Mental wellness and social support can make a big difference in people's lives.
Katee is a community counsellor who has worked in Carcross and Tagish since 2018.
Community counsellors work in Community Hubs across the Yukon. They provide counselling, lead workshops and help connect individuals and families with programs and services.
They are often the first point of contact when someone reaches out for help with mental wellness, substance use or other life challenges.
Katee has a Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology.
Let's learn about her career.
What kind of services do you provide in Carcross and Tagish?
I provide one-on-one counselling for adults. As the only full-time counsellor serving adults in the area, I support people with a wide range of needs and experiences.
I've worked with youth as young as 13 and with Elders. Every person brings a different story, and I try to listen carefully and meet them where they are.
I also lead workshops, support community events and help people access other services. Our office provides harm reduction supplies, referrals and support with treatment applications.
There are many different ways to help people, which is one of the things I enjoy about the job.
Where do you meet people?
I meet people in many different settings.
I have an office where I probably meet people half the time. Other times we talk by phone or online. Transportation can be a challenge in Carcross and Tagish, so virtual and phone appointments are important.
I also meet people outdoors. We might go for a walk or sit by the water. In some situations, I meet people in their homes while following safety procedures.
What kind of team do you work with?
I work closely with Jennifer, who is the Child, Youth and Family Counsellor for Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services. Her work is mainly focused on the school, but we share office space in Carcross.
We support each other and sometimes adjust who sees a client if there is a conflict of interest. That's part of working in a small community.
We also have a counsellor who travels from Haines Junction every other week. We are currently hiring an outreach worker to join the team.
What do you like about your work?
I like the opportunity to be invited into the inner worlds of the people I get to talk to. I get to learn about people and the world and society and myself.
I'm grateful for the quality of conversation and exploration I'm able to do with folks in my office. I'm also able to be my best self at work.
I'm really able to enact my values every day. I'm able to contribute to the world in a way that feels very loving and ethical.
I find there’s a real sense of connection and meaning and purpose in the work that I do. And there's also a lot of flexibility and autonomy and community work.
It's really different than in other places I’ve worked.
What do you like about Carcross?
Carcross is really unique. It's so beautiful here. It's absolutely stunning. I find Carcross is a really cool community. It's really bustling with a momentum towards healing and growing and learning and recovery. It’s really prioritized in the community.
Folks are really open about their healing journey and there's a lot of collective encouragement to attend counseling.
People are pushing each other into my office! They are saying “you’ve got to talk about it. You’ve got to deal with your trauma. You’ve got to see Katee.”
I think Carcross is really like, "let's deal with this stuff. Let's talk about it. Let's work through it."
And I just think that's really important.
Would you have any advice for someone who is considering this career?
Learn as much as you can about Yukon First Nations, the history of the Yukon, colonization, residential schools and self-government.
Take time to understand the community before trying to make changes.
Be patient, observant and open to learning. You don't need to have all the answers right away.
Building relationships and understanding the community are important parts of this work.
