Heidi Dutton Email & Phone Number

I have always beeen interested in humanity. Since a young girl I have strived to learn about the human mind and to understand people's drive, motivation and psychology. I went to universtiy hoping to learn about the mind and to understand it better to earn a job in the helping profession. I graduated with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Psychology. Although I found this subject matter very interesting, I didn't end up with any counselling skills. Eventually I went back to school and took a Social Service Worker diploma program at Georgian College and this lay the foundation for me in my career.I have always had a very developed ability to empathize and understand the other person's perspective. This allowed me to be a good listener and to keep my own values and agenda at bay, honoring the other's values and goals; a very important aspect of counselling. This helps me in the work I currently do in the addictions field working with women with substance use issues who are struggling to parent their children and juggle the many facets of their lives.I believe that the path our lives take are dependent on the coping strategies and choices available to us. When I say choices, I am talking about the choices that we think are available to us. There are some choices that to some seem unrealistic and so are not considered. We all have choices, but we don't all make informed choices or have the skills to execute those choices. Those choices dictate our experiences and path. I want to help people make informed choices and to realize all of the options and how to broaden the choices available to them. In this way it helps develop independence, problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and an increased feeling of self efficacy and self worth. These are the stepping stones of life.

Listed skills include Crisis Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, Mental Health, Mental Health Counseling, and 15 others.