Dana Kendal runs her own counselling practice, just north of Toronto. Until last year, she also worked with additional clients online through TranQool, a Toronto start-up, which (sadly) shut down operations in 2017. I know Dana, because she’s been my counsellor for nearly two years. Her compassionate method, her focus on self-care, and her ability to identify key issues has helped me immensely.
However, Dana wasn’t always a counsellor - she began her career as a special ed nursery school teacher. While teaching was very rewarding, Dana chose to upgrade her Early Childhood Education diploma to a degree after 8 years in the workforce. After this shift, she made an even larger jump - into the Master of Social Work program at the University of Toronto.
“[I] loved school and loved doing my masters. So much easier as a mature student. I was 30,” Kendal explains, and goes on to say that she wanted to integrate her experience working with children and her passion for Social Work.
After completing her Master of Social Work, Dana worked for one year with Children’s Aid. At the time, she was pregnant, and this motivated her to start her own practice in 2002. According to Dana, “having confidence [and] running the business side of it,” is the biggest challenge involved in managing her own practice.
This transition from working with children, to working with adults, wasn’t a difficult one, as she had been working with both children and their parents in her previous roles. Dana appreciates that Social Work is a diverse field with a range of options, and loves her job wholly.
Dana Kendal: Meditation. Exercise. Eating properly. Sleeping well and taking care of myself through self care. Me time. Doing what makes me feel good and grounded.
As a career counsellor, I see Dana as a role model. The way that she assists clients in overcoming barriers has informed my own methods, and I am grateful to have crossed paths with her (via the internet!). Portrait submitted by Dana Kendal
Comments
Post a Comment