About FRC Canada

Helping Those Who Help Others

First Responder Counselling Canada Inc. supports the people who protect, care for and serve our communities, and the families who share the demands of that service.

Our purpose is straightforward: help people access respectful counselling that recognizes both their professional context and their individual needs.

The person behind the profession

Different roles bring different experiences. Some people carry memories of frontline events. Others repeatedly encounter difficult material through investigations, professional standards, oversight or leadership. Partners and families may live alongside the effects long after a shift has ended.

We want people to be met as individuals, without assuming that a uniform, title or job history tells their whole story.

Clinical leadership

Jeffrey Kentel, Chief Clinical Officer, leads the development of the practice’s clinical approach. Meet Jeff.

Community guidance

We are establishing a First Responder Volunteer Advisory Council with perspectives from across the helping professions. Members will meet regularly with clinicians and may answer general questions about professional culture, working conditions and responsibilities between meetings. Our goal is for clients to spend less therapy time explaining the basics of their working world.

The Council will not discuss patients, access client information or direct individual care. Occupational understanding supports the therapeutic relationship; it does not replace listening to each person.

Clinical responsibility

Clinical decisions remain the responsibility of the treating regulated clinician, in collaboration with the client. Your first session offers a chance to consider the fit. You choose what you feel ready to share, and the approach, pace and frequency of sessions are discussed together.

Care from a place that feels familiar

For some first responders, home is the place where they feel most secure and can step away from the demands of work. Travelling to an unfamiliar clinical setting can add another barrier to seeking support. Virtual care offers the option to meet from a familiar, private space, where clinically suitable. Your therapist will help you consider a setting that supports your comfort, privacy and safety.

We also offer appointment options beyond a conventional Monday-to-Friday workday to accommodate shift patterns, subject to clinician availability. Learn about confidentiality, choice and getting started.

Accepting new clients

We are accepting new clients for virtual counselling in Ontario.

Virtual care is available to eligible clients in Ontario. Availability elsewhere will be confirmed before appointments are offered, taking account of clinician registration, insurance and the client’s location.