Emma Chalifour

 Hello! I’m Emma

About Me

My name means ‘to care’ and I have always been drawn to helping others. I grew up in England where I trained to be a middle school teacher. Although I loved teaching,  I came to realize that I wanted to focus on supporting people’s social, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Therefore, I left my teaching position and began a convoluted journey that took me all over the world working in a wide range of programs that included working with street-involved youth, individuals struggling with addictions, and those grappling with grief and loss. Eventually, my journey brought me to Victoria, BC. I feel deeply grateful to be able to call this place ‘home’ and to live, work, and play on the traditional lands of the Lekwungen peoples.

Since being in Victoria, I have worked in a variety of contexts, which have all involved coming alongside families facing challenging situations. From 2008-2018, I was employed at the University of Victoria Family Centre offering support to student families juggling school and parenting while a long way from extended family and friends. During my time at the Family Centre, I became a certified Positive Parenting Educator and an accredited provider of the Level Four Group Triple P Parenting Program. In 2018, I left this position to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Victoria. As part of the master’s program, I completed a nine-month clinical internship as a mental health clinician with the Ministry of Children
and Family Development, which included training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Play Therapy. Since graduation, I have been working as a counsellor at VICYFCS and have also completed my training to become a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist. I have experience providing individual and group counselling services to children, youth, and adults experiencing concerns related to anxiety, management of big feelings, school avoidance, low-mood, grief and loss, and trauma. 

I am interested in working with all age groups and look forward to meeting you and finding out how I can help you achieve your goals. When I am not in the counselling room, I can be found hanging out with my husband, two teenagers, and a rather rascally dog called Taz. We like to explore the wonderful nature surrounding us as well as play at making something new out of discarded pieces of furniture!