Providence Counselling Centre

Oral Kiffiak and Janice Priess are available for counselling at the Providence Counselling Center

Providence Theological Seminary has been a leader in training Christian counsellors for many years, and counselling services have been available on campus during most of that time. In 2001, three graduates of the counselling program recognized a need within the Providence student body and also in the surrounding communities for something more organized. They opened Providence Counselling Centre.

The Centre is busiest during the school year because much of the clientele is drawn from the student body. However, the Centre is open to anyone and it offers benefits to outside clients. People are often shy about going for counselling with someone they’ll sit next to in church on Sunday, preferring a counsellor who is not from their community. While Providence is close to many surrounding communities, its location offers the privacy many clients are looking for.

Who are we?

Janice Priess

• has a Bachelor of Theology from Canadian Mennonite Bible College (now part of Canadian Mennonite University), a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba, and a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Providence Theological Seminary
• is an associate member of PACCC (the Professional Association of Canadian Christian Counsellors)
• has counselled through Providence Counselling Centre since 2003 and has taught as an adjunct faculty member at Providence starting in 2006

Oral Kiffiak

• Oral will be on sabbatical from September 28, 2009 to March 15, 2010, when he will be returning to work with PCC. Email inquiries can still be sent to Oral during this time.
• has a Bachelor of Religious Education from Berean Bible College and a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Providence Theological Seminary
• is a certified member of PACCC
• has counselling through Providence Counselling Centre since 2001

Who are we here for?

• Providence Counselling Centre offers counselling both to the community of Providence College and Seminary and to the larger community around Otterburne. Clients have come from as far away as Winnipeg, Steinbach, Portage la Prairie, Altona, and North Dakota.
   
• The location in Otterburne offers confidentiality and privacy for people not comfortable with seeing a counsellor in their own home community.

What do we do?

• Janice has experience counselling relationship issues, abuse, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, body image, grief, marriage counselling, and pre-marital counselling.
   
• Oral has experience in the areas of pre-marital and marital counselling, personal and relational issues, men’s issues, abuse issues, counselling to shut-ins, and with family-based business relationships.

Important Session Information

• Session times are available during the day or evening, depending on an individual counsellor’s availability.
• Sessions are typically 50 minutes long.
• A sliding fee scale is available for those who are unemployed or underemployed.
• Longer session times are available for clients who travel a long distance in order to see a counsellor. These sessions are charged by the hour.
• All sessions take place on the Otterburne campus. The counselling office is located on the 3rd floor of the Hanna Centre (main school building).

Contact us

Providence Students: contact Heather Johnson for a free, confidential assessment and referral.

All other counselling inquiries, please contact the Providence Counselling Centre directly.