Frequently Asked Questions

First sessions are known as intake sessions. These sessions are casual, comfortable, and approximately 60 minutes long and cover the initial paperwork including covering informed consent, privacy, practice policies. The first session helps give us some important background pieces about who you are. The second half of intake session is more of a fluid conversation identifying and setting goals so the counselling process can begin.

The answer is that it really depends on a few things. What are your goals? What is going on in your life right now? What has happened in the past that is affecting your life right now? A lot of things that can affect the answer to this question.

Counselling can last anywhere from a couple of months to several years. People are often looking for different things from counselling. So, it will depend on your objective.

A few things we can give you a more solid answer on. Attending counselling consistently will help. We usually recommend weekly sessions because it allows for continuity from session to session to the next, while gaining momentum

There are a few ways that you may go about doing that. One way is the “you’ll know when you know” method. It’s helpful to feel like you connect with someone if they’re going to be your counsellor.

You may want to research a little and see if anyone specializes in the problems that are bringing you to therapy. That can be valuable. You can even have consultations to see how you feel about a fit by phone. We provide a 30 minute free consultation for people interested in counselling.

In the end, it’s really is your decision and it’s one that you are definitely able to make! If nothing else, you deserve to decide on your counsellor.

At this time we do not see children. We would be happy to share some referrals with you for other therapists that we know and trust, if that would be helpful.

At this time, we are seeing clients for in person sessions however we are also able to support you with phone or virtual sessions on a platform of your choice if you are not comfortable with meeting for in person sessions.

Social Workers and Psychologist are both regulated health professions. In Alberta, Registered Social Workers belong to the Alberta College of Social Work and Registered Psychologist belong to the College of Alberta Psychologists.

Both professions are required to participate in ongoing training designed to equip and support clients with the necessary tools that enables individuals to empower their lives through one’s own self determination. Each profession, as well as individual practitioner will approach their client work differently while adhering to their registering bodies ‘Code of Ethics’. When the professional’s code of ethic’s is not adhered too, disciplinary action or suspension can be implemented.

Both a Registered Clinical Social Worker and a Registered Psychologist can conduct mental status examinations and diagnose mental health disorders however neither a Registered Clinical Social Worker and a Registered Psychologist can write a prescription. This must be done by a medical doctor or psychiatrist. 

Both professions are regulated differently in each province. For example, Alberta is the only province in Canada where individuals can be registered as a psychologist without a PhD.

We all face challenges. At any given time, we may feel as if these challenges require more support than others. Sometimes we may also put off facing these challenges for hope that they will resolve themselves.

If you find yourself evaluating how these challenges are affecting your life and how well you are coping, you may find benefit to coming into therapy as an opportunity to gain support in a supportive non-judgmental environment.

Each extended health care plan is different depending on your insurance plan provider. If you have an insurance plan with your employer, we always encourage you to call your provider and confirm if your plan will cover full or partial coverage for psychological services. Furthermore, you may have the opportunity to find out if you can have extended psychological benefits.

We recommend when you call your insurance plan provider to find out:

1. How much does the insurance plan provider cover per session
2. The value of your yearly coverage
3. When you year end coverage begins and ends.
4. What professional designation is approved to provide psychological services (i.e., Masters of Social Work and/or Registered Psychologist.

Medication is a personal decision. What you choose to put in your body is your choice. Medication is a decision we would encourage you to explore and make the choice that is the right approach in your health care. You are the expert of your life.

Our stance is that while medication is a personal decision, medication and therapy can be a wrap around support that treats both the symptoms of illness and the thoughts, feelings, behaviours and emotions of an underlying illness. Depending on the issue, discussing medication with your treatment team can be a collaborative option that can help you gain greater treatment outcome.