Addictions & Mental Health Counsellor
Help People Find More Than Sobriety—Help Them Build a Life Worth Living.
The Healing Institute is a premier residential addiction and mental health treatment centre on Gabriola Island, British Columbia. We believe healing happens through connection—to ourselves, to others, and to purpose. Every member of our team helps people move beyond surviving addiction and mental health challenges toward building meaningful, fulfilling lives in recovery.
About the Role
Reporting to the Clinical Director, the Counsellor is an integral member of our multidisciplinary team. This role is about much more than providing therapy sessions—it is about walking alongside clients as they rebuild their lives. Through meaningful, authentic, and courageous conversations, counsellors help clients move beyond denial, shame, fear, and hopelessness toward insight, accountability, and lasting recovery. You will collaborate with physicians, nurses, psychiatrists, recovery coaches, support workers, and peers to create a therapeutic environment where healing and growth flourish.
Our Values
- Recovery comes first.
- Meaningful conversations create meaningful change.
- Challenge with compassion.
- Relationships are the foundation of healing.
- We value lived experience alongside professional excellence.
- We grow together as a multidisciplinary team.
Key Responsibilities:
- Build authentic therapeutic relationships grounded in empathy, authenticity, hope, and accountability.
- Engage clients in meaningful and courageous conversations that promote insight, behavioural change, and recovery.
- Complete biopsychosocial and addiction assessments and develop individualized treatment and continuing care plans.
- Facilitate psychoeducational and process groups within a Therapeutic Community model.
- Utilize CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed care, attachment-based interventions, and relapse prevention.
- Help clients develop emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and recovery planning skills.
- Collaborate with physicians, nurses, psychiatrists, recovery coaches, support workers, and the interdisciplinary team.
- Maintain excellent clinical documentation and contribute to quality improvement.
Who You Are
You believe recovery is possible. You understand addiction as a complex interaction of trauma, mental health, relationships, and life experiences. You balance empathy with accountability and recognize that meaningful conversations are often the catalyst for lasting change.
Qualifications:
- Master's degree in Counselling, Social Work, Psychology, or related discipline preferred.
- Bachelor's degree with significant experience in addiction treatment, residential care, or mental health will also be considered.
- Registration or eligibility with an appropriate professional body is an asset.
- Experience in Therapeutic Communities and Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care is highly valued.
- Lived experience in recovery is highly valued when combined with professionalism, healthy boundaries, and sustained wellness.
Why Join The Healing Institute?
At THI, you won't simply provide counselling—you'll help people rediscover who they are. We believe meaningful change begins with meaningful conversations, courageous leadership, and a community committed to recovery. If you're passionate about addiction treatment and want to make a lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $60,000.00-$93,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
- Do you have a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology, Clinical Social Work, Psychology, or a related field?
- How many years of clinical experience in mental health, addiction, and/or trauma treatment do you have?
- This position is located on Gabriola Island. Do you currently reside on Gabriola or are you able to reliably commute for shifts?
Work Location: In person
