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In the Northwest Territories, we鈥檝e seen the need for mental health support increase over the years - more people are reaching out and more conversations are happening around mental wellness. 

What鈥檚 not being talked about enough is how hard it is for new grads to actually become licensed professionals, especially in the North.

Many counselling students receive some financial support while they鈥檙e in school, whether through student loans, scholarships, or band funding. But what鈥檚 often left out of the conversation is what comes after. The path to licensure doesn鈥檛 end with graduation, it鈥檚 just the beginning.

To get fully licenced, new graduates are required to complete clinical supervision, often every two weeks or more, under a qualified professional. Supervision fees in Canada typically range from $100 to $300 per session. Given that many licensing bodies require at least 100 hours of supervision, sometimes more, new counsellors could be looking at $10,000 to $30,000 in out-of-pocket expenses. That鈥檚 not a small number for someone just out of school.

If you鈥檙e in the North, it鈥檚 even more complicated. Supervision costs tend to be higher here because there are fewer supervisors available. Those who are qualified are often in high demand. Understandably, many of them are carrying large caseloads and simply can鈥檛 take on more supervisees without being stretched thin. It is not easy for one person to support so many.

Systemic challenges for minoritized counsellors 

For many aspiring counsellors from racialized communities or lower socioeconomic backgrounds, these barriers are compounded by systemic inequities. Accessing costly supervision can feel like an uphill battle, especially for those already navigating societal marginalization.

These professionals bring essential cultural knowledge, lived experience and diverse perspectives that are crucial for healing intergenerational trauma and providing culturally safe care. Yet, the prohibitive costs and lack of support disproportionately affect their ability to enter and remain in the profession.

Without targeted funding and systemic change, we risk losing these vital voices, resulting in a mental health workforce that does not reflect or fully serve the populations of the North.

Existing supports and where we need more

There are some supports that help ease the pressure. In some cases, territorial employers like the GNWT offer relocation incentives, housing subsidies and 黑料吃瓜网 living allowances for provisionally-licenced professionals. These positions often come with built-in supervision and paid employment, which is a huge help. There are also Indigenous and community-based health programs that offer salary-funded internships or practicum placements. These opportunities can really make a difference.

But they aren鈥檛 available to everyone. They鈥檙e often limited, highly competitive and sometimes only accessible to those able to relocate or commit full-time. That leaves many others on the outside, still struggling to find supervision they can afford and questioning if they鈥檒l be able to stay in the field at all.

A call to action

We need to address this head-on. If we want to build a strong, sustainable mental health workforce in the North, we need to support both the supervisors who are mentoring and the new professionals trying to get licensed. That includes:

• Funding for post-graduate supervision;
• Regulating supervision fees to keep them fair and transparent;
• Incentivizing local supervisors to take on trainees;
• Creating accessible pathways into the field for those who are often left behind.

This isn鈥檛 just about workforce development, it鈥檚 about equity, sustainability and making sure our communities have access to care from people who truly understand their experiences.

I鈥檓 currently researching this issue across Canada and speaking with others who are navigating similar challenges. If we want to keep good people in the field and attract more, we need to remove these financial roadblocks and start investing in what really matters: people.

The North deserves a mental health workforce that is reflective of its communities. Our new grads deserve a fair chance to be part of it.