Services

In our first session, we will spend time understanding the specific issues that you want to bring to therapy, as well as your life outside of this issue using a biological-psychological-social-spiritual assessment. This helps me understand your issue or goal through the context of your life and personal story. We will also work together to develop an initial treatment plan based on this information.

Sometimes people feel like this isn’t enough time to get through all of the issues they want to discuss, and other people may need to spend this time building more trust before sharing everything. I want you to know that there is no perfect way to attend therapy, and we will work at your pace and comfort.

Clinical counselling can help you to understand your mental health condition, develop and work towards your wellness goals, and process grief and trauma. Many people find that attending therapy can also improve their interpersonal relationships and confidence with setting healthy boundaries.

The frequency and duration of sessions will depend on your individual needs! Some clients have a specific short-term goal in mind, and a series of sessions over a few months is often ideal to build additional coping skills and resolve the initial issue. Other clients desire a more thorough exploration of their patterns, issues, and symptoms and can benefit from a longer duration of therapy. In either scenario, you are ultimately in charge of how long you choose to engage in therapy! My aim is to respect your goal, regardless if that means you want a long-term therapeutic dynamic or if you want to eventually continue your skills without regular therapy sessions.

A 50 minute individual session is $140 + GST, which is in line with the BCACC Fee Schedule Survey. A 75 minute long individual or couple’s therapy session is $160 + GST. The 20 minute phone consultation is free and a great way to see if we would be a good fit to work together.

I keep a limited number of sliding scale spots for clients based on their expression of personal financial need. Please reach out if this program would help make therapy more accessible for you. If I do not have availability, I will either add you to my waitlist or refer you to other professionals who provide sliding scale or reduced cost therapy.

As a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, many insurance companies provide reimbursement for services from an RCC qualified therapist. I recommend you contact your insurance provider director to obtain information about whether they support RCC sessions and what their annual limit is. Although I work with many clients who have insurance coverage, I am not able to comment on your specific health plan to confirm your access. At the end of our session and payment, I will provide a detailed receipt with my registration number that participating insurance providers require for reimbursement to you.

If at the end of our session you feel like we are not a great fit for any reason, that’s okay! Finding a therapist you feel like you can comfortably connect with is a really important part of the therapy process, and I want you to have that foundation for a strong therapeutic alliance. I would be happy to provide recommendations to other fantastic clinicians in my professional network who may have the specific approaches and skills that you’re looking for. 

As an RCC, I do not prescribe medications or provide diagnoses. I am Level B qualified to administer and score psychometric assessments, and we will use these assessments to track your symptoms in our work together. I have completed additional training in psychopharmacology which I find helpful when helping clients understand their diagnosed conditions, as well as participating in case conferences with my client’s medical professionals as we explore their prescribed medications and chronic illnesses.

Protecting your privacy and confidentiality is foundational to our work. What we talk about in therapy stays between us, and I follow all ethical and legal guidelines to taking notes as defined by the BCACC. There are a few exceptions to this where I have a duty to report, which include if I believe you are a danger to yourself or others, and if you know about a vulnerable person like a child or adult who is at risk of harm.

If you are ever interested in having me consult with another professional about your treatment (such as a psychiatrist or family doctor), I will secure your written permission to release any personal health information and we will discuss which information you are and are not comfortable with me sharing in advance.

I currently work with clients who are at least 14 years old. In Canada, clients under the age of 18 can consent to therapy if they are declared mature minors. This assessment is done on a case-by-case basis.