Separation and divorce can make you feel like a contestant on the television program Fear Factor. "Your adrenalin races, your future is unknown, and you feel like you’re about to jump off a cliff," says Debra Rodrigues, Director of Peel Counselling & Consulting Services ( PCCS). Families experiencing the anxiety of separation and divorce need a calm, safe place where they can receive the attention and assistance they need to transition through this difficult time, she explains. With offices in Mississauga, Toronto, and Georgetown, PCCS is that place.

Since 1992, the organization has offered a wide variety of professional mental health and family counselling services, as well as specialized conflict resolution and assessment services. Rodrigues encourages those experiencing divorce to take the fear out of the equation by coming to her office for a one-hour assessment interview. "Many people don’t know where to go, which assessment they need, or whether they need counseling or mediation," explains Rodrigues. "I can help them assess their needs, and that removes some anxiety," she continues. "We start by discussing where they’re at in the process, what their needs are, and then I help them develop a plan in terms of where they go from there. People really like that… they learn how to match services with their needs, so they can go about accessing those services while wasting less time and money then they likely would otherwise."

Rodrigues graduated 20 years ago in the social work field and has been the Director of PCCS for the past 14 years. Throughout her career, she has trained tirelessly and earned accreditations and qualifications as a specialist in a number of key areas related to divorce and separation. "Continually developing expertise is very important to me," says Rodrigues. "At PCCS, we’re specialists, due to the training, the experience, and the recognition we’ve received for the good work we’ve done. For our clients, that translates into better service from a leader in the field of divorce."

Counselling is a critical element in the divorce recovery process, a time for healing and self-reflection, and a service that PCCS provides to its clients on a sliding-fee scale. "Separation and divorce involve a grieving process with various stages of growth and development," explains Rodrigues. "Counselling can assist people so they don’t get stuck in the grieving process. Getting stuck can mean staying angry and in conflict with the ex-spouse. This is not healthy for you, or your children." Clients endorse Rodrigues’s kindness, approachability, and "calming effect." One wrote in a letter of thanks: "I really like your style – you didn’t tell me what to do, but you helped me figure it out for myself."

In addition to offering individual, couple, and family counselling, PCCS also provides mediation services, custody and access assessments, cooperative parenting groups, divorce coaching, child specialist coaching, parenting capacity assessments, parenting coordination services, therapeutic re-integration, and therapeutic supervised access. Judges trust Rodrigues in the courtroom for her credible expert testimony and thorough assessments. In addition, she often provides expert commentary to the media, has appeared on television, and offers internships for professionals wanting to learn this area of work.

"One-stop shopping" for divorce-related services is another comfort Rodrigues offers those who have been touched by separation and divorce. She supplements her extensive services with a specialized network of professionals, including psychologists, life coaches, career counselors, and financial advisors. "We aim to provide comprehensive services for all members of families going through separation and divorce," she says. "Anything I can’t do, I can refer to another professional who is part of our network."

Rodrigues is clearly passionate about her work: "Everyone experiences loss of some kind," she concludes. "I see it as an opportunity for people to grow and develop themselves. With my extensive training and experience, I can help people make that happen for themselves… it’s definitely rewarding watching people come from the fear and crisis stage of separation and divorce and move through it to develop a much better way of life for themselves."

PCCS services the greater Toronto area, Peel and Halton regions for face-to-face clients, and all of Ontario by telephone. "We get referrals from everywhere – I’ve even had calls from as far away as China and Florida," says Rodrigues.

Professional, credible, qualified, and fair, Debra Rodrigues and her network of professionals at Peel Counselling & Consulting can help take the "Fear Factor" out of divorce, so you can find your way again and move on to a more fulfilling and deeply satisfying life.

For more information or to book an appointment, please contact:

Peel Counselling & Consulting Services
Email: info@pccs.ca   Website: www.pccs.ca
(905) 567-8858 or toll-free 1 (866) 506-PCCS (7227)

Main office:
6535 Millcreek Drive, Unit 4, Mississauga, ON L5N 2M2
(Sub-offices in Georgetown and Toronto)

Debra Rodrigues has written the following articles:

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