Our Story
The Compass – Sexual Violence Support Centre was created in response to an urgent and long-standing need for survivor-centered support in the Chaleur region.
The idea and funding for community-based sexual violence services were first introduced in 2023, after the province acted on recommendations from the 2018 report Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence in New Brunswick – A Framework for Action. A Community Analysis was carried out to identify local needs, drawing on input from a wide spectrum of service providers across the region.
Based on this research, the first program—Chaleur Sexual Violence Services—was launched through the Bathurst Youth Centre. When the centre closed in March 2025, the Bathurst Volunteer Centre stepped in with support, providing the opportunity for the program to transform and grow into what it is today: The Compass – Sexual Violence Support Centre.
As the first dedicated service of its kind in the Chaleur region, The Compass offers specialized support at a designated centre to survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones. We are a safe, inclusive space where survivors can heal, and where families and communities can find guidance. With care, compassion, and respect, we walk alongside survivors and work toward stronger, more informed community responses to sexual violence.
Our Team
Stephanie Kasting
Coordinator
Stephanie Kasting brings compassion, collaboration, and a deeply grounded, trauma-informed presence to her work at La Boussole – The Compass in Bathurst. Her years of engagement in gender-based violence prevention, harm reduction, healthcare, and grassroots organizing have shaped a profound understanding of the systemic barriers that affect survivors and communities—values that remain at the heart of her work supporting them with care and respect.
Stephanie has completed specialized training in trauma-informed practice and supporting survivors of sexual violence and brings a depth of experience supporting individuals and families through complex systems and life challenges. In her role as Coordinator, she provides bilingual (English and French) support and warmly welcomes individuals of all genders, backgrounds, and lived experiences through the community navigation service, creating safe, inclusive, and responsive spaces where survivors feel heard, supported, and empowered.
Her approach is holistic and client-centred, emphasizing empowerment, safety, and self-compassion, while fostering meaningful partnerships and centring survivor-led, trauma-informed values in all aspects of The Compass’s work.
Marie-Hélène LeBouthillier
Sexual Violence Counsellor
Marie-Hélène LeBouthillier brings warmth, compassion, and a deeply grounded, trauma-informed presence to her counselling work at La Boussole – The Compass in Bathurst. Originally from the Acadian Peninsula, she has proudly called Bathurst home since 2019. Her life experiences and travels prior to settling here have shaped a profound respect for human resilience, cultural diversity, and the healing power of authentic connection—values that remain at the heart of her work with survivors of sexual violence.
Marie-Hélène brings a depth of experience supporting individuals and families through trauma, grief, and major life transitions, offering a safe, confidential, and attuned space where clients are met with care, dignity, and respect. She has completed specialized training in counselling survivors of sexual violence and in Brainspotting and provides bilingual (English and French) counselling to adults aged 16 and up through in-person sessions, warmly welcoming survivors of all genders, backgrounds, and lived experiences.
Her therapeutic approach is holistic and client-centred, integrating somatic practices, mindfulness, nervous system regulation, and inner-child work. Marie-Hélène believes healing unfolds at each person’s own pace and gently supports clients in reconnecting with themselves, cultivating self-compassion, restoring a sense of safety, and reclaiming their inner strength and empowerment.
Our Philosophy and Principles
Mission
To support all persons aged 16 and older who have been impacted by sexual...
To support all persons aged 16 and older who have been impacted by sexual violence, while engaging communities through education, awareness, and collaborative responses to sexual violence.
Vision
A community where every person can live free from the impacts of sexual...
A community where every person can live free from the impacts of sexual violence, regardless of gender or background.
Values
Survivor-Centered Care – We place the needs, voices, and choices of...
- Survivor-Centered Care – We place the needs, voices, and choices of survivors at the heart of everything we do.
- Trauma-Informed Practice – We create safe, inclusive spaces that acknowledge the complexities of trauma and foster healing.
- Equity and Inclusion – We recognize that sexual violence is rooted in power imbalances and affects people of all genders, ages, and backgrounds.
- Community Responsibility – We believe that building a society free from sexual violence requires collective action, compassion, and accountability.
Principles
Safety and Confidentiality – Survivors have the right to access services...
- Safety and Confidentiality – Survivors have the right to access services that prioritize their safety and privacy.
- Empowerment and Choice – We respect the autonomy of survivors and support their individual paths to healing.
- Collaboration – Strong, resilient communities are built through partnerships and coordinated responses.
- Education and Awareness – Preventing sexual violence requires breaking silence, challenging harmful norms, and equipping communities with knowledge and tools.
- Respect and Dignity – Every person deserves to be treated with care, compassion, and respect.