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Developed by clinical counsellors and wilderness professionals, Mental Health Wilderness First Aid is an interactive, evidence-based program that provides students with a toolkit of basic mental health support skills, especially for those in small communities, schools, or rural and remote areas. Depending on the course, topics include anxiety, panic, depression, grief, trauma, psychosis, self-injury, and suicidal ideation.
Open courses are being offered both online and in-person, for anyone to join. Custom courses for organizations are also available. Community members, wilderness guides, teachers, parents, and others who live, work, or play in small communities or remote areas will benefit from MHWFA skills. |
Download the MHWFA course outline.
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Outside magazine - article on us!
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Daye and the MHWFA program have been featured in the November 2020 issue of Outside Magazine! The article illustrates the importance of preparing for psychological incidents in wilderness areas, and notes that we are now offering MHWFA classes online (next cohort starts January 6th).
Read the article here. |
We've written a book
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Mental Health Wilderness First Aid is undergoing a major program expansion - and we've written a book! The MHWFA manual includes an orientation to mental health for teachers and backcountry travellers, as well as field assessment and treatment for anxiety, depression, panic attacks, grief, trauma, psychosis, self-injury, suicidal ideation and other conditions.
Updated version 1.4 now available!
Order now!
Please select delivery option from the drop-down menu. "Pick up" option is available for in-person courses, or if you are able to collect the manual yourself from Courtenay, B.C. or Maple Ridge, B.C. |
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Donetta Faye Cooper Hagel, who often goes by Daye, holds a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology, a second Master's in Anthropology, and a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Religious Studies. A certified Level Three Guide with the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of B.C., Daye has 17 years of experience facilitating wilderness programs with children, youth, and adults. She served as the Executive Director of the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of B.C. from 2015-2020 and founded Mental Health Wilderness First Aid in 2018.
Daye is a full-time Clinical Counsellor with the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in Courtenay, B.C., Canada, and a Canadian Certified Counsellor (C.C.C.) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. She has seven years of experience in the "helping field", including with mental health crisis lines, as a senior facilitator with Restorative Justice Victoria, and clinical internship at Aboriginal Child and Youth Mental Health Victoria (MCFD). Specific clinical orientations and training include:
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Co-facilitator: Allie Nassichuk
Allie Nassichuk has over 10 years of experience working as an outdoor guide and educator and is currently the Chief Instructor at Strathcona Park Lodge's Outdoor Education Centre. Her background includes work with a whole range of populations including at-risk youth at the Salvation Army Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre's residential Hope House program, people with special abilities at Power To Be, and seniors with dementia. With a degree in therapeutic recreation, specializing in child and youth mental health, her trainings include Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, core addictions practice, trauma informed practice, and PHSA's San'yas Indigenous cultural safety training.
In her free time Allie enjoys hiking, surfing, travelling somewhere warm in the winter, crafting, and playing music. Her go to resource that helps maintain her own mental health is trail running with her dog.
In her free time Allie enjoys hiking, surfing, travelling somewhere warm in the winter, crafting, and playing music. Her go to resource that helps maintain her own mental health is trail running with her dog.
Co-facilitator: Joelle prevost, B.Sc., B.Ed., MCP, RCC
Joelle holds a master's in Counselling Psychology as well as bachelor's degrees in Science and Education. She runs an online private practice (www.scintillatherapy.com) and also works as a high school counsellor.
Joelle specializes in trauma, adolescents, couples, chronic health, anxiety, OCD, and general life issues (stress, transitions, goals, performance enhancement). She also runs a website for therapists about how to do EMDR online, and, in addition to co-facilitating Mental Health Wilderness First Aid groups, also co-facilitates groups for IBD Mental Health (for those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease).
Joelle loves making hand-made soap, playing music, playing pool, hanging out with her cat and dog, and year-round ocean swimming with her partner.
Joelle specializes in trauma, adolescents, couples, chronic health, anxiety, OCD, and general life issues (stress, transitions, goals, performance enhancement). She also runs a website for therapists about how to do EMDR online, and, in addition to co-facilitating Mental Health Wilderness First Aid groups, also co-facilitates groups for IBD Mental Health (for those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease).
Joelle loves making hand-made soap, playing music, playing pool, hanging out with her cat and dog, and year-round ocean swimming with her partner.
Administration: Rachel Stevens, RHN
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Rachel is a mother to five young children. The majority of her time is committed to homeschooling, a great passion of hers. With a background in nutrition, she enjoys creating healthy meals to feed her growing brood.
Camping, reading, painting and board games keep Rachel occupied in her spare (ha!) time. |