Our Staff
Our staff have extensive experience in dealing with addiction, mental health, life skills, family issues, and abuse issues (amongst other training). Most Clinical and Support Staff have Masters, Bachelors or Nurses Degrees, and all staff participate in ongoing educational training opportunities to keep current with the latest developments in the field of addiction and mental health treatment.
The Executive Team
Corinne Dolman, Executive Director,
MSW
Corinne Dolman completed an undergraduate degree in Criminology at the University of Ottawa and a Social Work degree at the University of British Columbia. She then obtained a Masters of Social Work in 1998, specializing in aboriginal studies and community development. Her broad background of experience includes correctional, educational and addiction treatment settings. She has worked in the Non-Profit sector for over 20 years and understands both the challenges and advantages of providing services in these environments.
Having worked specifically in the area of addiction for the past 10 years, it was in 2004 that she joined Crossroads and since then she has continued to elevate the status of Crossroads by providing highly qualified staff, ongoing training and workshops and excellent service to clients.
Corinne is passionate about providing excellent services, by professionally trained staff, to the clients we serve. She is committed to making a systemic impact on issues such as homelessness, addictions and mental health by advocating for more comprehensive and appropriate services in the addictions field.
Brenda Epp, Manager of Withdrawal Management Services, RN
Brenda began her nursing career in 1980 by working at several hospitals in departments such as Emergency, ICU, Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Medicine and Oncology. She is an avid volunteer and some of her volunteer time has been in the areas of the Therapeutic Riding Association, Women in Addiction, and Women in Pregnancy & Crisis.
Since 2005, Brenda has been managing the Detox facility by overseeing the Nurses, determining policies and procedures, and screening clients through a triage system. She also works with other organizations in the community and attends weekly PICC (Partners in Community Collaboration) meetings.
Brenda loves the work environment at Crossroads and the Purpose, Mission and Vision of the Society. She enjoys being part of the Management Team and working with staff who are truly compassionate and understanding, while at the same time, challenging clients in their choices. She enjoys hearing the different life stories of clients and feels that we, at Crossroads, have an incredible opportunity to provide a sense of justice and peace in an unjust world.
Jason McCarty, Program Coordinator, M.A. (Candidate)
Psychology, B.A. Humanities
Jason has worked at Crossroads Treatment Centre for the past 2 and a half years in a variety of roles. He spent the past year working directly with clients in therapy groups, in both the Men’s and Women’s Centres, before stepping into the Program Coordinator role in April of 2007. Jason currently manages both Centres, coordinating the program material, instruction, staff, and clinical issues of the clients.
Jason McCarty is attending a distance program at Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center out of San Francisco. He is working towards an MA in Psychology with a Marriage and Family Specialization. He has attended workshops on various subjects such as Motivational Interviewing, Concurrent Disorders, Neurobiology of Substance Abuse, Mindful Communication and Mental Health.
Prior to joining the team at Crossroads, Jason coached soccer at both the high school and collegiate levels in the U.S. Jason is from Pennsylvania and has been living in the Okanagan for 3 years now with his wife, Kristi, and their 1 year old daughter, Jamison.
Gerry McDougall, Manager of Addiction Counselling
Services
,
Masters Clinical Counselling
In addition to managing, implementing and marketing the newly created Addiction Counselling Service, Gerry is also responsible for the majority of the counselling in the program. He brings over 30 years of counselling experience, including such areas as couple, individual, trauma and young offenders work, to Crossroads.
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The Clinical Team
James Lalonde, Masters Marriage & Family Therapy
James Lalonde worked on his Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy through Loma Linda University, CA and has his Bachelors degree in Behaviour Science from Canadian Union College. He has 15 years of therapy experience, ranging from Marriage and Family therapy, to Play therapy with children. James has provided counselling for PTSD, sexual abuse, addictions, depression, FASD, youth-at-risk, suicide, anxiety, self-esteem, concurrent disorders, eating disorders, and anger management.
He has lectured at dozens of conferences and workshops, delivered a wide variety of presentations, and is a regular presenter on motivational speaking. He has presented to law enforcement, corrections, religious organizations, First Nations, business sectors, and other various community organizations.
James is a firm believer in being an empowering change agent and life coach. He takes a direct and honest feedback approach, believing that most clients want to do things differently. James also believes in empowering people to realize they are capable to make any change possible and that being free and having a dream is worth the fight.
Lise Thompson, BSW 
Lise obtained her Bachelor of Social Work at Okanagan University College in Kelowna, BC. She has been with Crossroads now for seven years and thrives on empowering people to see that life can be exciting and that each client has talents and the ability to fulfill their potential, changing their lives for better, given the right tools and encouragement.
Debbie Welsh, BSW, RSW
Debbie began volunteering at Crossroads in 1994 and continued until 1998. She also did volunteer work at the Kelowna Hospice Society and the Kelowna Crisis Line. She completed her Bachelors of Social Work and became an official staff member of the Crossroads team in 2005. She then went on to work in Alberta at the Aventa Addiction Treatment Centre for Women before eventually returning to BC and to Crossroads.
We are excited to have Debbie back as a Counsellor in the Residential Treatment Program. She is passionate about the addictions field, and loves working with individuals in a group setting. Her goal as a counsellor is to meet the people where they are at, and to walk alongside them during their stay at Crossroads. Debbie finds the diversity enriching and the contact with clients extremely rewarding.
Georgia Brown, Masters Adult Education
Georgia is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Masters in Adult Education from UBC, with additional graduate work in Counselling Psychology from City University.
Georgia brings to the team her experience in trauma counselling, many years experience working with both individuals and small groups in employment counselling, and a passion for learning about addictions, trauma and mental health. She is very excited to be a part of the Crossroads' Clinical Team. Georgia remembers the words of Helen Keller, "Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."
Dana Deane, MSW, RSW
Dana completed her Master of Social Work at the University of Hawaii, Manoa and her Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Manitoba. She is currently studying at UBC-O to complete her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Having over twelve years experience as a group facilitator and in program development, her specialties include concurrent disorders, women’s issues, FASD, self-esteem, empowerment, chronic illness, depression and caregiver stress/burnout.
As a dedicated and passionate advocate for individuals with addiction, Dana believes that every person is unique, with a special message to share.
