Indigenous-Identified Professional Counsellor

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the territory of the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee Peoples, The Centre for Student Development and Counselling at Toronto Metropolitan University invites applications for a career-stream position as a Professional Counsellor, effective 11 January 2027, subject to final budgetary approval.

This position is restricted to candidates who self-identify in the Applicant Diversity Self- in the recruitment portal, as First Nations, Métis, Inuit people of North America (Turtle Island) and who subsequently successfully complete an affirmation process  part of the application process candidates will be invited to provide relevant documentation (for example, a First Nation Band Card) to support the claim of Indigenous identity and participate in a discussion with the University’s Indigenous Human Resources Lead in order to share relevant information about their lived experience.

We highly encourage Indigenous applicants to apply for this position and other upcoming non-designated Professional Counsellor positions.

Indigenous counselling offers trauma-informed care guided by Indigenous ways of knowing and being that is grounded in a holistic relational approach to mental health and wellness. It recognizes and respects the diversity amongst Indigenous peoples. It highlights the importance of traditional Indigenous supports, including ceremony, Traditional Healers, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers, while also drawing on appropriate Western therapeutic approaches.

We welcome applicants whose counselling practice recognizes the interconnectedness of community, land and the intellectual, physical, emotional, cultural, spiritual and relational dimensions of wellbeing.

The successful candidate will support both Indigenous students and the wider TMU student community by providing counselling and psychotherapy to students experiencing a range of mental health and wellness concerns. These include but are not limited to anxiety, depression, trauma and the impacts of colonialism, grief and loss, social and interpersonal relationships, family dynamics, identity, and other concerns affecting student wellbeing and academic success.

Services may include individual and group counselling, crisis intervention, case management, and referrals to appropriate campus, community, and Indigenous-specific supports. This role also contains a component of community support, relationship building, and prevention work in collaboration with Gdoo-maawnjidimi Mompii / Indigenous Student Services (GMISS) and other units within Student Wellbeing and the Office of Vice-Provost Students (OVPS).

Candidates must hold a minimum Master's degree in Counselling Psychology or Social Work with a minimum of 5 years postgraduate experience in individual therapy, group therapy, crisis intervention, and program development. Candidates holding a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology or a related discipline, are also welcome to apply without the minimum 5 years postgraduate experience.

Candidates shall provide evidence of:

• Lived experience and/or demonstrated knowledge of Indigenous worldviews, cultures, histories, contemporary experiences, and approaches to health and wellness, and strong ties to First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit communities.
• Knowledge of and respect for Indigenous healing practices and supports, including the roles of Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Traditional Healers, ceremony, community, land, and other culturally grounded approaches to wellness.
• Demonstrated ability to incorporate Indigenous approaches to healing and wellness, alongside Western therapeutic approaches where appropriate.
• Strong generalist counselling skills and an ability to work with a diverse client population in a brief/short-term goal-directed therapy practice model.
• Training and demonstrated practice in evidence-informed therapeutic modalities, including trauma-informed approaches and modalities such as AEDP, EFT, DBT, EMDR, or other relevant approaches.
• Effective use of clinical judgment and decision-making skills to deliver counselling and crisis intervention services for students, including risk-assessment, complex case management, outreach and referrals.
• Strong interpersonal skills with an understanding and use of professional boundaries, roles and responsibilities, and strong collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in program…