Monique Smith, MSW, RSW

When Monique started Prusik Youth Counselling and Mentorship Services in Fall 2010, she recognized a need for providing a unique counselling experience. In the early days she met mostly with young offenders on probation, meeting clients out in the community and engaging in various activities. These days, Monique mostly meets online as she has found that for most of her youth clients, this has provided them with a safe space to connect from their own bedrooms, similar to her early days of meeting clients out in the community. Regardless of WHERE she meets (in-person or online), the sentiment remains the same: Connecting with clients where they are at and occassionally utilizing unique methods of engaging in therapeutic skills (i.e. art, photograhy, videography etc.).

Monique specializes in counselling clients age 5-25, and their parents. Issues include anxiety, depression, anger management, suicide intervention, self-harm, domestic violence, sexual abuse, grief and loss, addictions, eating disorders, identity, trauma and sports performance. Monique is known for her creative counselling style and passion for teaching mental health skills. She believes that her clients are the experts of their lives. Her goal is to give her clients the knowledge and skills to unlock their expertise so they are better prepared for whatever curveballs life throws at them. 

Over the years, Monique has worked with a diverse group of clients including early childhood intervention, at-risk youth, athletes, young professionals, parents and families. She has extensive experience working with Indigenous clients in Calgary, Nunavut, Nunavik, and the Northwest Territories. She travels for counselling contracts to the Northwest Territories in addition to her private practice.

Monique brings a rich and diverse history of youth work to her practice. She has worked in treatment centres and open custody group homes for at-risk youth, she was an English teacher in South Korea for two years and spent numerous summers working as a summer camp counsellor where she developed her passion for working with children and youth. 

In addition to counselling, Monique also works as a photographer (Eye58 Photography), sports Chaplain with Athletes in Action (mentoring Elite Amateur athletes), and as an outdoor guide, (teaching cross-country skiing and canoeing). Monique also provides motivational speaking services alongside Olympic gold and bronze medalist, Carol Huynh. 

Monique has many passions including art, music, sports, home projects and travel. Her passion for travel has taken her to many corners of the world. Monique was a member of the University of Calgary varsity wrestling team. She loves spending time in the wilderness and a few years ago took up the hobby of paragliding! Monique integrates many of her passions into her counselling practice through storytelling, metaphors, and Experiential Learning (for example, teaching photography in order to engage in the therapeutic process). 

Monique is the self-proclaimed, “World’s Greatest Aunt!”