Meeting Young People Where They’re At

When Monique founded Prusik Youth Counselling & Mentorship Services in the fall of 2010, she wanted to create a counselling experience that was a little different from the traditional approach. In the early days, much of her work involved supporting young people on probation, often meeting them in community settings and incorporating activities into their time together. She recognized that meaningful conversations and therapeutic breakthroughs don’t always happen while sitting across from someone in an office. Today, Monique primarily provides online counselling through her private practice, while also travelling to remote Indigenous communities in Northern Canada to offer in-person counselling services. She has found that many young people appreciate connecting from the comfort and familiarity of their own space. Although the setting has changed over the years, her philosophy remains the same: Meet young people where they’re at, build genuine connections, and find creative ways to help them grow.

More Than Just Talking About Problems

Monique believes that young people are the experts in their own lives. Her role isn’t to tell them who to be or what decisions to make, but to help them better understand themselves, recognize their strengths, and develop the skills to navigate life’s challenges. Her counselling approach is practical, collaborative, and often creative. Depending on the individual, sessions may incorporate storytelling, art, photography, movement, or experiential learning alongside evidence-informed therapeutic approaches. Monique is particularly passionate about teaching mental health skills that clients can apply in everyday life, including emotional regulation, healthy decision-making, resilience, and problem-solving. Her goal is to help clients leave counselling with more than insight—with practical tools they can carry into whatever life throws their way.

Experience & Background

Monique is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Calgary. She has worked with children, youth, young adults, and families in a wide range of settings, including schools, community programs, residential treatment centres, youth custody programs, athletic environments, and remote Northern communities. Her experience includes supporting young people facing complex challenges, mentoring emerging leaders, and working alongside individuals and families from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Since establishing Prusik in 2010, Monique has also provided counselling services in Indigenous communities across the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Nunavik. Her Northern work has strengthened her appreciation for relationships, community, culture, and the importance of adapting counselling to the people and environments in which it takes place.

Before becoming a therapist, Monique spent two years teaching English in South Korea and several summers working at youth camps—experiences that helped shape her passion for working with children and young people.

Sport, Performance & Mentorship

Sport has been an important part of Monique’s life, both personally and professionally. A former University of Calgary varsity wrestler, Monique has spent decades competing, coaching, and mentoring athletes. She continues to coach wrestling, including working with athletes and emerging coaches from communities across the Northwest Territories.  Through her involvement with Athletes in Action, she has also supported elite amateur athletes through mentorship and sports chaplaincy. These experiences have given Monique a unique perspective on the psychological side of sport, including confidence, motivation, performance pressure, setbacks, resilience, and the relationship between athletic identity and personal well-being. She enjoys helping athletes develop mental skills that support both their performance and their lives beyond sport. Monique also delivers motivational presentations and interactive workshops on mental health, resilience, leadership, sports performance, and overcoming adversity.

An Adventurer at Heart

Monique’s interests extend well beyond the counselling room. She’s a photographer, outdoor educator, wrestling coach, traveller, enthusiastic adventurer, and self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Aunt!” She loves learning new skills, exploring new places, and taking on new challenges. Whether she’s on the water, climbing a mountain, or soaring through the sky, Monique believes that some of life’s greatest lessons come through adventure.. Over the years, her adventures have included exploring different parts of the world, rock climbing, canoeing, cross-country skiing, and paragliding. She also enjoys art, music, photography, home improvement projects, and spending time in the wilderness. These experiences aren’t entirely separate from her work as a therapist. Monique frequently draws on stories, outdoor experiences, creative activities, and lessons learned through sport to help clients see challenges from new perspectives. She believes that growth often happens when we’re willing to step outside our comfort zones, try something unfamiliar, and discover strengths we didn’t know we had.

The Philosophy Behind Prusik

In rock climbing, a Prusik knot grips a rope under tension, providing security when it’s needed most. It can also help climbers move upward, one step at a time. For Monique, the knot represents something important about counselling and mentorship. Life brings challenges, uncertainty, and moments when we need extra support. Sometimes we need something to hold onto while we regain our footing. Other times, we need encouragement and practical tools to keep moving forward.

Life has its challenges. You don’t have to navigate them alone!