From Government Office to Therapy Room: How a Layoff Revealed My True Calling
For thousands of public servants across Canada, receiving a workforce adjustment notice represents uncertainty, financial anxiety, and professional disruption. But for one Ottawa woman, this bureaucratic letter arrived at precisely the right moment, accelerating a transformation she had already begun.
A Journey That Began With Three Suitcases
On March 24, 2001, Neida Santini left Venezuela with her husband and three-year-old son, carrying three suitcases and what she describes as "more hope than certainty." Like many newcomers to Canada, she believed hard work and adaptability would help her build a meaningful life without losing her Venezuelan identity.
Twenty-five years later, Santini finds herself reflecting on that immigrant journey from an unexpected perspective. Earlier this year, she received the workforce adjustment letter that has become familiar to so many federal employees in Ottawa. While colleagues navigated this reality with understandable anxiety, Santini experienced something different.
The Foundation of a Canadian Life
Over a quarter century, Santini built a complete life in Canada's capital. Her family grew from three to four members. She joined the federal public service in 2006, surrounded by colleagues whose dedication to Canadians extended far beyond their official job descriptions. "Their commitment shaped me," she recalls. "It showed me what it means to take public service seriously."
This foundation came with profound losses that equally shaped her perspective. She lost both parents while living in another country, experiencing the particular grief of distance when one cannot offer physical comfort or final goodbyes. "Immigration gave me an opportunity, but it also took something from me," she acknowledges. "Still, I kept moving forward."
The Education That Prepared the Ground
Santini's journey included significant educational achievements. She learned French, earned a degree from Carleton University, and like many who begin public service careers later in life, she anticipated working into her seventies to secure a full pension. The public service seemed like her permanent professional home.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of global uncertainty that prompted many to reevaluate their paths. During this time, Santini made a surprising decision: she returned to school part-time while continuing her full-time role as a deputy director. Over four demanding years, she completed a master's degree in counselling.
"It was not part of a clear exit plan," she explains, "but it felt aligned with something deep in my identity."
The Moment of Realization
During her counselling practicum, this alignment became undeniable. Sitting across from people navigating pain, transition, and loss, Santini realized that helping others had transformed from an interest into a calling. She began seeing clients in the evenings as a registered psychotherapist (qualifying), quietly building this new practice alongside her established public service career.
"I did not know where this could lead," she admits, "but I knew I needed to keep doing it."
When the Letter Arrived
The workforce adjustment notice that might have represented crisis for others arrived as confirmation for Santini. Rather than signaling an ending, it accelerated a transition already underway. The uncertainty that accompanies such bureaucratic notifications became, in her case, an unexpected gift of clarity.
Her story illustrates how career disruptions, even unwelcome ones, can sometimes align with personal transformations already in progress. What begins as professional uncertainty can evolve into professional revelation when one has been quietly preparing for change.
Santini's journey from Venezuelan immigrant to Canadian public servant to emerging psychotherapist demonstrates how our professional identities can evolve across decades, sometimes requiring external catalysts to reveal their next chapters.
