Professional Background
Helen Stirling (Bzdel) has a Master’s degree in Social Work, a post-graduate/advanced diploma in Art Therapy and a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree.
Helen holds certificates in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Trauma Therapy, Choice Theory and Reality Therapy, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Individual Crisis Intervention, and Peer Support and Critical Incident Stress Management: Group Crisis Intervention. Helen is a Certified Laughter Leader - Expert Level Practitioner and a Certified Zentangle Teacher.
Helen brings a variety of education, work, and life experiences to her practice, with almost thirty years of experience working with children, adolescents and adults of various ethnicities and cultures. Clients have often been in crisis and/or experienced trauma, whether in the community, or in youth and adult correctional facilities. Helen has extensive experience facilitating groups and individual sessions and consistently engages in professional development to better assist her clients in their healing journey. She is a Registered Social Worker with the Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers (SASW) and is on the SASW Private Practice Registry. She is a Registered member of the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA), a Professional Member with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), and a professional member of EMDRA Canada and EMDRIA. Helen has presented on the benefits of art therapy in an adult forensic/psychiatric setting at conferences at a national and international level.
Helen is a graduate of the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute's eighteen-month distance post-graduate program on Granville Island in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Vancouver Art Therapy Institute's program includes course work in areas such as human development, psychology, art therapy history, grief and loss, equity and diversity, ethics, group art therapy and family art therapy. There are two intensive residencies where there was course work as well as open studio time for Helen to learn about herself as an art therapist and a counsellor, as well as to try out various types of art supplies and techniques. After completing her post-graduate diploma in art therapy, Helen achieved registration with the Canadian Art Therapy Association after participating in 50 hours of supervision during 1,000 hours of offering art therapy to clients.
Helen had the benefit of delivering over 350 hours of individual and group art therapy in the areas of anger and emotions management, mental health/wellness, grief and loss, addictions, anxiety, depression, at-risk/unhealthy behaviours/lifestyle, family of origin issues, relationships, trauma, identity, self-esteem, self-harming behaviours, adjusting to incarceration, insight into offending behaviours, domestic violence, treatment readiness, mood disorders, personality disorders, behavioural disorders, and improving interpersonal skills during her practicum and she has continued to work in these areas since then. After completing her post-graduate diploma in art therapy, Helen achieved registration with the Canadian Art Therapy Association after participating in 50 hours of supervision during 1,000 hours of offering art therapy to clients.
Practicum and work settings have included an adult forensic/psychiatric facility for male and female federal offenders, her own private practice (A Life's Journey Counselling & Art Therapy), a program for youth in the care of the Ministry of Social Services through Big Brothers Big Sisters Saskatoon, a program for matches between ‘Bigs' and ‘Littles' with Big Brothers Big Sisters Saskatoon, inner-city youth and young adults who participate in programming at Core Neighbourhood Youth Coop through Boys & Girls Club of Saskatoon, and a home for young mothers who live with their young children.
Interests
Helen enjoys travelling, reading, photography, learning new things, creating things, spending time with her spouse and family, friends, and her fur babies, as well as riding her Harley Davidson motorcycle that she named Brutus. Helen has been involved in teaching therapeutic laughter sessions and giving presentations on the many benefits of laughter since December of 2007. Helen volunteered as a Social Work Mentor at the SWITCH (Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health) Clinic in the Westside Community Clinic from its inception in October of 2006 until January of 2010 when she no longer had time to mentor. Helen was a volunteer member of Saskatoon Search and Rescue from February 2009 until December 2011 as their Clinical Consultant. Helen has always been creative and is excited to have added art therapy to her therapy practice with clients and has also found the benefit that art brings to her own journey. Helen completed basic training in EMDR Therapy to assist her clients who have struggled with trauma experiences and has found EMDR to be a very powerful tool in their therapy. Helen plans to participate in advanced level training and eventually pursue certification as an EMDR therapist.
Helen Stirling
BA, MSW, RSW(SK), RCAT, DVATI
Registered Social Worker, Registered Art Therapist
EMDR Trained Therapist
Approved Mental Health Therapist for NIHB and Indigenous Services Canada
EAP/EFAP provider, Victims Services provider
Certified Laughter Leader - Expert Level Practitioner
Macro Building (3rd floor)
316 - 115 - 2nd Avenue North
Saskatoon, SK S7K 2B1
Phone: 306-222-0563
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