Kim Cardinal (she/her)
BSW, RSW
Contracted Therapist
Cardinal Counselling & Therapy Services Inc.
A lifelong resident of Fort McMurray, Kim calls Treaty 8 Territory - the traditional meeting ground, gathering place, and travelling route to the Cree, Dene, Dane-zaa (Beaver), and Métis - her home. As a Métis woman and an active member of McMurray Métis Local 1935, Kim is a longstanding and proud advocate for Indigenous peoples and centres Indigenous ways of knowing in her practice.
Kim received her Diploma in Social Work Diploma Portage College in 2007 and her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Calgary in 2009. In May 2023, Kim began her Master of Social Work at Wilfred Laurier University.
Kim has spent the entirety of her career working in mental health and addiction, supporting children, teens, adults, couples, and families. She has extensive experience navigating anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship issues, trauma, addiction, suicidal ideation, and self-harm.
In her therapeutic work, Kim describes herself as a generalist who uses an eclectic blend of approaches to best meet the needs of those she serves. Her practice is client-centred, strengths-based, and trauma-informed. She has received training in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioural therapy skills (DBT), motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, and play-based interventions. Kim is a lifelong learner who continuously explores opportunities to advance her knowledge and skillset.
Kim is committed to a therapeutic approach that looks beyond what is perceived as “the problem” by exploring the many factors that impact wellness, including one’s environment, interpersonal relationships, and lived experience. She strives to offer a safe, non-judgmental, and culturally sensitive space where those she supports are met with warmth and empathy.
Kim offers in-person and virtual therapy to children, teens, adults, and families throughout Fort McMurray and the greater Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Education
Master of Social Work Student, Wilfred Laurier University (2023-Present)
Bachelor of Social Work, University of Calgary (2009)
Diploma in Social Work, Portage College (2007)
Registration
Kim is a Registered Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers (Registration Number: 9943). Kim practices in accordance with the Canadian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, Values, and Guiding Principles (2024) and the Alberta College of Social Workers Standards of Practice (March 2023).
