A partnership with the Multicultural Council of Windsor-Essex that sees the Psychological Services and Research Centre provide free mental health services for refugees has multiple benefits, says professor Chantal Boucher.

A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Boucher supervises the Advanced Adult Psychotherapy Practicum, which brings doctoral students of psychology together with refugee clients struggling with social, cultural, emotional, psychological, and adjustment difficulties.

“The students gain community-focused training experience in culturally sensitive and responsive interventions,” Boucher says. “Their clients receive counselling and psychotherapy services that would otherwise not be available to them.”

She points out that many refugees experience significant hardships before and after reaching Canada, from torture and traumas to physical health problems and subsistence needs, presenting wide-ranging and complex mental health concerns.

Students work closely with case managers and language interpreters from the multicultural council, the largest immigrant and refugee resettlement and support service in the region. The council and the psychology department recently renewed their partnership.

“We truly value our partnership with the multicultural council, and I feel honoured to continue supervising this practicum for the second year running,” says Boucher. “Working together, we are better able to address the unique mental health needs of refugees living in our community, while offering advanced culturally responsive training for our UWindsor clinical psychology doctoral students.”