What To Expect

15 Minutes Free Phone Consultation

Typically for you to get a sense of if you and the counsellor are a good fit and to ask a few questions for clarification

Your First Session

The focus of the first session is Intake, Assessment & Goals. I will take brief personal history to help make an initial assessment of your situation. These might include why you sought out therapy, your current situation and challenges and what you hope to get out of therapy. Then together we will arrive at some goals to address the current distress or needs. You will be able to ask any questions about the process of counselling. Your rights and expectations including confidentiality, risks and benefits of counselling will be explained to you.

How many sessions do I need?

This is a common question among those seeking therapy. The short answer is, it depends with your needs and situation. Counselling can take a brief-solution focused approach with just a few sessions (usually 6 – 10 sessions), or with complex ongoing issues much longer. All in all, factors like availability of finances, time and the type of issues you wish to focus on gives you the choice or autonomy to decide how many sessions and frequency. You and the counsellor will collaboratively develop a treatment plan so you have a clear picture what counselling will look like. You have a right to pause or terminate treatment at any time.

Do you have free parking?

Yes, there are a variety of parking options (paid and free) in and around the building.
Paid 1 – underground parkade
Paid 2 – street parking surrounding the budling
Free – 2 hour street parking (intersection of 97a & 137a – loop to the right)

Confidentiality

Your privacy will be respected. Your information, identity & dignity will be protected. Dignity Counselling will not share your information with anyone without your consent. There are a few exceptions like when you or someone is in danger or ordered to do so by the law/court order. However, these are very unusual situations and we try our best to be straight forward and clear about this so its no surprise if it were to happen

Risks & Benefits

Counselling has tremendous benefits like having a qualified, warm, non-judgemental person listen, comfort and walk alongside you, helping you gain new perspective on issues, providing coping strategies, solutions and healing your distress etc. However, these processes can be uncomfortable, i.e., exploring painful feelings and experiences, requiring you to challenge some of your perspectives, make changes and transitions. The process can seem to disrupt your life in the moment but the benefits outweigh the temporary discomfort.

Payment and Insurance

Extended Benefits may be able to cover your counselling costs. However, you will need to pay for the session and receipt will be provided for reimbursement. Please check with your insurance if they cover Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)

Cancellation and Reschedule

48 hour notice is required for rescheduling or cancelling unless there is proof of a medical emergency. This gives us enough time to allocate the session to someone else who needs it. If you have to cancel in less than 48 hours, $80 cancellation fee will be charged. If you cancel in less than 24 hours, a full fee of $120 will be charged.

Counselling Approaches used

SFBT – Solution-Focused Brief Therapy– As the name suggests, this approach targets a single issue at a time with a focus of finding solution in the shortest time possible. Clients are encouraged to imagine the future they desire and then work to collaboratively develop a series of steps that will help them achieve those goals.

CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – usually involves learning to recognize one’s distortions in thinking that are creating stuckness, and then to re-evaluate them in light of reality. Gaining a better understanding of the behavior and motivation.

EFT – Emotionally Focused Therapy – This is an attachment-based approach typically for couples and families to help facilitate the creation of secure, lasting bonds between intimate partners and family members. The goal is to increase security, closeness, and connection in intimate relationships.

EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – is an effective treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During EMDR therapy sessions, you relive traumatic or triggering experiences in brief doses while the therapist directs your eye movements. Also effective with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, eating disorders and addictions

Gottman Couples Therapy – aims to improve verbal communication, increase intimacy, increase respect, increase affection, remove barriers to conflict resolution and create more empathy and compassion within relationships.

Mindfulness Based Approach – Incorporates aspects of breath work, skills at being present and helps with distraction brought about by anxiety, racing thoughts, and stress.

Existential Therapy – Addresses universal issues and ultimate questions about life – such as: What’s the point of this life?  What’s my purpose? How do I get meaning and satisfaction? Who am I? Why does life seem so unfair? These issues are at the core of our human condition: life meaning, experiences and expectations and affect our enjoyment of life or desire to go on.