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Counselling
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope we have covered everything you need to know about us and our services. Below you’ll find a collection of commonly asked questions. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

WHAT SHOULD I PREPARE FOR MY 15 MINUTE CONSULTATION?

The consultation is an opportunity for you to share what brings you to counselling and the key things you want to focus on in sessions. Not only are you sharing your experiences with the counsellor, you should use this time to ask your counsellor questions about their counselling approach, their educational background or professional experience, their areas of focus or anything else that is important for you in building a successful professional relationship. It can also be helpful to consider how regularly you want to book sessions and if you are looking for a short term or longer term counselling relationship. 

ARE MY SERVICES COVERED BY INSURANCE? 

Please be aware that not all insurance companies will reimburse for clinical counselling services provided by Certified Canadian Counsellors (CCC). Providers that offer plans including coverage for Clinical Counsellors are: Alberta School Employee, Blue Cross Canada, Canada Life, Great-West Life, Equitable Life of Canada, Green Shield, Group Source, iA Financial Group, and SunLife.

Most insurance companies do provide coverage for clinical counselling services provided by Registered Social Workers (RSW) with an MSW designation. ​Providers that offer plans including coverage for Registered Social Workers are: Alberta School Employee, Beneva, Blue Cross Canada, Canada Life | Great-West Life, Cowan, Dejardins, Equitable Life of Canada, Green Shield, Group Health, Group Source, Manulife, and SunLife.

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It is your responsibility to confirm your coverage with your insurance company prior to your first session. Be mindful that within the same insurance company, individual plans may differ in their coverage. To find more about your insurance coverage, please do the following: ​

  • Look at the extended health section of your insurance company's website for counselling/therapy coverage with an “MSW,” “RSW,”, or "CCC"

  • Call your insurance company and ask if you are covered for counselling with an MSW, RSW, or CCC

  • Check under the extended health section of your benefits booklet for coverage to see an "MSW" or "RSW", or a "CCC"

  • Connect with HR Representative to check and see if your benefits cover you to see an "MSW", "RSW", or "CCC"

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WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A COUNSELLOR 

A counsellor's role is to gather information about the client and work with them to establish goals and objectives for the therapy.
They use a variety of evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help clients address their concerns. These techniques depend on the counsellor's training, the client’s needs, and the therapy goals.
They are are responsible for creating a safe and supportive environment where clients feel comfortable expressing their feelings and concerns by providing empathy and understanding, acknowledging the client’s experiences and validating their feelings. 

WHAT CAN I EXPECT IN MY FIRST SESSION

The first counselling session is an opportunity for your counsellor to gather information about you and to better understand the things that have brought you to counselling. This can include asking questions about your past, exploring coping strategies you have tried and determining goals for counselling.  Subsequent sessions will focus more on intervention, skill building, working towards goals and addressing other presenting concerns. 

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR VIRTUAL COUNSELLING?

Virtual counselling is a flexible and convenient way to access support. While this is an excellent way to connect with a counsellor, being in your home or in another remote location can create challenges with technology and privacy. I recommend following the suggestions below to prepare for a successful online session:
 
  • Find a quiet, well-lit space where you will have privacy; if you live with others, you may consider requesting quiet time for the duration of your session
  • Feel free to use a headset for further privacy as well as to avoid interference
  • You may also consider utilizing a fan or a white noise app to further protect your privacy if you feel as though noise easily carries in your environment
  • Pets can be a wonderful comfort during sessions; feel free to have them present, but consider putting them away if they will cause distraction or if they tend to be noisy
  • It is recommended that you use a computer or laptop as opposed to a phone or tablet, as the streaming quality is generally better, and you also are not stuck holding your device up
  • Test your camera and microphone settings prior to your session on the device you intend on using
  • Make sure your device is connected to a private, password-protected network
  • Close any web browser tabs and/or applications that may cause distraction; avoid multi-tasking or browsing the web during your session
  • Turn on Do Not Disturb or Silent mode on all your devices to avoid interruptions
 
Above all, the session that you have booked is your time. Consider what you can do to enhance your experience and plan for what challenges you may encounter in relation to your specific environment.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I BOOK SESSIONS?

Ultimately how often you book sessions is up to you and will depend on your availability, finances and insurance coverage, and interest in engaging in the therapeutic process. Meeting more frequently provides an opportunity for consistency and accountability, allows you to build a strong therapeutic relationship with your counsellor and can help you reach desired outcomes at a quicker pace. For some people meetly weekly is preferred, however bi weekly sessions are a great option as well. At times it can be difficult to meet more frequently, so monthly sessions are another alternative. Meeting less often is also a good option if you are making progress towards your goals and are needing less frequent support. 

WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF COUNSELLING GOALS?

Counselling goals can vary in in number and complexity. For clients coming to sessions, a goal might be to communicate more effectively with their partner,  understand how their past experiences influence current behaviour, learn strategies to manage difficult emotions, be happier, and anything in between. It is beneficial for you to have an idea of what you want to work towards, but ultimately your counsellor will support you in focusing your goals and will develop a plan to work towards them with you.  

HOW LONG WILL I BE IN COUNSELLING?

Depending on your availability and therapy goals, therapy can last a few sessions or several weeks or years. While you likely want to know how long it's going to take to "feel better," there's no simple answer. It's very individualized. In addition, some insurance plans only cover a set number of sessions in a given year, so you  may need to factor in those limitations and/or work with your therapist to come up with a payment plan.
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