16 to 24? Need someone to talk to in Belleville, Trenton or Madoc? Call us at 613-969-0830 and we can link you up with a counsellor. A counsellor can help you make sense of things when things don’t seem to make sense. It’s a chance for you to have some time (appointments are usually an hour on average) to figure out what’s happening, make a plan, take a look at how you are reacting to situations, and develop new strategies.

Our counsellors are professionals who are trained to help someone like yourself develop skills, while gaining knowledge and resources to get things back on track. Mental Illness? They can help. Having trouble with your relationship? They can help. Worried about drugs or alcohol? They can help. Have questions you just can’t ask anyone else? They can help. Counselling is confidential, and best of all….its free. So call today – we are here to listen. 

Belleville: 613-969-0830
Trenton: 613-969-0830 x352
Madoc: 613-969-0830 x352

Are you a Community Professional looking for more information about our counselling services? The list below covers services that our counsellors offer:

  • Information and consultation
  • Individual assessment and case planning
  • Eating disorder specific counselling (see About Eating page for more information)
  • Group counselling 
  • Facilitation of referrals to other community resources and additional Youthab programs (housing, employment etc). 

 

Josh's Story:

"Every year individuals struggle with mental health and although we may want to believe that “that’ll never happen to me or my family”, in reality it can.

I thought that exact same thing. I was a good student, had amazing family and friends. Nothing could go wrong.

 Until it did.

When I first started experiencing anxiety, it was like nothing I have ever felt before. I had no control over the situation and tried to deny all the feelings I was having.

 It took me nearly 3 weeks to come to terms that I had anxiety. At that point I knew I needed help to guide me into the right direction again. That’s when I went to Youthab, more specifically that’s when I met one of their counsellors named Lisa Smallhorn. I could say a million things about Lisa but to keep it short, she is one of the most understanding and kind people I have ever met. She allowed me to be open and share anything on my mind. I swear some of our sessions were mainly me just rambling on and I loved it.

She allowed me to face the problems of my past that I tried to hide away and gave me numerous coping methods that have worked wonders for me. Anything I said to Lisa, I told my parents because that was the relationship we had, but Lisa made me realize that “it’s okay not to be okay”.

That sentence is so powerful to me because we live in a day where we try to act like we are continuously happy but that just is not the case. Life is like a rollercoaster, there are ups and downs but what matters is that you stick through it because eventually the chaos will end.

When my anxiety first started, my life flipped upside down, I went from being an extrovert who wants to hang out with his friends to an introvert who avoided social interactions. At one point I thought those feelings would never go away. But here I am, just went into my fourth year at Carleton University, doing my honours thesis and currently in the process of apply for a graduate program.

Do I still have anxiety, of course, but because of Lisa and the amazing people at Youthab, I was able to find better coping mechanisms and learn how to break down the emotions I was having and why I was possibly having them.

Anyone reading this who struggles with mental health, please reach out to Youthab, I know it’s a scary step, but it will make the world of a difference. Asking for help can be hard, I get it, I was there, but you do not have to go through life alone and deal with your issues on your own. Some issues just cannot be handled on your own, and that’s okay!

Ask for help, and ALWAYS REMEMBER, it’s okay not to be okay."- Josh