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About

Chantale Denis of New Beginning Counselling Services  provides counselling and psychotherapy  as a licensed and registered Social Worker, practicing Psychotherapist, Clinical Sociologist and Educator.

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 Having studied and trained in Sociological Social Psychology, I offer a broad spectrum of experience and knowledge that is an asset in helping my clients genuinely-- to move from feeling stuck, to feeling empowered.

Chantale Denis, B.A.., Hons.,  BSW., Hons.,  M.A., R.S.W.  / Clinical Sociologist, Psychotherapist

Getting to know me...

Who

I am

Chantale  is an Ontario  Social Worker, practicing Psychotherapist and  Clinical Sociologist trained in Sociological Psychology as well as having taught various courses as an Instructor in academia.

 

I have been counselling since 2004.

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Education:

Formal Education

  • B.A. Hons.

Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Honours degree in Sociological Social Psychology  (Advanced standing and Deans List), Brock University

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  • M.A.

Degree:  Master of Arts, degree in Sociology in Health and Illness, (Distinction and Advanced standing, Deans List), Carleton University

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  • M.A.

Degree: Master of Arts in Sociology in Policy Analysis-partial completed (McMaster University)

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  • M.A.

Degree: Master of Arts in Psychology in Social Personality -partial completed (Carleton University)

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  • B.S.W., Hons

Degree: Bachelor of Social Work, Honours Degree (Advanced Standing, Deans List), Lakehead University

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Continuing Education Certificates and Training

 

  • Making Connections: When Domestic Violence, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Problems Co-occur’  Women’s College Hospital.

  • Tri-policy Certificate in Research for Ethical Conduct with Humans, Public Health Agency

       of Canada

  • Early Childhood Education

  • Depression Care

  • Return to Work

  • Substance Use Screening (Substance Abuse Expert - SAE)

  • Relapse Prevention

  • Suicide Risk Assessment in EFAP

  • Crisis Management Services Best Practices/Workplace Incident Response

  • COVID-19 Emergency First Call Counsellor

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* Memberships

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  • Society for the Study of Social Problems

  • Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association

  • Ontario Health Professional Association

  • American Sociological Association

  • Canadian Sociological Association

  • American College Health Association

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* previous

What

I believe

My philosophy is simple:

Help people learn how to be true to themselves.

 

My guiding principle is straight forward:

Empower authentically.

 

My goal is succinct: 

Seek to understand my clients where they are, with acceptance, which means without judgement or preconceived ideals.

 

My objective

is to help my clients achieve their goals.

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I believe that we are all more or less resilient and that the strength to move forward is finding courage to look within and sometimes back --in order to face our fears, mistakes and strive towards wholeness while learning how to live in today.

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I like to think I help my clients find a window when they think that a door is closed;

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HOPE when they can't see it;

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POWER when they can't FEEL it;

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GUIDANCE when they can't find it and;

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DIRECTION-- when they are stuck

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As a Sociologist and  Clinician, I am authentic and down to earth.

 

Professionally, I am well educated and  well read.

 

Personally, I am able to laugh at myself and believe that it's a long day without a laugh.

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I believe that tomorrow brings a new day and with it an opportunity for a New Beginning.

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What sets me               apart ...

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First and foremost what sets me apart is that I am both a Sociologist and Psychotherapist.

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As a Sociologist, more specifically, a Symbolic Interactionist, I place emphasis on the subjective meanings of social processes with an empirical understanding of individual life experiences. As such, I do not endorse the bio medical model of mental illness in which pejorative terms are used to label and categorize human behaviour within a framework that defines maladaptive behaviour.

 

As a Clinician/

Therapist, I provide a broad depth and breadth of understanding in the counselling and psychotherapy process -- without the technical medical adaptation of the clinical gaze, which means I treat every client as unique in their circumstance as they are in their experiences.

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I

believe

that educating clients

is equally

as important

as

empowering

clients.

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This means that part of my approach is to freely share the knowledge I have acquired with my clients, instead of only listening, analyzing and providing feed-back. In other words, I proactively provide psycho-education to my clients, humbly and with integrity.

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Where

I was

I offer my experience in a broad range of areas that span, Child and Family Services (FACS), Child Advocacy, Program Management at the University level, Director of Counselling for Women's Addiction Recovery Mediation and Business Consultant. I have served as a  Research Analyst and International Student Placement Supervisor for programs in Canada, Africa (Benin and Zambia). I have also supervised students as work placements with me.

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As a Sociologist, my original research: A Sociological Social Psychology Analysis of identity construction, addictions and the role of stigma has been

published and served to advance  research in the Social Sciences by identifying that identity plays a role in addictions and that  there exists an identity construction phase and

reconstruction before, during and after treatment,which impacts recovery, while stigma impacts  identity as well as the counsellor and counselling milieu. My research was the foundation that catapulted research grants on the role of identity, stigma and addictions --not studied before my work, which resulted in being awarded research grants  by the Canadian Institute of Health Research to the University of Saskatchewan, in which this--my  original work was advanced and is now adopted as part of am evidence -based approach to recovery in addictions.

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As an Educator, I bring my experiences of academic excellence to the table. I have had the privilege to teach many students at colleges and universities in Ontario and Quebec with a humbleness and reminder of my own journey. Having held the roles of College Professor and Instructor in the Humanities I have taught a variety of courses that include: Psychology, Social Psychology, Sociology, Police Foundations, Sexuality, Deviance, Family, Health and Illness, Diversity, Research Methods, Ethics and others.

I have also designed and developed courses as well as a Peer Mentoring program.

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Community Involvement:

  • Member: Provincial Steering Committee on Domestic Violence, Addictions and Mental Health, Niagara

  • Organized and Developed an Alcohol and Drug Task Force at the University of Ottawa

  • Researcher, Arid House, Fort Erie/Welland

  • Crisis Support: Niagara Regional Sexual Assault Center Volunteer

  • Victims Witness Compensation Board Toronto/Niagara

  • Al Control Volunteer

  • Declic Qubec Working Group, Committee Member

  • Community College By-Law Committee

  • Ontario Woman Abuse Screening Project, Committee Member

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When

I work

 I currently operate my private practices, but split my time time serving as a  Clinician  and Consultant. I collaborate in delivering services to clients  working with:

  • Federal,

  • Provincial,

  • Regional and

  • Private  and government agencies.

I am occasionally deployed in the field providing First Response Crisis Management Services in the Niagara surrounding Region.

 

I also serve as a Clinician at a health care clinic, where I provide assessments, intervention, treatment and post assessment services. In this capacity, I hold the following assigned roles:

 

  • Return to Work/ Fit to Work

    • Assessment, Intervention and Treatment

  • Employee  Family Assistance 

  • Provider

    • Assessment, Intervention and Treatment

  • Substance Abuse Expert

    • Treatment, Post Assessment Services

    • Relapse Prevention

  • Immediate Crisis - on call

  • Crisis Management (CMS) (Deployment)  -on call

    • First Responder for Niagara and surrounding Regions

  • Psychological Assessment and Treatment Service provider (PATS)

  • Depression Care

    • Assessment, Intervention and Treatment

  • COVID-19 Emergency First Call Counsellor

Program Development
& Program Evaluation
Services

In my capacity as a Sociologist and experience as a trained Research Analyst, I am available to provide business consulting to help you and your organization to develop, implement or evaluate the efficiency and efficacy of existing programs using evidence based formal research techniques that can meet with your organizations' goals and employee needs, without compromise.

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A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to it's old dimensions.

                           ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

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