Senior Counselor

Company Description Biidaaban Healing Lodge is a 12-unit residential facility that provides Aboriginal community members in the Robinson-Superior Area with residential and community-based healing programs. The Lodge is located in the Ojibways of Pic River First Nation on the shores of Lake Superior, offering a peaceful environment that supports wellness and recovery. The surrounding community is accessible by Highway 17, approximately a three-hour drive east of Thunder Bay and three-and-a-half hours west of Sault Ste. Marie. Biidaaban Healing Lodge emphasizes culturally informed, community-focused services grounded in Indigenous values and traditions.

Role Description The Senior Counselor is a full-time, on-site role based at Biidaaban Healing Lodge in Pic River 50, ON. This role provides individual and group counseling to residents, supports community-based programming, and helps participants develop healing and wellness plans that reflect their cultural and personal needs. The Senior Counselor conducts assessments, maintains accurate and confidential case notes, and collaborates with multidisciplinary staff and external partners to coordinate client care. Daily responsibilities include facilitating therapeutic and educational sessions, providing crisis support when needed, and contributing to program planning and evaluation. The position also involves mentoring other counseling staff, participating in team meetings, and engaging in ongoing professional development to support high-quality, culturally safe services.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in counseling, psychotherapy, or social work in a residential or community-based setting, ideally with Indigenous communities.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed, culturally safe, and client-centered approaches to healing and mental health support.
• Strong skills in assessment, case management, treatment planning, and documentation, with attention to confidentiality and ethical standards.
• Effective group facilitation skills for therapeutic, educational, and psychoeducational programming.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict-resolution abilities, with a respectful and non-judgmental approach.
• Ability to collaborate within a multidisciplinary team and coordinate with community agencies and service providers.
• Relevant post-secondary education in counseling, social work, psychology, or a related field; professional registration or eligibility is an asset.
• Understanding of Indigenous cultures, traditions, and community dynamics; lived experience or prior work in First Nations communities is considered an asset.
• Capacity to work on-site in Pic River 50, ON, including flexibility for occasional evening or weekend programming as required.
• CPR/First Aid and crisis intervention or de-escalation training are beneficial.