Many of our youth living on the streets of Vancouver experience mental health concerns that are often left undiagnosed including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder. Often these youth cope by turning to substance use.
Covenant House Vancouver offers these youth an opportunity to address any counselling and psychiatric needs. Our Registered Clinical Counsellors work from an Attachment Theory lens which recognizes that a safe and trusting relationship is a basic biological human need much like the food, clothing, and shelter we provide.
When it becomes apparent that a youth is struggling with a mental health or addiction, a CHV Social Worker refers them to one of our in-house Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC). The youth and their clinician will determine what supports the youth requires through a trusting, confidential relationship.
The youth’s therapy may involve:
-One-to-one counselling
-Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
-Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
–Art Therapy
-Referral to a psychiatrist
-Referral to a treatment centre or a combination of services.
We believe that providing services to aid with these concurrent disorders due to past traumas to clients while they are young is key to preventing lifelong homelessness and for effectively managing symptoms as an adult.