Frequently Asked Questions
We are a group of experienced therapists working together to help children, teens, adults, couples, and families change the way they live. We believe people need a safe place to bring their struggles and turn them into successes.
Counselling, or therapy, is a safe, confidential process in which people:
- learn what/how they think, feel, and behave
- identify challenges in these 3 key areas of functioning
- are supported to help reduce distress, resolve problems, and improve overall psychological, social, and emotional well-being.
Our group of experienced therapists work together (with you) to help children, teens, adults, couples, and families change the way they live. We believe people need a safe place to bring their struggles and turn them into successes.
In the first session your therapist works to understand you, your goals, and what gets in the way of achieving those goals. It will take some time for you and your therapist to get to know each other and feel comfortable. Together you will design a plan to work on what you would like to be different in your life.
Benefits gained in counselling may include learning new skills such as calming your body and mind; ways to handle or cope with marital, family, work or other interpersonal relationships; a greater understanding of personal goals and values; or insight or resolution of a specific concern.
The outcomes of therapy may be different for each individual, family or couple and for this reason it is difficult to predict what the exact results of therapy will be. Since therapy may involve discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you may experience strong emotions or difficult memories during or, following a session. These feelings are a natural part of therapy and of the process of change.
Confidentiality and privacy are vital to the counselling process and are therefore protected and respected. No information about your counselling session will be released without your informed, voluntary and written consent. You will be asked to sign a ‘Statement of Understanding’ which informs you and protects your right to confidentiality. It also directly informs you of the limits to confidentiality which include a risk of serious harm to self/other, disclosures of child abuse, or when ordered by a court of law.
Sessions are 50 minutes long. Typically, meeting weekly at the beginning helps to develop a strong therapeutic relationship and establish momentum toward your goals. Session frequency may be tapered as you progress and become more comfortable applying what you have learned in therapy. Of course, depending on the nature and severity of your situation, sessions may be more or less frequent. Together with your therapist you can decide.
We want to ensure your needs are met from the beginning. A good fit between you and your therapist is an essential part of the process. In order to establish this our therapists like to have initial contact with you. Please phone each therapist directly to book an appointment. We will get back to you within 2 business days.
As a courtesy, and unless you request otherwise, you will receive a reminder email 36 hours prior to your session. However, since there may be occasions when a courtesy email does not arrive, or arrive on time, please do not rely on these reminders.
A minimum of 24 hours notice or one working days notice (i.e. Friday for Monday) is required for cancelling an appointment (in order for me to rebook that time). Late cancellations or missed appointments will be charged at the regular session fee.
Hourly sessions range in price starting at $125 per hour. Your fee will be discussed with you prior to your initial session and you will be advised in advance if any changes are made to the fee. Each therapist accepts cash, cheque, e-Transfer, and some accept credit cards.
Some extended health benefit plans may cover some of the financial costs associated with counselling services. All of our counsellors are Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). Please consult your extended health care provider, plan booklet, or Human Resources/Union representative to verify coverage for the RCC designation.
We will issue you a receipt to enable you to claim reimbursement from your insurance or that you may keep for income tax purposes.
Our therapists are highly trained, knowledgeable and experienced in working with children, teens, adults, couples, and families. Each counsellor has advanced training in their areas of expertise. All of our counsellors are Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) and are mandated to adhere to the BCACC Code of Conduct. Feel free to speak to your therapist about how they have been helpful to others with similar concerns.
To be a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in British Columbia requires an undergraduate degree and at least a Master of Arts/Education degree. The graduate degree training usually takes 2 years following studies at the undergraduate level.
A psychologist in British Columbia has similar training but typically holds a PhD which takes 4 years post-graduate and requires thousands of hours of formal clinical training in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of difficulties related to mental health as well as conducting research. In addition to formal, supervised practica, a full year clinical internship must also be completed prior to receiving their Ph.D. Psychologists are then required to complete another postdoctoral year of supervised practice and pass several examinations in order to demonstrate that they meet the standards of practice set by the College of Psychologists of BC.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD) and has additional training in psychopathology (abnormal psychology). As a result, psychiatrists can prescribe medication and are covered by British Columbia’s health plan MSP. A referral from your doctor (GP) is required for a psychiatrist.
If you are interested in receiving services, you are welcome to contact us directly and book an appointment, no referral is necessary. With your written consent, we may request information from other service providers that are involved or have been involved with you.
As Registered Clinical Counsellors we do not prescribe medications. We are fully respectful of individuals’ decision to use or not to use medications and we are happy to work collaboratively with family physicians and psychiatrists in this regard.
