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Counselling

Who We Serve

  • Youth (under 25) with concerns or questions about their own or someone else’s substance use.
  • Friends and family who are concerned about the substance use of a youth (under 25).
  • We also present to community groups about issues related to youth substance use.

About our counselling

  • All of our services are free.
  • Our services are confidential, but we may involve other supports if someone is in danger.
  • We acknowledge that the majority of people use some substances to some level.
  • We acknowledge that experiences with substance use are varied.
  • Youth don’t have to want to stop using any or all substances in order to be involved with Impact services.
  • Our goal is to help youth understand and pursue what is important to them.
  • We don’t assume we know what would be best for anyone.

What We Offer

  • Individual Counselling that may focus on anything associated with substance use, such as difficult feelings, thoughts, experiences, relationships, or other issues.
  • DIG (Drop In Group) for digging into concerns, goals and questions in life—looking at how substance use might connect to these (arranged at Foundry, in schools or other community locations on an as-needed basis)
  • Activities, including youth and family community action groups aimed at supporting youth and families to take on problems in the community, improving conditions for all in our community.
  • Referrals to other services in the community or at Foundry.
  • Parent and caregiver peer support and educational groups with individual or group follow-up.
  • Family and couples counselling around substance use related issues that involve a young person under the age of 25.

If you are a youth, concerned family member or friend, contact us at:

If you are a referring agency or school:

  • Fill out our secure online referral form, or download our referral package & email to ‪referrals@impactabby.com or fax to ‪604-746-7399.
  • A counsellor will follow up with the referred youth to set up an initial contact, usually within a week or less.
  • If you have questions about the referral process, consult our Referral FAQ on this page.
  • We will discuss consent to disclose information with all referred clients. Youth can give us consent directly or you can fill out a release form (which needs to be signed by the client).
  • If you have any questions or concerns about anything regarding your or a client’s interactions with Impact programs/staff, please contact our Director of Counselling, Dave Bahre, in confidence at dave@impactabby.com or by cell at 778-808-9031.

FAQ for potential referrals to Youth and Family Substance Use Counselling

Can a youth be mandated to see a counsellor at Impact by a parent, school, probation officer, doctor, judge, restorative justice or any other authority?

While various authorities may be able to strongly recommend or place conditions on a person to attend counselling, ultimately it is the individual’s choice to attend Impact’s services. When a youth does choose to meet with one of our counsellors, our primary concern is building a trusting relationship with that youth. We do not apply pressure to anyone to use our services. Doing so might make that youth more hesitant to seek services from us (or any other counselling service) in the future. 

What if I want to make sure the person I refer to Impact attends a certain number of counselling sessions, groups or other activities?

As with any counselling service, we do not recommend or advocate for a specific number of sessions. The path to desired outcomes is different for each person.  For some clients, it may make sense to not see us at this point, to see us once, a few times, or for an extended period of time. As circumstances change, so might a client’s counselling needs.

We view change not as an event, but as a process that is unique to each individual. Therefore – partly because we have limited resources and high demand for our services – even if you specify a number of sessions, we will collaborate with those you refer to us to determine what makes sense to them.

What if the person I want to refer to Impact doesn’t want to go to counselling?

If the person you want to refer is okay with you sending in our referral form, one of our staff will attempt to contact them within a few days. When they make contact, they will offer to explore reasons the person may or may not want to try counselling and respect whatever decision is made. Whatever the choice is, our staff strive to make this a positive connection – so the person will feel comfortable contacting us in the future, if they have a need.  

Can I find out if a person I referred to Impact has seen a counsellor?

Because of Mature Minor Consent rulings in Canada, youth who are deemed capable of understanding and consenting to services on their own behalf also have the right to the level of confidentiality that they choose. If a client does allow us to share information with you, they may also choose to limit the nature of that information. As an example, a client may only agree to share the fact that they have seen a counsellor, but not the content of anything discussed.

We can confirm that we received your referral form, but beyond that, in most cases, we will need client consent. We are glad to consult with and work alongside other people/supports/professionals when we do have consent. Youth can give us consent directly or you can fill out a release form.

What if I have concerns or questions not answered by this FAQ?

Please feel free to contact our Director of Counselling, Dave Bahre, in confidence at dave@impactabby.com or by cell at 778-808-9031.