Counselling

Walk-in Counselling Clinic | Woman Abuse | Domestic Violence

The Individual and Family Counselling Team of Catholic Family Services is a community-based, professional social work service. It is available to all individuals and families in the Hamilton/Burlington area.

The goal is to recognize, affirm and build on the strengths of individuals, couples and families while at the same time helping them to deal with the effects of problems and feelings.

Walk In Counselling Clinic

Catholic Family Services (CFS) of Hamilton operates its Walk-in Counselling Clinic for individuals, couples and families. The clinic is held every Tuesday from 12 noon until 7:30 p.m. at Catholic Family Services offices at 447 Main Street East, Unit 201. PLUS our new second location every Monday from 1:00 until 3:30 at Wesley Neighbourhood Centre at 93 Delena Avenue North.

"People who need counselling will get it more quickly instead of having to be on a waiting list for months," says CFS Executive Director Linda Dayler. "We see the walk-in clinic as a prevention program - solving problems before they turn into crises."

The clinic provides all referrals and walk-ins with a solution-oriented counselling session with a professional social work counsellor. People who feel they need more assistance may return to the walk-in clinic for another session, or arrange ongoing counselling.

A small fee is charged to counselling clients based on income. No one is turned away due to inability to pay.

For more information about the Walk-in Counselling Clinic please call 905-527-3823 Ext. 279.
Catholic Family Services provides service to people of all faiths and cultures.
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Woman Abuse

Approximately 60% of the clients who use the counselling service are women who are struggling with the impact of a violent/abusive relationship. The counselling gives women a framework within which to understand that they are not responsible for or deserving of abuse which is defined as a societal problem. The devastating personal effects of violence and abuse include loss of self-esteem, dissociative states, difficulties in parenting and in all other relationships, addictions, sleep disorders, and debilitating fears and anxieties. Individual and group counselling is offered to address these difficulties where appropriate.

For women dealing with the effects of an abusive relationship, a comprehensive range of counselling, support and case management services are provided in partnership with a local women's shelter. The counselling helps women to rebuild and strengthen their self-esteem and confidence in themselves so that they can make informed choices and decisions about their lives. The service provides information to women about legal rights and about available community resources. The service helps women to identify safety issues and to develop a safety plan so that they can avoid dangerous and abusive situations. A range of support groups as well as individual counselling is offered.

Individual and group counselling under very controlled conditions is offered to men who abuse in order to help ensure the safety of their partners, to reduce the recidivism of violence and to further break the cycle of violence.

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Domestic Violence

Learning Effective Anti-Violence in Families PROGRAM (L.E.A.F.)

The L.E.A.F. Program is an early intervention program for children 4-16 who have witnessed the abuse of their mothers. The purpose of this program is to provide women and children with a safe place to discuss the abuse they have been exposed to. Our services are free, confidential and include childcare, transportation assistance, snacks and wheelchair accessibility.

Topics for Kids' Groups May Include:

• What is abuse?
• Creating a safety plan
• Identifying feelings
• Abuse prevention
• Building self-esteem
• Family Changes
• Anger management
• Conflict resolution
• Dating violence (where appropriate)

A group will also be held for MOTHERS

Topics for Mothers' Groups May Include:

• Defining and understanding abuse
• Impact of children witnessing abuse
• Parenting skills
• Healthy child development
• Self esteem
• Self care
• Safety planning for children and adults
• Custody access issues

Abuse is:

• about power and control
• hitting, punching, scratching, kicking and/or any other kind of physical harm
• name-calling, insults, mind games and/or any other kind of emotional harm
• threats and intimidation
• using your children to control you
• unwanted sexual touching, name calling and/or forced sex
• being isolated from your family and friends
• when someone takes away your economic/financial control

Child witnessing is... seeing... hearing... or being aware of any of the above. If any of these are happening to you -
REMEMBER... ABUSE IS NOT YOUR FAULT!

Did you know?
It is estimated that 80% of children of abused mothers have directly witnessed the abuse. Children living in an abusive home grow up in an atmosphere of tension, fear, intimidation and tremendous confusion. Serious behavioural problems are 17 times higher for boys and 10 times higher for girls who have witnessed abuse. Children who have witnessed abuse suffer the same emotional effects as those who have been physically abused.

In 1 out of 3 families where the mother is assaulted, the children are also directly abused.

(Sources: National Clearinghouse on Family Violence/Ontario Women's Directorate)

Referrals and questions are welcome.
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