Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Languages
Certification
Custom
Accomplishments
Work Availability
Work Preference
Software
Interests
Timeline
Denise Arcand

Denise Arcand

Indiginous Youth Housing Therapist
Sherwood Park,AB
"The relentless resilience of my youth lights the spark, but it's the trust and stories of my clients that fan it into a lasting flame - together, they forge a first that warms the world without ever burning away what makes it real" - Denise Arcand
Denise Arcand

Summary

With ten years of experience in the Mental Health and the field of Addictions. There has been placed a deep seeded drive working with Indigenous communities and family's. This community has always fulfilled my heart and I have spent the majority of my life work along side them. I feel honoured to watch with suddenly guidance, my clients transform into their self driven, true selves. I myself practice my cultural traditions on a daily basis. I find balance in my medicine wheel through Elders teachings, medicine men's guidance and my love of ceremony. I understand, write and speak a bit of Plains Y-Cree and am currently learning the syllabics of my language. My career has been focused on working with diverse populations focusing on anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, foster care, adoption, homelessness, and addiction. My passion is surrounded by helping others live a life they love, often this involves networking a collaborative wrap-around support I found Tobe most beneficial. To help each client receive the support they truly deserve is truly what I'm all about.

Overview

23
23
years of professional experience
30
30

Certification/Trainings

20
20
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Aboriginal youth housing worker

Native Counselling Services of Alberta
01.2021 - Current
  • Support and participate in ending Homelessness with Housing including follow-up Support.
  • For a period of 12 months, I walk alongside Indigenous youth as they are stabilized and transitioned to a reduced level of support.
  • The final stage involves planning to graduate the youth once they are self-sufficient.
  • Indigenous Housing First embraces the principle of Housing First and that every person has the right to a safe, secure home.
  • I am a proud supporter of harm reduction and safety planning as crucial tools in everyday living.
  • As a Navigator, I also assist participants with accessing resources and support to promote community integration, improve quality of life and foster independent living.
  • Each participant will be guided through developing a personal network of support to address skills and resources.

Aboriginal high risk youth worker

Native Counselling Services of Alberta
01.2019 - 01.2020
  • Guiding participants through safety planning.
  • Help facilitate steps for youth to plan and complete life goals.
  • Walk with youth through understanding the criminal justice process and social services involvement.
  • Harm reduction focused.
  • Encourage youth to find their passion and purpose.
  • Speak Cree Y-dialect.
  • Have a strong understanding of indigenous traditions.

Youth addiction worker

Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centre
02.2017 - 06.2019
  • Provide addiction related assessments and referrals, counselling, group facilitation and leadership, individual counselling, case management and consultations in a professional and therapeutic environment.
  • Furthermore, I assisted in planning workshops, group activities and developing programs geared towards addiction recovery programming.

Program attendant

Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centre
09.2012 - 01.2015
  • Worked to help people that are going through addiction and mental health issues find better coping skills while empowering them to find themselves.
  • I attended regular programming with our clients.

Care Worker

Home Instead Senior Care
Current
  • I work with seniors that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia.
  • I also provide companionship and house keeping for all clients.
  • I treat all clients with respect and compassion.
  • I lead with my heart.

Education

University - Abnormal Psychology Specialization

Wesleyan University, United States
01.2021 - 11.2024
  • Awarded with honours

University - History of Mental Illness

Wesleyan University, United States
01.2021 - 11.2024
  • Awarded with honors

University - Human Trafficking in Indigenous Communities

Michigan State University, United States
09.2020 - 06.2023
  • Awarded with honors

University - Aboriginal Worldviews and Education

University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
01.2021 - 09.2022
  • Awarded Honors

University Diploma - Indigenous Canada

University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
03.2021

Medication administration

Nechi Institute, Edmonton, AB
09.2017 - 06.2019
  • Awarded with honors

Pharmacology

Nechi Institute, St. Albert, AB
09.2019 - 05.2021
  • Awarded Honors

College diploma - Advanced Counsellor

Nechi Institute, St. Albert, AB
01.2020 - 06.2023
  • Awarded Honors

College diploma - Community Addictions

Nechi Institute, St. Albert, AB
03.2016
  • Awarded Honors

Diploma - Pharmacy Assistant

CDI Collage, Edmonton, AB
02.2024 - 11.2024
  • Awarded Honors

Skills

  • Dementia Care
  • Alzheimer's Care
  • Caregiving
  • Medication Administration
  • Teaching
  • Hospital Experience
  • Social Work
  • Senior Care
  • Medical Records

Languages

Plains Y-Cree
Native or Bilingual

Certification

1. Quality Improvement Case Management training -2017

2. Emerging perspectives on Trauma-Informed Approaches - 2017
3. Culture and Diversity training - 2019

4. Understanding Historical Trauma and Resilience in Emotional Regeneration - 2019
5. Supporting people with PTSD and Addictive Behavior - 2019
6. Fundamentals of Non-Abusive Crisis Intervention and Personal Safety - 2022
7. Alzheimer's and Dementia certificate - 2020
8. Step up Equity Matters - 2020
9. Cultural Engagement: Education units at TN Commission on Children and Youth Series - 2020
10. TN Department of Health: Successfully completed training in intranasal and intramuscular naloxone use - 2020
11. First Aid: Learnt standard first aid in two-day course - 2021
12. The Hungry Ghost: A Biopsychosocial Perspective on Addiction with Dr. Gabor Maté - Clear comprehension of harm reduction tools - 2021
13. Suicide and self-harm prevention - 2021
14. Understanding ADHD - 2022
15. Mindspring Mental Health: Understanding Dissociative Disorders - 2022
16. Mental Health Alliance: Understanding ADHD - 2022
17. Conflict management and problem solving in relationships - 2022
18. Understanding Dissociation and Dissociative disorders - 2022
19. Foundations in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - 2023
20. FASD for School Staff Level II: Practical Strategies for the school environment - 2023

21. FASD for Judicial and Legal Professionals Level II - 2023
22. Indigenous Family Violence: Understanding Trauma and building resiliency - 2023
23. Therapeutic Considerations when working with survivors of mass violence - 2023
24. Mental Health First Aid: Skills for helping individuals in mental health or substance use crises - 2023
25. Motivational Interviewing as an evidence-based, trauma-informed practice - 2023
26.Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID) Indigenous Community Engagement - 2023
27. Relational Psychoanalysis - 2023
28. Building Resiliency through rational thinking - 2023
29. Trauma-Informed Practice: Foundations - 2023

30. Healthy Boundaries in Relationships - 2023

Custom

  • Employee of the year, 2017-08-01, "Denise demonstrated professional care and compassion towards those in vulnerable and high-risk situations. Has a strong work ethic and is passionate about helping and guiding others to find inner peace and purpose. Goes above and beyond career expectations." -HomeInstead

Accomplishments

  • Supervised team of fourteen staff members.
  • Collaborated with team of ten in the development of a successful family reunification circle
  • Resolved data entry softwear issue through consumer testing and trouble shooting practices
  • Achieved 97% of youth housed on caseload per employment by using trauma informed care for deescalation events.
  • Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets.
  • Achieved Honor statues in all studies by completing with endurance, accuracy and efficiency.
  • Documented and resolved a conflict of interest between staff and client which led to the youth in the program successfully complete the program.

Work Availability

monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Work Preference

Work Type

Part TimeContract WorkInternship

Work Location

RemoteHybrid

Important To Me

Work-life balanceCompany CultureFlexible work hoursPersonal development programsWork from home optionHealthcare benefits4-day work weekCareer advancementPaid time offPaid sick leave

Software

Microsoft Excel

Kroll Soft-wear

Power point

Microsoft 365

Interests

Reading

University courses of educational interest

Timeline

Care Worker - Home Instead Senior Care
Current
CDI Collage - Diploma, Pharmacy Assistant
02.2024 - 11.2024
Wesleyan University - University, Abnormal Psychology Specialization
01.2021 - 11.2024
Wesleyan University - University, History of Mental Illness
01.2021 - 11.2024
University of Toronto - University, Aboriginal Worldviews and Education
01.2021 - 09.2022
Aboriginal youth housing worker - Native Counselling Services of Alberta
01.2021 - Current
Michigan State University - University, Human Trafficking in Indigenous Communities
09.2020 - 06.2023
Nechi Institute - College diploma, Advanced Counsellor
01.2020 - 06.2023
Nechi Institute - , Pharmacology
09.2019 - 05.2021
Aboriginal high risk youth worker - Native Counselling Services of Alberta
01.2019 - 01.2020
Nechi Institute - , Medication administration
09.2017 - 06.2019
Youth addiction worker - Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centre
02.2017 - 06.2019
Program attendant - Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centre
09.2012 - 01.2015
University of Alberta - University Diploma, Indigenous Canada
Nechi Institute - College diploma, Community Addictions
Denise ArcandIndiginous Youth Housing Therapist