Many people come to therapy when life feels heavy, confusing, or just stuck. They are struggling to make sense of things on their own and feel that they need some support. Sometimes therapy is simply a space to understand yourself more deeply or find new ways to relate to others. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure who you are anymore, that’s often a sign that therapy could help you reconnect with your sense of self.

Finding a therapist that feels like the right fit for you is extremely important, which is why I offer a free 20-minute initial consultation. This is a chance for us to meet, get a sense of each other, and begin understanding what brings you to therapy. This will help you feel out if we are a good fit with no pressure. We’ll discuss what’s been difficult, what you hope for, and what helps you feel safe. You don’t have to know exactly what to say — we’ll figure it out together.

This really depends on you, your needs, and what you’d like to work on. Some people come for short-term support around a specific challenge and 1-3 sessions feels like enough. Deep diving into trauma can take longer. You are in the driver’s seat, and over the course of our work together, we will continually check in around pacing. Most people come more frequently to start (once a week or once every other week), and then move to scheduling sessions as needed.

I offer trauma-informed therapy grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and somatic approaches. These are what we call bottom-up modalities. Most of us are used to “intellectualizing”, or processing emotions and trauma through thinking. Bottom-up processing can be the missing piece for many people, especially those who have gone to therapy before and still experience symptoms. In our sessions, we’ll explore the different parts of you — including the ones that carry pain or protect you from it — with compassion and curiosity. We will also tune into what your body is communicating to you. Over time, this process helps people feel more whole, connected, confident, and at peace with themselves.

My current fee is $150 per session, in accordance with the BCACC’s recommended fee schedule. If you have extended health benefits through school or an employer, most cover some counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor (make sure you check your individual policy). You will receive a receipt after each session, which you can submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. Unfortunately, at this time, therapy isn’t covered under any provincial health plan in Canada. However, in BC, most health authorities do have programs that offer free short-term counselling support, such as Duncan Mental Health. Many areas also have non-profits who provide free or low-cost counselling services, such as South Island Counselling or Citizen’s Counselling in Victoria. Another great low-cost option is that many private practices have clinical interns, who are in the last stage of completing their Master’s degree and supervised by experienced clinicians. Intern fees usually are around $60 per session. Try googling low cost counselling in your area. If finances are a barrier for you and you are having trouble accessing support, please reach out to me and I will try to help you connect with low-cost resources.

Online therapy is held through a secure video platform that meets Canadian privacy standards (I use the Jane platform). You can join on a computer or phone, no app needed. Online is a great option for those who live outside the area, have mobility or health issues that make in person difficult, or simply who prefer to feel safe and cozy in their own space! Many people have shared with me that they were surprised to find that online therapy doesn’t feel much different than in person.

I know, this is extremely confusing! The terms counselling, therapy and psychotherapy are largely interchangeable. Counsellors or therapists go by slightly different names in different provinces. Let’s break down some of the common acronyms you might see when looking for a therapist in BC. In British Columbia, we have two main professional associations for Masters-level counsellors: the BCACC and the CCPA. They are more or less equivalent and result in either a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) or Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC) designation. Registration with a professional association is extremely important because it validates a practitioner’s education and credentials and ensures they are accountable to a code of ethics. Another acronym you might see is RSW, which stands for Registered Social Worker. These clinicians have either a Bachelor or Masters degree in Social Work. A psychologist is someone with a doctorate degree (PhD) in Psychology. They sometimes provide therapy, and can also provide diagnostic services (i.e. if you wanted to explore a diagnosis of ADHD, for example). A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with specialization in mental health. Only a psychiatrist or other medical doctor can prescribe medication.

This is an incredibly common experience. There are endless possibilities for what therapy can look like based on a therapist’s personality, communication style, and preferred therapeutic approaches or modalities. I encourage you to read therapist bios, book multiple consults if possible, ask questions, and trust your gut — therapy works best when you feel seen and safe with your therapist. It can also be helpful to research a little bit about the therapeutic approaches a clinician uses (i.e. CBT, DBT, ACT, IFS, EMDR, CPT, just to name a few). These approaches are remarkably different and drastically change what therapy looks like.