For a history of the Northern Indigenous Counselling program, click here
The Northern Indigenous Counselling program is designed for those who want to master their own personal and professional development. The program consists of certification in both life coaching and counselling as well as comprehensive training and experience facilitating counselling services for individuals and groups in the area of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness. Students engage in professional and practical community and workplace-based projects, building experience and career networks. This program also includes extensive support and supervision for students who wish to obtain the Registered Professional Counsellor designation.
*This program is being offered exclusively to Indigenous residents in northern Canada and will focus on developing counselling and coaching skills to assist Indigenous peoples.
Now Accepting Applications for our Second Northern Indigenous Counselling Cohort
Starting September 2023
Admissions requirements to join the program:
- High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent.
- Demonstrate spoken and written proficiency in the English language as – evidenced by a written personal statement and a one – on – one screening interview.
- A minimum of 12 months prior sobriety is required. This program is a Dry Program- no alcohol or drug-use throughout the program is permitted.
- An ability to remain grounded throughout a program that will require intense emotional work at times.
- Demonstrated desire to help others with extremely difficult issues such as trauma, addictions, and abuse,
- An interview with admissions.
Program admission is not guaranteed and will be the sole determination of Rhodes Wellness College and Dene Wellness Warriors. This program will provide priority admissions to Indigenous (Inuit, First Nations, and Métis) students from the Northwest Territories, due to support the program receives from the GNWT and Indigenous governments.
Program Features
- A deeply experiential program where students learn proven and practiced counselling and coaching theories by applying them to their own personal lives and experiences. For this reason, this program is transformational.
- Students learn in a cohort-based model; approximately 20 Indigenous students will be chosen to learn how to become professional coaches and therapeutic counsellors.
- Program length: seven semesters (September 11, 2023 – June 27, 2025)*.
- Class times: 10am – 2:30pm PST Monday – Friday for Semesters 1 – 6; modified schedule for Semester 7 to allow for students to participate in a 120-hour, six-week practicum.
- Breaks* include:
- December 16, 2023 – January 7, 2024
- March 30, 2024 – April 7, 2024
- June 29, 2024 – July 14, 2024
- December 21, 2924 – January 12, 2024
- April 18, 2025 – April. 2025
- There will be no classes on stat holidays
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*Class schedules and breaks are subject to change
- Classes start online; learn from the comfort of your home from September 2023 – June 2024.
- Classes move to in-person classes held in Yellowknife, starting in July 2025, with a one-week On-the-Land experience.
- This is an Indigenous-informed program with Indigenous contextualization, although there are still western counselling methodologies being taught (e.g. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour therapy, etc.).
- This program qualifies for NWT Student Financial Assistance (SFA).
- Taught by Rhodes Wellness College faculty, all who have many years and sometimes decades of counselling experience providing professional coaching and counselling services to groups and individuals; all faculty are expert instructors.
- Graduates will qualify to join the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA) to become Registered Professional Counsellors (RPC’s) or the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT) to become Registered Therapeutic Counsellors (RTC’s).
- Students will become certified coaches after the first two semesters.
- For the program outline and other information, CLICK HERE.
For more information on the Northern Indigenous Counselling (NIC) program, please contact:
Dene Wellness Warriors
Telephone: (780) 983-5811
Email: denewellness@gmail.com
Rhodes Wellness College
Telephone: (604) 708-4416
Email: nwtcounselling@rhodescollege.ca
