The work of the counselling team is to provide support to children and families through all the different stages of their personal journey.

Using skills from the disciplines of social work, spiritual care, expressive therapies (art, play and music) and recreational therapy, the counselling team works to come alongside children and family members in a way that is supportive of their relationships and background.

Depending on each family’s unique circumstances, members of the counselling team offer many different forms of support:

• specific counselling interventions where needed
• companioning (caring through supportive one-on-one relationships)
• developing a family care plan
• facilitating meetings with doctors, nurses, homecare coordinators, teachers, etc.
• advocacy support (liaising with other agencies, helping with referrals, etc.)
• discharge planning and follow-up
• information and education support
• memorial planning
• grief care and bereavement support

The level and nature of the counselling support is determined through regular contact between the family and the interdisciplinary counselling team. The intent of these discussions is to review the child’s situation and the family’s preferences to ensure that Canuck Place staff are working together effectively with the family.

Members of the counselling team organize and facilitate a monthly support group for parents, regularly scheduled teen group meetings, and twice-monthly bereavement support groups for parents and siblings. Art, music, play and recreational therapies are prominently incorporated into the counselling support program at Canuck Place.

The philosophy of the counselling team is to meet families where they are and to offer support options as long as the family feels it is helpful. Working with a family’s own strengths encourages growth in relationships, even along the most difficult part of the journey.

For more information on the counselling support program, please contact

Kerry M. Keats, MSW, LCSW, Bereavement Program Coordinator
By phone: 604.742.3473
By e-mail: kkeats@canuckplace.org

Patrick McKernan, MSW, RSW Social Worker
By phone: 604.742.3472
By e-mail: patrickm@canuckplace.org