O'Neill, Linda

This study is an exploration of the intersectionality of my two identities, lesbian and social worker, within the northern British Columbia (BC) mental health workspace. By taking a transformative stance and making use of queer methodology, I present my voice as both the researcher and the researched. My data sources are based on past recollections and a collection of personal poems, reflections, stories, journal entries, sketches, collages, and photographs. Through autoethnographic accounts, I examine experiences as my identities intersect and become the focus of workplace bullying and harassment within the setting of northern British Columbia (BC) mental health system. I also examine the personal and professional costs of using internal agency and provincially legislated protocols and policies in challenging workplace bullying and harassment behaviour, such as the little-known topic of disenfranchised grief.

Volunteer firefighters have limited up-to-date training and awareness in applied coping skills and trauma informed practice (TIP). Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) has been a standard of practice within emergency services — including fire rescue services — for decades in Northern British Columbia. With new developments in TIP, I suggest we can further improve volunteer firefighters’ wellness by exploring specific coping strategies. The purpose of this endeavour was to interview volunteer firefighters, explore their experiences, and better understand their coping styles and approaches to managing stress related to the work. In the exploration of critical incident coping skills, a qualitative methodology and thematic analysis was applied. This study adds to the current literature on work-related coping, and hopefully increases awareness of best practices for psychological safety and wellness of volunteer firefighters in Northern British Columbia.

Developing high school curriculums that promote positive mental health by fostering connection and meaning is an important undertaking. This project explores the role that Nature Therapy and trauma informed practice can play in guiding curriculum development. To do this the contextual realities the Learning Support Center at Prince George Secondary School are explored and a brief literature review on the topics of Nature Therapy and adolescent based Trauma counselling is completed. The final component of this project is the completion of a School District 57 Board Authorized Course Template that integrates elements of Nature Therapy, trauma informed practice and school connectedness with curricular content.

Non-profit and charity organizations often rely heavily on fundraising as their primary means of covering expenses. Non-profits, being eligible for far fewer grants than registered charities, may be especially dependent on the outcomes of their fundraising efforts in order to continue providing services to their community. Since many organizations struggle to find enough time, resources, and volunteers, it is essential that the time and effort applied to fundraising are successful in attaining the necessary funds. This project supplies organizations with a guide for planning and producing major fundraising events. While the majority of the guide is applicable to any group planning to host a major fundraising event, some points may need adjustment in order to best fit the given organization. The timeline of the guide begins six to nine months before the date of the event. The guide includes a series of checklists and numerous appendices that outline in detail the various steps necessary for planning and hosting a major fundraising dinner.

Clinical supervision has been identified as a key component in combatting attrition in the human services field. Unfortunately, clinical supervision is not utilized in its full breadth, leaving workers to continuously suffer the consequences of cumulative stress from their complex work. This project is a result of a review of the literature on clinical supervision. The literature has indicated that clinical supervision is an essential tool for supporting workers to manage the emotional and psychological workplace hazards that they frequently encounter. The literature has identified three functions of clinical supervision and highlights that the administrative function is the one most often used.

Hadiksm Gaax di waayu, I belong to the Ganhada (Raven Clan) and my Mother’s side of the family is from Gitxaala, we follow our Mothers. This research, writing, and data collection was done on the traditional unceded territories of the Tsimshian, Lheidli T’enneh, and Musqueam. This work was done in partnership with the people who shared their stories with me, the co-researchers, whose words provide a brief glimpse into the lived experience of First Nations identity and the thought processes involved in contemplating several sources of input informing how we think about identity. Stories of identity, perceptions of identity, and experiences of racism and discrimination have inspired this work and highlighted the need for engagement. This research is a validation of thought processes that surround how we, First Nations people, experience identity. A shift away from Western conceptualizations of identity, this research discusses experiential knowledge, racism and discrimination, impacts of racial microaggressions on self-perceptions and health, and a sampling of how some people have come to define their identity in their own way based on their experiences. The intent of this work is to both inform those who may not understand and to acknowledge and validate those who have thought about First Nations identity but do not have a safe space to share. I hope this work speaks to both First Nations and non-First Nations/Settler Canadians as we continue learning about one another and sharing with each other in the spirit of reconciliation.

Counsellor identity development is a unique and challenging journey which involves both academic training and personal formation. Research shows that who the counsellor is, personally and interpersonally, is of greater impact in the therapeutic alliance than theory or technique. The counsellor's ongoing individual work on self, experiences in life, and growth in self-awareness, empathy, and compassion are important tasks as the counsellor moves from a novice counsellor to a master therapist. This thesis is meant to add to the body of research on counsellor identity development following the progression of a counsellor in training through this process. Evocative autoethnography was utilized to provide a deeply personal perspective of the process and change that occurred. It was found that spirituality, creativity, and play, as well as the integration of emotional, mental, and somatic parts of self were essential elements of this transformational journey of becoming.