Medicine Hat Family Service emphasizes importance of accessible counselling and community support

May 8, 2026 | 7:01 PM

Medicine Hat Family Service said improving access to affordable counselling and encouraging open conversations about mental health remain key priorities as Canadian Mental Health Week comes to a close.

Ben Feere, clinical supervisor with Medicine Hat Family Service, said the organization offers low-cost counselling, family-focused programs and community education initiatives aimed at helping people address challenges before they escalate.

“We’re very much trying to be an upstream organization, trying to help people before they fall in the river,” Feere said.

Feere said trauma remains one of the main issues the organization works with, alongside depression, anxiety, grief and loss.

Many of the programs the organization provides are family-oriented and designed to help individuals improve their well-being and strengthen relationships.

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One of the organization’s biggest strengths is making counselling financially accessible, according to Feere.

“In many places, counselling is upwards of $180 or $200 an hour, and we’re able to offer that to people for $8 an hour,” Feere said.

Feere said growing public awareness around mental health has helped reduce stigma and encouraged more people to seek support.

“I think there’s just been such growth in our society in being able to prioritize and talk about our mental health,” Feere said.

“Not necessarily seeing mental health as mental illness or mental sickness, but just being able to talk about the things that make us feel good, the things that make life hard, and just being able to connect with people over that.”

Feere said Medicine Hat’s mix of urban and rural characteristics creates both opportunities for connection and challenges with isolation.

“When people get connected and feel like they’re a part of the community, it’s such a great place for growth, but isolation can really impact people’s mental health,” Feere said.

Canadian Mental Health Week runs from May 4 to 10.

by Jett Schwaier

Medicine Hat Family Service emphasizes importance of accessible counselling and community support

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