Rachel: JFSA Counselling Dept.

After losing her job last summer, Rachel found herself with a lot of spare time. She had just ended a turbulent relationship with an unstable single father and had quickly entered into another one. It was a brief affair that ended dramatically and Rachel was left feeling like something was wrong with her. She spent a lot of time smoking weed and staying up late, analyzing every aspect of her life. Her friends started to mention that her behavior was erratic and manic. Rachel fell deeper and deeper into depression.

She decided to consult her doctor, who suggested she was bipolar. The idea of taking medication scared Rachel so she looked into counseling. She called BC Family Services and was told it was be at least four months to process her application. Defeated, Rachel hit the bottom and gave up.

A friend who was a psychology major informed Rachel about JFSA. She said it was a little known secret among the social services community. Rachel decided to investigate, as she felt like she had very few other options.

Rachel was put through to the head of the counseling department, Alan Stamp, who listened to her discuss where she was in life and what kind of help she thought she needed.
He told her it would take about two weeks and that he had a counsellor who would be a good match. A month later, Rachel went to her first session with Tami Amit.

The 28-year-old spent several months working with Tami on deep-rooted issues, which she had never before the courage to face. Rachel was amazed at how determined and patient her counsellor was with her.

“She helped me realize how important it was to love myself and never dismiss my feelings” she stated. “I really owe her my life.”

Today, Rachel is working at a job she loves. She surrounded herself with people she trusts and admires. She says she has found a love for herself that she’s never felt before. Rachel has even recommended the services to several of her friends and assures them that they are on the right path.

“I’ve been to the bottom and now I am rising to the top”, she says. “Without JFSA, it would have been a much different story.”