Karen Gignac

Karen has worked in the field of mental health for over thirty years in a variety of roles but has found the greatest joy in her work is derived from facilitating workplace wellness workshops and mental health training.

Karen was certified as a Mental Health Works Trainer in 2007. This award-winning program provides workplaces with tools that will help create a psychologically healthy and safe environment as well as recognize mental health concerns in employees and address them effectively and confidently in a workplace context.

In addition to her passion for workplace mental health, Karen is also dedicated to furthering suicide prevention and is an ASIST Trainer (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) through Living Works. She was also a certified instructor of Non-Violent Crisis Intervention and has been an instructor for the University of Windsor’s School of Social Work as well as a field facilitator for the Master of Social Work for Working Professionals program.

As a caregiver, Karen understands the challenges as well as the necessity of self-care. She enjoys opportunities to not only share what she has learned but also to learn from and be inspired by others.

Karen is currently an independent mental health consultant and educator living in Belle River, Ontario with her husband Jim and her father, Tom. She has two adult children and one grand-dog.