program).  Janice’s research and practice concentrate on Comprehensive School Counselling Programs and Distributed Leadership, as well as collaboration between education and health in the context of school reform.

Lisa Cheyne-Zanyk (SK)

Past President

Lisa Cheyne-Zanyk is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Calgary.   Lisa works full-time as a school counsellor with the Living Sky School Division (K-Gr. 12) and part-time in private practice.  Lisa also teaches yoga and mindfulness meditation.  Lisa has a love of learning and seeks opportunities to grow personally and professionally.  Lisa believes that people are resilient, able to change and adapt, often having untapped inner strength.  Lisa has enjoyed being part of the School Counsellors Chapter Executive as Treasurer, Secretary, and President and values the connections she has made through these roles.  She is excited to take on the role of Past President this year.

Melissa Falconer (NB)

Vice-President (NB)

Julie Lindsay (PE)

Secretary
Julie Lindsay (PE)

Julie Lindsay is a high school counselor at the American School of Bombay. She has spent 25 years working in international schools in locations like Japan, Syria, China, the Philippines, and most recently, India.  She is a certified counselor, originally from Nova Scotia, that loves bringing mindfulness education and support to adolescents, particularly Third Culture Kids (TCKs).  Most recently, Julie has been involved in the development of advisory programs in partnership with SEE Learning, helping students and teachers explore and develop their strengths and resilience. Julie is a professional member of ISCA and IACAC and is appreciative of the opportunity to serve with the school counselors in the CCPA executive group. Julie holds a graduate degree in Education from Mount Saint Vincent University and a Master’s degree in International Counseling from Lehigh University.  Julie has two grown children that have travelled the world with her keeping her humble, grounded, resilient, and learning everyday. 

Aron Reusch (BC)

Member-at-Large

Adam Lawlor (AB)

Member-At-Large

Danielle Savage (MB)

Member-at-Large

Margot Beech Kennedy (ON)

Member-at-Large
Margot Beech Kennedy (ON)

Margot Beech Kennedy is a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and a Canadian Certified Counsellor with the CCPA. She has participated on the Executive of the School Counsellor Chapter since 2017, serving as both Member-at-Large and Secretary. She finds the companionship, passion, dedication, and resources of the School Counsellors Chapter to be inspiring and energizing. After 30 years of working in independent schools in the Greater Toronto Area, Margot retired in 2020, but she hasn’t retired from counselling and psychotherapy! She continues to support children and their parents in her private therapy practice in Toronto.

Celeste Alberga (QC)

Member-At-Large

Anne Madore (NB)

Member-at-Large

Belinda Josephson (NS)

Member-at-Large

Katelyn Munn (NB)

Board Liaison
Katelyn Munn (NB)

CCPA School Counselling Award

The School Counselling Award is awarded by the School Counsellors Chapter to recognize the work of exceptional School Counsellors and acknowledge their personal and professional commitment to the profession.

To apply, read our application criteria and fill out the application form.

2022 – Lisa Cheyne-Zanyk

The CCPA School Counsellor Award recognizes exceptional work and professional commitment to the profession.  In 2022, Lisa Cheyne-Zanyk received this award.  Janice Graham-Migel, Chapter President, thanked Lisa for all the work she has done over the years in support and leadership of the school counselling profession.  Lisa is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Calgary.   Lisa works full-time as a school counsellor with the Living Sky School Division (K-Gr. 12) and part-time in private practice.  Lisa teaches yoga and mindfulness meditation.  Lisa is also a part-time instructor for Lakeland College.  She has a love of learning and seeks opportunities to grow personally and professionally.  Lisa believes that people are resilient and able to change and adapt, often having untapped inner strength.  Lisa has enjoyed being part of the School Counsellors Chapter Executive as Treasurer, Secretary, and President and values the connections she has made through these roles.  She is presently in the role of Past President.

2020 – Gerard Lowe

Gerard is a School Counsellor at Corner Brook Regional High, in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.  Gerard was chosen for his commitment to improving the lives of students, developing community initiatives for youth at risk, and advocating for changes to help youth experiencing barriers in their lives.  Gerard has also provided supervision to interns on a regular basis, demonstrating leadership that helps the counselling profession maintain core competencies and grow.

Due to the pandemic and the cancellation of the 2020 CCPA conference in Edmonton, we were not able to celebrate in person the 2020 CCPA Awards.  We look forward to celebrating Gerard Lowe’s 2020 School Counselling Award and the 2021 School Counselling Award at the virtual CCPA Awards Event in May, 2021.

2019 – Belinda Josephson
2018 – Natalie Doucette
2017 – Trent Langdon
2016 – David Paterson
2015 – Janice Graham-Migel

Chapter Business

Constitution and Bylaws

The Chapter’s bylaws are a set of rules that control the actions of its members and govern the internal management of the Chapter.

Resources

Mental Health Commission of Canada (2020). Lockdown Life Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19 on Youth in Canada.
Redekopp, D. & Huston, (2020). Strengthening Mental Health Through Effective Career Development.
Savage, D. (2020). Can overworked school counsellors ethically meet student needs? CERIC.
Robinson, B. (2015). A Call to Resurrect the Hope and Promise of Comprehensive School Counselling Programs and Practices.
Graham-Migel, J. (2008). Distributed Leadership in a Comprehensive Guidance and Counselling Program: Collaboration between Education and Health in the Context of School Reform. Doctoral Thesis: University of Toronto.
Conference Presentation: School Counselling in Canada: An Examination of the School Counselling Profession in Canadian Provinces and Territories. Moncton, NB: CCPA Presentation, May, 2019.
Provincial and Territorial Associations for School Counsellors

The School Counsellors Chapter values the participation of school counsellors in the professional associations within all regions of Canada. Many of our current members and new members who join the School Counsellors Chapter are involved in counselling associations within their jurisdictions. On November 26th, 2012 the School Counsellors Chapter Executive extended the following invitation to provincial and territorial school counselling associations and associations who have school counsellors in their memberships:

The CCPA School Counsellors Chapter is continuing to pursue initiatives to raise the profile of the school counselling profession in Canada. In pursuing this goal, we would like to forge strong links with provincial and territorial school counselling associations in Canada. We are presently seeking agreement to post a link to your association on our School Counsellors Chapter webpage. In turn, we would like your association to provide a link on your website to our CCPA School Counsellors Chapter.

Chapter members and prospective members are encouraged to use this site to learn about associations for school counsellors in their areas. As arrangements for links to these associations are established, the contact information or communications about links in process will be posted.

Links to professional associations

Links to International School Counselling Professional Associations:

link to American School Counselor Association (ASCA) website: https://schoolcounselor.org/

link to International School Counselor Association (ISCA) website: https://iscainfo.com/

Contact the School Counsellors Chapter President

SC Chapter – EN

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