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WEST VAN COUNSELLOR FOUNDS HEALING COLLECTIVE

A WEST Vancouver counsellor is working to redefine a

woman’s place in society.

Lou Moreau, who holds a
Master’s degree in counselling
psychology, founded A Woman's
Place to offer a ‘tholistic and
feministic approach to emotional
health and well-being.’* The forum
for group and one-on-one thera-
peutic healing is operated as a col-
lective. For the price of an annual
membership, those using the cen-
tre’s resources decide on the scope
of the support offered. Workshops
and individual counselling are also
available on a pay-per-visit basis.

Moreau offers counselling
workshops through North Shore
Continuing Education and
Capilano College. She also teaches
pyschiatric nursing at Douglas
College. She was motivated to
establish her ‘*temotional fitness
centre’ to take therapy to a higher
level. *‘Most therapy is meant to
help someone through a crisis. It
gets patched up and that person
may, from that experience, move
on to new and better things. (But)
often they just recover what
they've lost,’’ she said.

The centre is also attempting to
address needs not being met
through other community support
services — for example, women
who experience separation o7
divorce for non-traditional
reasons. Beginning in February,
Moreau and a second counsellor
will lead a group for women whose
partners have left them after iden-
tifying themselves as homosexuals
or as cross-dressers.

“In my experience of counsell-

BUY 3 OK MORE
PAIKS AND

2

By MICHAEL BECKER

News Reporter

ing women at different places, this
is a really difficult time for them.
There are so few people they can
talk to,"’ Moreau suid. **There are
separation groups for women and
for men. But in these situations,
women are uncomfortable talking
in these groups and feel really
isolated and intimidated.”

Moreau’s expertise is in the area
of individual counseling and deal-
ing with women who are experien-
cing depression. ‘I’m particularly
interested in the experience of
depression from the point of view
as to what is society's role in ternis
of the social influences that lead to
a chronic oppression of women —
not just depression.’’ she said, ad-
ding, “If vou look at the statistics,
the ratio of depression for men ta
wenen is something like one to
eight times as high, which is really
quite drastic.””

According to Moreau, long-term
resolutions are to be found on the
economic front.

“Until we have a litde more
equality in terms of economic
power between men and women, a
lot of the social things are the
fall-out of that. There’s still a
power differential. [For example,
the earning capacity of women and
their ability to get a piece of that
job market. That's a big barrier,"’
she said.

“The other thing that happens
of course is that women still have

NEWS photo Neil Lucente

WEST VANCOUVER counsellor Lou Moreau helps «omen redefine themselves within a feminist context ata
new “emotional fitness centre.” The centre offers one-on-one sessions, workshops and drop-in information.

the primary responsibility of child
care,”’ said Moreau. “Until the
workplace recognizes that and
makes some kind of accommoda-
tion there, women will still have
that extra responsibility and will
not be able to fit in completely.”*

For more information call 984-
8738.

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