Frequently Asked Questions
What's the deal with therapy? All your questions answered here.
Choosing a Counsellor
Selecting a counsellor can be quite the task. There are thousands of RCCs in BC, and each of us have our own approach and personality.
A free consultation call is a great way to to see if we are a good match.
Our initial consultation call will provide a free, exploratory space to learn more about who I am, and for you to ask questions. While this is not a therapy session and we can't get into true "counselling," it will give you a sense of how I work and whether it feels like a fit.
It's common to want to meet with a couple of different people for consultations and see what seems like a good match. I caution against meeting with more than 2 or 3 therapists, however, as you may start to feel overwhelmed with choice.
You are never committed to staying with your first pick, and your therapist (myself included) wants to know how things are feeling for you to give you the best possible experience.
You bet! I offer a free 20 minute phone consultation to get started. If you still have questions after this call, we can discuss how to go about getting you the information you're looking for. Please reach out if you'd like to schedule a consult.
I use an integrative approach to counselling that draws on CBT, sensorimotor psychotherapy, accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP), and internal family systems (IFS). I work through a feminist lens, and I hold a body neutral stance in my work and personal life.
I would compare the therapeutic process to trying on different pairs of glasses. If you were wearing a pair of glasses with blue lenses all the time, you might eventually feel like everything looking blue is normal. But you might try on a pair that has yellow lenses and notice that you like it better. You might also try some with a prescription lens and see that you have more clarity. You can always go back to the blue lenses if you want to, but when therapy is working, it feels like you've found a bunch of new options to see new perspectives.
Over time and through these new lenses, you'll experience greater awareness of how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are affecting your quality of life.
Our work may lead to some difficult memories, emotions, and feelings in the body and mind which we will explore slowly and with caution. Some of this might feel like it is really hard work – and it is! We will work to build your capacity for safety in these moments, and on the other side, you'll feel more resilient, calmer, and have an awareness of what you do and don't want your life to look like.
What to Expect
Counselling can be a rewarding experience, but for some people taking the first step is the hardest part. I'm here to help every step of the way.
Reaching out is an important but sometimes challenging first step. I will meet with you for a consultation and tell you more about what to expect during this call. Sometimes people like to move through the first few sessions intuitively, and sometimes more structure is helpful. Please feel free to share anything you'd like me to know during our first session, but there is no pressure to open up right away if it doesn't feel right.
Our first few sessions will focus on building safety and connection, as well as setting some mutually understood goals. I'll be interested to hear what you are experiencing, what has brought you to counselling, what you've tried already, and what your hopes are for our work together.
That's totally okay. Sometimes people know they want to feel different but have a hard time imagining what that might look like. If and when you are ready, I am here to walk beside you with empathy, curiosity, and compassion.
It varies for everyone but most people seem to feel some kind of difference in the first few months. This also will depend on your session cadence, i.e. weekly, biweekly, or less often. If you have a specific goal, it is important to be clear with your therapist about this and they can help you explore ways to measure improvement.
This is also a variable answer, because some people come to therapy to address a single concern and feel they can move forward with new supports afterwards. Some people, however, find that a lasting relationship is incredibly rewarding, and will see their therapist for many months or years, but at a lowered frequency.
There are many types of therapy, and many types of therapists. I'll be interested to hear what felt right and what felt wrong about your previous experience. Open and honest conversations are integral to the therapeutic relationship and to ensuring that you are feeling seen, heard, and effectively supported.
Counselling is a broad term, and in BC, therapists are often certified as Registered Clinical Counsellors. Counselling is also referred to as psychotherapy or just therapy.
Trauma therapy is focused, long-term counselling that helps people process the lasting impacts that trauma can have on the body, brain, and nervous system.
The symptoms of trauma are wide-ranging, and can affect every aspect of a person's life. There is no 'one' type of trauma to cause these symptoms, and they can sometimes be cumulative, and are often chronic and interpersonal in nature.
There are several forms of trauma therapy, and if you have an interest in a specific modality, I'd be happy to discuss this with you. In working with trauma, I typically use the principles of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and Internal Family Systems.
Logistics
Time, money, insurance, accessibility. If you don't see the answer here, please feel free to reach out for more info.
Your appointment time is reserved just for you. I require 24 hours notice for any cancellations or changes to your appointment. One late cancellation or no-show will be offered at no cost to the client. After this, clients who provide less than 24 hours notice, or miss their appointment, will be charged the full appointment fee to the card on file.
Yes, my prices will occasionally change but I will give you plenty of notice. I am always available to discuss pricing if these changes impact your access to care.
Yes. I work out of two different offices and both are equipped with elevators, universally accessible passageways, and space to accommodate all bodies. Our washrooms are also accessible, and all genders are welcome.
You will need to check with your benefits provider to see whether Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC) are eligible for coverage as each insurer is different. Unfortunately MSP does not cover counselling costs in BC.
I am able to direct bill some insurance providers. Please provide me with your insurance information and I will direct bill them if possible.
No. Counselling with individual clinicians does not require a referral. If our work together leads to a recommendation for a provincially-funded program (for example through Vancouver Coastal Health), your doctor will need to provide you a referral.
Not yet, but I am in the process of completing my application for some of these. Please reach out for information.
Me at Soames Hill Park, looking kinda sunburned. My counselling business is named after this place and the beach at the bottom of the hill here. Ask me and I'll tell you how to get there for a hike!
Cozy Q's About Me
My story is never the focus in our work together, but sometimes knowing a few thing about your counsellor can help figure out the right fit. If you have any other curiosities, please feel free to reach out for a chat.
Heck yes I do! I have two counsellors, actually. I find that different approaches help me to understand and process different things. I have been in therapy for about 8 years, but I don't always go on a regular basis. Self care is a big part of staying resilient in all lines of work, including when working in the mental health field/
I began volunteering at the Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre of BC during the pandemic. Making people feel seen and heard, filled my cup in those darkest of days. I felt useful, fulfilled, and more community-minded.
I chose to become a therapist because I often felt a longing to know how people were doing in the days and weeks after I'd spoken to them on the crisis lines.
I chose to be a therapist so that I could work in a space that matches my values and acts in ways that I see as socially just.
I like both dogs and cats, but LOVE senior pets. Puppies are great, but give me a lab or a tabby that is as old as time. That's the sweetest for me.
In my free time I volunteer as a walker and communications coordinator for ElderDog Canada, and find it incredibly fulfilling.
I love live events – music, stand-up comedy, improv – anything really. In the summer I enjoy a lake day with crosswords and floaties, and in the winter I like to go to the cinema to watch spooky flicks. I like to draw, although I'm not very good at it. I also love to stay active by doing things like spinning, weight training, yoga, and running (although injuries have made this a tragic choice for a hobby in my 40s!).
I have learned so much from the people I see.
I've learned that hard things can make us brace ourselves for more pain, and that relief often comes when we have capacity to soften.
I have learned that people can surprise themselves every day with self compassion.
I have learned that, with practice and patience, the body can become safer over time.
I have learned that mothers are the salt of the earth, and sometimes, also the deepest wound.
I have learned a million things.
But mostly, I have learned that every single human is carrying something heavier than anyone else can see.
