Chimo is a friendly way of greeting someone in Inuktitut. The word 'Chimo' is believed to mean a special friend for people in need of someone to talk to. It is said that when the Inuit people would greet each other with the word 'Chimo' they would simultaneously circle their hearts with their left hands.
Created in Richmond, British Columbia in 1973, Chimo Community Services now serves over 10,000 individuals and families each year from different cultural backgrounds, age groups, family lifestyles, and economic situations. Chimo provides diverse services from community building to prevention, from individual crisis support to advocacy, and from peer support to education. Chimo engages in collaborative community planning and develops innovative resources to address emerging needs.
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Services Offered
Counselling for Adults Chimo Community Services offers a number of programs designed to address the needs of adults in crisis.
* Adult Crisis and Suicide Intervention Counselling - Short term crisis and suicide counselling is offered by qualified, professional counsellors. Issues may include emotional, physical, spiritual and mental crisis such as depression, relationship problems, post-trauma and daily-living stress reactions. Professional consultations, public education seminars on suicide and debriefing sessions after a suicide are also available on request.
Counselling for Youth Chimo Community Services offers a number of programs designed to address the needs of youth and young adults.
* Youth Counselling - Free, short term counselling with qualified counsellors is provided to youth 13 to 19 years old who are experiencing crisis in daily living. Crisis could include: > Feeling stressed, depressed and/or anxious > Having problems with family members and friends > Facing situations of bereavement or loss > Being at risk for suicide
Counselling for Children Chimo Community Services offers a number of programs designed to address the needs of children. Chimo also works closely with other community organizations that provide complimentary resources and is able to guide parents and families to additional areas of assistance.
* P.E.A.C.E. (Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling, Empowerment) - Individual and group counselling with qualified professionals geared to support children and youth aged 4 to 18 who have experienced or witnessed violence or any form of abuse at home. Counselling occurs through an "expressive arts therapy" format and includes the use of art, play, drama, games, puppets and sand tray. Supportive counselling for parents aims to facilitate building a healthy relationship with their child.
* Children Count Too! An Anger Management Group for Children - This free, supportive, educational, and fun group helps children better understand their anger and learn positive and healthy ways of expressing their feelings. Over 6 sessions, children learn to understand their emotions, identify what makes them angry, and healthy ways of communicating.
Counselling for Women Chimo Community Services offers a number of programs designed to address the needs of women in crisis.
* Stopping the Violence Counselling - The STV Program offers individual and group counselling, providing support and education to women who have experienced abuse in their intimate relationships, including physical, emotional, verbal, psychological, and/or financial abuse, sexual assault and childhood abuse. This service focuses on women and the provision of safe options, recognition and assistance to rebuild strength and take control of one's own life.
Fees and Payment
Chimo offers free Counselling and Support Groups for adults, youth, children and families.
This is a registered charity.
Services Offered To: Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono
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A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.