Alumni Story: Rochelle Carribine

I graduated with my BAH/BEd (Concurrent program) and taught in England for my first year.   I lived in Cambridge with three other BEd graduates, and taught in a tiny Church of England school in Castle Camps.  What an incredible year!!  I then proceeded to work for four other (Canadian) school boards over the next 20 years.  I taught K-8 with most of my teaching time at a middle school in Mississauga working in special education.  I got married and had two kids during this time.  But in 2018, I decided to step away from teaching for better work/life balance.  I worked for two years with an amazing non-profit organization, Teach for Canada.  They recruit and support teachers to work in Indigenous communities in northern Ontario and Manitoba.  I also shifted gears to go back to school and complete my Masters in Counselling Psychology.  I continued to supply teach until I completed my program in 2022.  And once I graduated with my Masters, I opened up my own private practice (Still Me Psychotherapy) as a Registered Psychotherapist.  For the past 3 years, I have worked for myself, as my own boss.  It is quite a related shift...to move from teaching to therapy work.  I certainly use a lot of transferrable skills related to classroom climate and social and emotional wellness.  I no longer work with kids.  But I feel an amazing fulfillment; to connect with clients on a more emotional level and provide support for them as they navigate the challenges in their lives.  I know I am bringing positive change at a time when our world dearly needs it, one starfish at a time.