Staff Spotlight
Andrea Sierralta, Suicide Intervention Counsellor
Meet Andrea Sierralta, a Suicide Intervention Counsellor for the S.A.F.E.R (Suicide Attempt Follow-up, Education and Research) program and a Group Therapist with the Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) Outpatient Clinic team located at the Joseph & Rosalie Segal Family Health Centre in Vancouver.
“Having the privilege to hear people’s stories and being able to have a small part in their mental health journey is what I enjoy most about my job”, says Andrea. “It is fulfilling to see people have their needs met, reach their goals and have a better outlook on life within the short period of time I might spend with them.”
Andrea applied to this role in a temporary position to see how it fit with her passion and career path. “The idea of being there for people during their dark moments where they have lost hope felt purposeful to me,” she says. “I liked it so much, I was able to stay on permanently and then add the group therapy part to my job.”
She is inspired anytime a client has let her know an analogy she used or something she said in a session made a difference in their lives. “It feels humbling and gives me perspective of how much reach we have as therapists in someone’s life.”
A supportive work environment
VCH aims to provide a supportive environment and Andrea says that she is a part of a very supportive team. “Anytime we need to debrief or just brainstorm out loud, I am comforted knowing one of my colleagues will be there to support me”, she says. “Humour and food go a long way in our team to bring us together. Pre-COVID times, you would see donuts, baked goods and pie all the time! The key to our hearts!”
Andrea tells us how she incorporate the VCH values (We Care for Everyone, We Are Always Learning and We Strive for Better Results) in her role. “I am engaged in providing Suicide Risk Assessment workshops for VCH and community teams and agencies, and I’m always looking for opportunities to learn new techniques or therapies as part of the learning values. I constantly evaluate the way I provide therapy for my clients and ask for feedback form them and my colleagues in an effort to strive for better results.”
Andrea is on the social committee at her work site and within this part of her role, she is constantly trying to find ways to bring people together and finding the time for self-care. She has implemented things like a designated coffee/tea station, self-care box, celebrations and friendly competitions. “These things are all part of caring for everyone. Without caring for ourselves, our clients would not get our best selves,” she says.
Providing care during a pandemic
Since the onset of COVID-19, Andrea says all of their work has gone virtual. “This was a difficult transition, not only in terms of technology and being creative to establish a good therapeutic relationship, but also in handling the difficulties of being on screens and sitting down all day”, she says. “I have learned a lot about posture, and taking care so I get less headaches and body pain associated with this type of work. It has also been a welcomed change to some people who may not have attended our groups or individual therapy and have now had more access to our services as flexibility around virtual care was helpful to them.”
Andrea is originally from Venezuela and speak both Spanish and English fluently so she can provide services in two languages. “I am also very much into food, especially desserts, so I am always on the lookout for food trucks or new food spots to try out.”
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