Free, walk-in counselling will be available in Weyburn thanks to a partnership between Envision Counselling and Support, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and Family Services Saskatchewan.

Weyburn and Estevan are among the 20 rural and urban communities across Saskatchewan to receive the funding.

“We know through the data that's been collected, a brief solution-focused therapy session is all someone needs sometimes,” said Christa Daku, Executive Director of Envision Counselling and Support Centre. “They don' t need the ongoing counselling. So, if they can get in really quick as a rapid-access to mental health services, then often they have the tools to move forward in whatever the situation is.”

She said the walk-in counselling is a free, immediate, accessible form of brief counselling, for which people can drop-in for a one hour session without an appointment. The services are provided by a qualified counsellor who also connects people to the community and health services they might need.

Daku noted while the urban centres - Regina, Yorkton and Saskatoon - have been offering walk-in counselling for several years, intake counselling had always been the priority for Envision and they didn’t have the opportunity to pilot the program in the southeast. Daku herself, however, has been part of a group that worked toward making this initiative possible.

“We put in a proposal to the Ministry of Health last fall and we were approved,” she said. “So this is very exciting, thanks to the other agencies throughout the province who have gathered data and really proven the need for walk-in counselling throughout the province.”

The program begins May 1st at the Salvation Army Corps in Weyburn on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The first day the Walk-In Counselling will take place in Weyburn, therefore, will be on Friday, May 3rd.

“Individuals who would like to receive the walk-in counselling for that day show up at the Salvation Army between 10 and 11 to register for that day,” said Daku. “There will be a counsellor on site, but the need to sign up for the time slot that they would like to take part in and we will go from there.”

“There will be a sign eventually on the sidewalk advertising,” she added. “As we move forward with this program, we just invite everybody to watch our availability on our Facebook page and our web site in regards to any changing of hours.”

As the walk-in counselling is meant for short-term, immediate access, a referral will be made by the walk-in counsellor if they see the need, or if one or two sessions aren't enough.

 In Estevan, Walk-In Counselling will be offered at the Salvation Army on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m.

Envision Counselling and Support Centre is in their 25th year of providing innovative programming and diverse counselling and support services to individuals, couples and families. Individuals looking for more information can find it on Envision’s website.