KW Counselling Services marks 15 years of walk-in counselling as weekly clinic resumes

KW Counselling Services. (Facebook/KW Counselling)

The KW Counselling Services Walk-In Counselling Clinic marks its 15th anniversary this year.

In 2007, there were 900 people on the waiting list for counselling, and so the Walk-In Counselling Clinic was created.

“Our Walk-In Counselling Clinic became the best service model for a lot of our community members,” said Rebecca Webb, executive director of KW Counselling Services in a media release. “It started off as a solution to a months-long waiting period, and became, for some people, the version of therapy that works best for them. People who faced various barriers, or for whom the typical counselling model didn’t fit into their lives, this did.”

Prior to COVID-19, the Walk-In Counselling Clinic would see between 50 and 85 people each week.

“We were able to offer quick-access appointments where people could call in and book appointments to speak with a counsellor within a day or two, by phone or online (and in person when guidelines indicated we could offer that again),” noted Webb. “Although those appointments helped fill a need, we were still missing our Walk-In Counselling Clinic and the unique service it provides to our clients. We are thrilled to be able to resume our weekly clinic.”

The clinic runs weekly on Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., where residents of Waterloo region can come in for individual or family counselling.

“We are grateful to have received some funding from the Canadian Women’s Foundation and United Way Waterloo Region,” said Webb. “There are subsidies available, and all our counselling services are offered on a sliding scale based on income. We will not let a financial barrier be the reason someone does not receive care.”

KW Counselling Services still offers quick-access virtual counselling appointments by video and phone. People can call 519.884.0000 (Monday-Wednesday, Thursday morning, or Friday) and book a virtual session that can be scheduled to take place during the Walk-In Counselling Clinic hours.