A team of displaced counsellors is offering support to Fort McMurray evacuees.
Borealis Counselling Services, a Fort McMurray-based practice, set up shop at 14 Mission Avenue in St. Albert on Monday to help members of their community who are struggling to cope.
“We recognize that people are in a state of distress because of the mandatory evacuation and we wanted to be able to help and support our community members,” said executive director Cathy Underhill, who is among the 90,000 residents forced to flee their homes two weeks ago.
Underhill said victims of the Fort McMurray fires are likely feeling grief and loss over the destruction of their homes and their communities. Those who have been displaced could also be experiencing confusion, tension, anxiety, frustration and financial concerns.
“People could be coming in because they’re concerned about their children, who may have lost a pet or who have driven through the smoke and flames while leaving the city. We’re really trying to be responsive to people’s needs,” she said.
Riverside Professional Centre donated office space to Borealis after Underhill put a call out to the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Alberta-Northwest Territories chapter. Nicole Imgrund, a fellow executive member and director of River’s Edge counselling, put the two parties in touch.
Although there are numerous supports in Edmonton for those displaced by the fires, Underhill believes it’s important that local mental health professionals get involved.
“I think it’s particularly important that we offer those services, because once we transition back into the community those people will have that continuity in care,” she said.
Re-entry into the community, which is temporarily slated to begin June 1, will likely lead to re-traumatization.
The temporary Borealis office will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday and services are being offered by donation.
Evacuees can access services 24/7 during the crisis through the counselling centre’s telephone line (780-791-1757) to set up appointments or help with critical situations.
Displaced Wood Buffalo residents can also access information about a variety of services from St. Albert Community and Social Development (formerly known as FCSS). Connie Smigielski, community services manager, said the team is happy to help with just about everything – from helping to set up email accounts for online banking to drawing a map of the city to referrals to Victim’s Services.
“If they came in we’d do whatever we could to help them, or at least point them in the right direction,” she said. “It’s a point of reference. It’s the one place you can go in St. Albert for people who are new to the community.”
The department has also been involved provincial emergency services phone calls, meaning they are able to give up-to-date information about the situation up north.
It’s estimated, based on RV and hotels stay counts, that St. Albert is currently home to between 300 to 500 fire evacuees.
