Counsellor – Varsity Athletics Mental Health & Performance

Staff - Non Union
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## Job Category
M&P - AAPS

## Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Counsellors/Psychologists, Level B
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## Job Title
Counsellor – Varsity Athletics Mental Health & Performance
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## Department
Counselling | Student Health and Wellbeing | VP Students
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## Compensation Range
$8,087.08 - $12,117.08 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

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## Posting End Date
October 11, 2026

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

This position is subject to the satisfactory completion of required background checks

Job End Date
November 29, 2027

Please note this position is a leave replacement for a fixed term duration

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

Job Summary

Provides mental health and mental performance services to UBC Department of Athletics and Recreation to support varsity student athletes’ mental wellbeing and mental performance needs. Provides single session/short term counselling, triage and referral to stepped care resources including Student Health and Wellbeing, Integrated Support Team (e.g sport medicine physicians, sport dietician), external resources and emergency services as appropriate.  Provides applied mental performance consultation and team interventions, and wellbeing and performance programming responsive to the needs of varsity student-athletes and teams.

Provides consultation and education to coaches, Athletics staff and other members of the varsity sport community regarding student-athlete mental health, wellbeing and performance. Develops and delivers programming, workshops and other interventions responsive to the training, competition and academic cycles of varsity student-athletes.

Organizational Status

Reports to the Director, Counselling, Student Health and Wellbeing, for oversight of clinical work.  Reports to Associate Director, Athletics and Performance, UBC Athletics and Recreation  for operational matters, and for direction of non-clinical work with respect to UBC Department of Athletics and Recreation   student-athlete wellbeing.

Works collaboratively with UBC Athletics and Recreation student services team as well as the team of professionals within UBC Student Health and Wellbeing, actively participating in and contributing to the development and delivery of effective mental wellbeing programs and services. Also works in collaboration with other UBC student services and community resources.

Work Performed

- Promotes mental wellbeing for UBC varsity student-athletes through a range of programming including orientation, workshops, seminars, groups and other resources that help students normalize stress, understand how to manage stress and maintain mental wellbeing, as well as how to seek support when needed within the broader context of student-athlete mental health and wellbeing.

- Develops and delivers workshops and outreach programs that promote student-athlete wellbeing.

- Provides single session and short-term counselling to support students experiencing mental health concerns.

- Conducts triage as needed and referral to stepped care including connection to online tools and resources, workshops, life coaching, group programs, UBC Sports Medicine, , external resources and crisis support/emergency services.

- Builds and maintains a network of UBC and external resources specific to needs of students in UBC Varsity Athletics.

- Provides consultation and support to Athletics coaches, staff and faculty on student mental health concerns including crises.

- Assumes the Wellbeing Liaison role, providing orientation, presentations and training on how to support students' mental wellbeing for Athletics staff, including leadership and coaches.

- Participates in meetings with UBC Varsity Athletics staff as well as UBC Student Health and Wellbeing administrative meetings.

- Facilitates, in connection with UBC Student Health and Wellbeing as appropriate, the operation of counselling programs within the Department (e.g. group counselling, etc.).

- Considers and supports culturally appropriate wellbeing programming for all student-athletes.

- Prepares reports, publications and other documents as required, and may be asked to sit on and participate as a member of Athletics Department committees and working groups.

- Develops content for and promotes wellbeing programming for UBC Varsity Student-athletes. Responsible for ensuring student wellbeing web resources are up to date and accurate.

- Performs other duties consistent with the mandate of the Athletics Department as requested.

Mental Performance Services

- Provides applied mental performance consultation and interventions to individual varsity student-athletes to support performance, wellbeing and successful participation in sport.

- Works with student-athletes on performance-related concerns and skills including confidence, focus and concentration, stress management, motivation, recovery, coping, performance anxiety, transitions, injury recovery and competition-related demands.

- Provides mental performance consultation to varsity teams and collaborates with coaches and Athletics staff to identify performance and wellbeing needs and develop appropriate interventions.

- Develops and delivers team-based mental performance programming, workshops and presentations responsive to team needs and training and competition cycles.

- Applies evidence-informed mental performance approaches within the broader context of student-athlete mental health and wellbeing.

- May attend varsity team practices and/or games as determined by Athletics Department

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Must be able to act with a considerable degree of autonomy and independence in the provision of mental health support to students while adhering to the ethical standards of the profession. Poor professional judgment or unethical practice would be extremely detrimental to student wellbeing and in some cases could be life threatening. It would also have a significant negative impact on public relations and the reputation of UBC Athletics and Recreation, the University and in some cases result in legal liability for the University.

Supervision Received

Acts independently within established clinical and ethical guidelines. Works within a model of collegial consultation and collaboration, under the direction of the Director of Counselling, Student Health and Wellbeing and under the direction of the Associate Director, Athletics and Performance, UBC Athletics and Recreation.

Supervision Given

May provide mentorship, consultation or supervision to master level practicum students, trainees or other learners where appropriate to the qualifications and scope of the incumbent

Minimum Qualifications
Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology or a related field. Eligible for professional certification in British Columbia. Minimum of five years of experience in clinical counselling plus experience supervising Master’s level practicum students.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

- Training and applied experience in sport psychology, performance psychology and/or mental performance consultation.
- Demonstrated experience providing individual mental performance interventions and/or working with teams in athletic or high-performance environments.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with coaches, Athletics staff, student support professionals and multidisciplinary teams.
- Knowledge of the mental health, performance, developmental and wellbeing needs of varsity and/or high-performance athletes, including the intersection of academic, athletic, social and personal development.
- Strong clinical assessment, consultation and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment
- University or college counselling experience.
- Training and experience in single-session, triage, stepped-care and brief therapy.
- Experience in program development, consultation and outreach within a post-secondary or athletic environment.
- Additional training or experience in team-based mental performance interventions and/or working with coaches and athletic staff.
- Knowledge of student development and the unique issues and demands facing university students.
- Experience working with a broad range of mental health concerns commonly experienced by post-secondary students.