Counseling/therapyWhat type of job are you looking for? Individual, family or group counseling Case management Advocate, researcher What nationality are you? Rwandan/Canadian What languages do you speak (and at what level)? Kinyarwanda-fluent, English-fluent, French-fluent, Swahili-fair, Spanish-fair What country or area are you looking to work in and why? Rwanda, because I am of Rwandan origin and have a desire to help my native country. What countries have you worked in? I have worked in Rwanda, the United States and Canada What countries do you have a visa to work in? Canada, the United States and Rwanda What field do you currently work in? Counseling for individuals, age 16 and up presenting with various mental health and addiction issues such as: depression and anxiety, relationship problems, grief and loss, post traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and drugs dependency etc... What fields have you worked in before? I have worked with youth who have behavioural problems, also worked with seniors with chronic illnesses. I did work in primary and high school settings as an Educational Assistant as well. What qualifications do you hold? I hold a master's degree in social work. Iam a registered social worker by the province of Ontario. I also hold a certificate in working with adolescents with special needs. I am a certified bilingual by the French Language Services. Which do you consider more valuable? Formal education or skills and why? I consider both formal education and skills to be valuable. A. Formal education: is important in determining what kind of theoretical training you have received and on which level. B. Skills: are important on predicting the outcome of the applied knowledge, for example, although there may not be any formal education for " Good listening skills", an individual with this skill would be more successful in resolving issues that a highly educated individual who is a poor listener. Describe the benefits of working with others In my profession as a counselor, it is helpful to work with other counselors for case conferencing and case consultation. Also for clinical debriefing during crisis. Describe the benefits of working alone Through out my professional career, there were times I had to work independently, sometimes because there was none else with the same training available. Working alone has taught me to be self-relient and self-sufficient. It has also developped my problem solving skills. What was your worst working experience? One time I was working with women, victims of domestic violence. And as I was in session with this particular woman, her ex-husband showed up at the counseling office unannounced and started yelling and shouting at me and the client. I tried to get him to leave peacefully but he refused, and started treatening me and the ex-wife. I was horrified and called the police who came and took him to jail. What is the most important lesson you have learnt throughout your career? I have been working as a counselor for over ten years and have worked with a diverse population both in age and background. I have learnt that although human beings are similar in some ways, we are also all unique and there is none size fits all type of intervention. What may work on one individual may not work on the other for how ever similar they are, they may not necessarily have the same needs. What unique skills do you have? I have been told by others, and I know this to be true, that I am exceptionally a good listener (I am interested in getting to know the individuals I work with before I could assist in resolving they difficulties. I am a good problem-solver, I work effectively as a team leader and independently, when needed, I am a hard working, dependable, and honest person; I am eager to learn and am creative. What would you consider as your 'dream job'? My dream job would be to work with youth and adults facing a variety of mental health and/or addiction issues. As their counselor, after the bio-psycho-social history is completed, I would then work with them to improve what ever presenting issues identified. What are the most interesting aspects of your field? Being able to help individuals achieve their maximum potential. Satisfaction of being able to help others. What are the least interesting aspects of your field? I deal with a variety of people struggling with mental health issues, this could be challenging, especially if there is not much progress. Please replace this with a question of your own I am interested in working in Rwanda as a psychotherapist/counselor. How is the job prospect in this area. Also, what organizations are likely to use social workers. Thank you. How can potential employers contact you? Domine Rutayisire 253 Fields Avenue LaSalle, Ontario N9J 3S3 Canada e-mail: domine4@hotmail.com | 
