All of our professional staff carry or are eligible for their own individual liability insurance.

LYNN HUGHES
Executive Director, Training Consultant, Program Coordinator
R.P.N. Manitoba.1974
R.T.C. California

Lynn is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in private practice (33 years). She is a retired member in good standing with the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of BC.  She is a founding member of Northwest Counselling Centre Ltd, Northwest Training Ltd. and Bluejay Ventures Ltd.  She is the Programs Coordinator and the Personnel Manager for Northwest Counselling Ltd.  She has a Provincial Instructor Diploma from Vancouver College. She has trained in Solution Focused Counselling (Insoo Kim Berg), Reality Therapy (California) and Critical Incidence Stress Management (Mitchell Model). She has 25 years of experience managing government contracts.  Although Lynn does not carry an active caseload, she acts as a consultant to all of the counselling programs with the centre and works with the staff to ensure quality service is maintained.

MARY PAPAIS
Executive Director/Counselor
M.Ed. U.B.C. ( Counselling Psychology) C.C.C.
B.A. Brock U
Dip. Ed. University of Western Ontario

Mary holds a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology with thirty years of experience in clinical practice. Mary is a Canadian Certified Counsellor and as such employs current best practices in counselling and therapeutic intervention. She has had extensive experience as an EAP clinician.

Mary has done EAP counselling for a variety of providers including; Health Canada (First Nations and Inuit Health Branch), Criminal Injuries Branch of Work Safe BC, CN Rail, BC Ferries, Alcan, Eurocan and Family Services of Vancouver and Family Services Toronto.

Mary has had experience working with clients from the Kitselas, Haisla, Tsimshian, Tahltan and Gitxan Nations. She has used her skills to help with problems such as work place conflict, stress management, harassment, mediation, substance abuse, plus personal and family related problems that affect the work place.

SUSAN VIVEIROS
BSW, MEd, RSW, CCC
Operations Manager/Clinical Counsellor

Susan has been with the Counselling Centre since 2005. She provides 1:1 support to individuals and families in the North. Her caseload also includes Youth Forensic Psychiatric Services as well as Critical Incident Stress Management. She has been a counsellor since 2001 and has held management positions in the community. In her role as Operations Manager of the centre,  Susan provides clinical counselling, consultation and supervision of our counselling contracts.  

KATHARINE SMITH
M.Ed (Counselling Psychology), CCC

Katharine graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1995 after completing a four year Arts degree and her Master’s  with thesis program. Since then she has worked in a wide variety of settings including K-12 schools, family therapy clinics, employee assistance providers, treatment centers, private practice and currently Northwest Counselling Center. Katharine deals with a broad range of mental health issues and is experienced in working with Indian Residential School Survivors through a contract with Health Canada. The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association recognizes Katharine as a Certified Canadian Counsellor.  She is a part time instructor at the UNBC campus in Terrace as well. Katharine moved to this beautiful part of BC in 2007 with her husband and two daughters.

LISA SCHMIDT
B.A., M.ED.COUNSELLING CCC 

In her practice, Lisa uses the key concepts of Reality Therapy, Person- Centered and Solution Focused therapy and Expressive Play Therapy.  She comes to us with a wealth of experience in managing teams, developing programs, and addiction counselling.  Lisa provides general counseling with  Northwest Counselling for  adults, youth and children. Lisa works in our Terrace and Kitimat office.

LAURIE PHILLIPS
B.A.,PSYCHOLOGY, M.ED.COUNSELLING

JOELLE MCKIERNAN
BSW/MSW/RSW

Joelle brings a history of working in a variety of venues since 1999. She is a certified Family Mediator (2002) and holds a membership with the Board of Registration for Social Workers. She has extensive experience working with issues regarding grief, separation and divorce and mental illness. Joelle works as a counselor and consultant to the Kitamaat Community School program.. She has experience in teaching relaxation, mediation and various life skill development courses. She is an approved counselor for off –reserve Aboriginal people. Joelle has her own private consulting company Mourning's Dawn Counselling.

MIMMO CICCONE
B.A. MAJOR: CRIMINOLOGY SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
11 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Mimmo has been with Probation and Family Court Service since 1993. He has experience since 1997 as a contractor preparing youth court ordered social histories and providing individual counselling sessions to court ordered youth. He is currently working in our Prince Rupert office providing services to Youth Forensic Psychiatric Services.

SUE SPRINGER
M.A.Counselling and Leadership    San Diego State
B.Ed. U.B.C.

Sue does not have an active caseload with Northwest Counselling but she continues her association with us by providing supervision and facilitation in the Connect Parent Program and she is a seasoned counsellor with the ability to provide Critical Incident Stress Management when needed. Sue is certified in the Reality Therapy Concepts (Los Angeles, CA., 1995) and Thought Field Therapy (2011).