After working in the Lower Mainland for years in the mental health field, counsellor Becca Shears has made her way to Cowichan Lake Community Services.
Having already been here for a few months, she’s been spotted in the community spearheading a new youth centre in town, alongside fellow counsellors Darlene Tully and Amanda Sawatzky.
“It’s a family like no other team I’ve worked with,” she said, of her work at Community Services.
Shears began her counselling career at Vancouver’s downtown east side, so she’s more than prepared for work at Cowichan Lake.
“I love finding hope where everyone else has given up,” she said. “Really, what counselling is is asking the right questions, and they can walk away with the successes or failures and own that.”
With Shears comes a husband and two kids, and a goal of living peacefully, joyfully, and in harmony with the universe; a goal she hopes to succeed on with as many others as possible.
She comes after a period of time having been a stay at home mother.
“I was just itching. I can’t not work,” she said, adding that her time at home was not regrettable, and is something she could never take back.
“I’m a bit of a kid at heart,” she said, of her easy-going nature with kids.
It’s not only kids she works with, though.
Like the other counsellors at Community Services, Shears will be working with people of all ages and backgrounds.
“I love helping people find their own truth,” she said. “I feel like the best gift someone can give me is allowing themselves to partner with me.”