+ How do I book a session with you?
For new clients: Visit the Contact page to email me and set up a free 20-minute phone consultation to see if I’m a good counselling fit for you.
For returning clients: Visit the secure online booking platform, Jane APP, to see my openings and book a session.
+ What is your COVID-19 protocol?
*This protocol is subject to change. I invite patience and compassion as we together navigate the COVID-19 pandemic as safely as possible.
- At the beginning of the session, we can discuss your preference of wearing masks for in-person sessions.
- Please refrain from coming in person if feeling unwell/displaying symptoms of COVID-19 (or been in contact with someone who has), or have tested positive for COVID-19.
- Please sanitize your hands upon entry into the waiting area.
- The main room is arranged so we can maintain physical distancing of 6 feet.
- All surface areas and items touched (pens, door knobs, stones, etc.) will be sanitized before and after your session.
- If you have any concerns or questions about this protocol, please don't hesitate to approach me.
Please note that virtual sessions are always available.
+ What are your fees and how can I pay?
- 60 minute sessions = $150
- 90 minute extended sessions = $225
- 3 hour EMDR Intensive sessions = $450
I accept etransfer and credit card (through Jane APP). Rates are subject to change and I will aim to provide ample notice should this occur.
+ I have extended health benefits, am I covered with you?
If you have extended health benefits, check with your insurance provider or employer to determine if you are covered for services provided by a Registered Clinical Counsellor. My registration number with BCACC is #17623. Please share with me the number of sessions/hours that you are covered and how many you have remaining.
+ Do you do direct billing?
At this time, I do not offer direct billing.
+ What is your cancellation policy?
Please aim to provide at least 24-hours notice to cancel or reschedule appointments. Cancellations made prior to this window are without penalty. Cancellations made without 24-hours notice but prior to the start of the session incur a late-cancellation fee at 50% of the session fee. No-shows or cancellations made after the start of the session incur the full fee. Of course, life happens, and unexpected emergencies can arise - please let me know as soon as you can should this occur.
+ What does confidentiality in therapy mean?
Confidentiality and privacy means that everything you share with me is held in the strictest of confidence. I respect your privacy and will not share information about you or your family unless it falls within the limitations of confidentiality:
- If there is reason to believe that clients may cause harm to themselves or others, I must inform the appropriate people that can protect that person.
- If there is reason to suspect that a child, elderly person, or person with a disability is at risk of harm, I must report this to either the Ministry of Children and Family Development or the appropriate law enforcement. Protection concerns may involve maltreatment, including neglect or emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.
- When a court ordered subpoena requests my appearance in a Court of Law, a client’s file, or if investigative records are required by the law.
Information about you may be discussed in confidence, without revealing your identity, with other counselling professionals for the purpose of consultation and providing you the best service possible.
+ What setup do I need to do a virtual session?
In order for us to work together virtually, you need access to:
- a private and quiet space with a door that can close/lock
- a secure and stable internet connection
- a device that supports audio and video (Jane App is compatible with Chrome)
- working headphones, if needed
*phone sessions are possible, however it is ideal if we are able to also see each other.
+ Why have longer session options?
Extended sessions (90 minutes) are offered in addition to regular sessions (60 minutes) for EMDR processing and to those who wish to have more time. EMDR Intensive sessions (3 hours) are offered for those who wish to process multiple targets in one session period.
+ What is art therapy?
Art therapy is a combination of the creative process and psychotherapy. The art can be thought of as an additional language in sessions, encouraging self-exploration, insight, and regulation. By using imagery, colour, texture, and shape as part of this process, thoughts and emotions can be expressed that might otherwise be difficult to articulate. Visit CATA to learn more.
Art therapy can be for anyone and any age. Certification requires extensive graduate training and 700+ hours of supervised practicum experience. The field is deeply researched and has yielded promising results again and again, especially for trauma recovery.
Please know that in my therapeutic approach, I will offer art therapy when appropriate as an integrative process; rarely do I provide sessions that are solely art therapy.
+ What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a highly effective and structured psychotherapy treatment that aims to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. The EMDR approach theorizes that past emotionally-charged experiences overly influence one's present emotions, sensations, and thoughts about themselves. It uses bilateral stimulation, such as tapping or eye movements, as a way to help digest these memories and, in turn, facilitate our body’s adaptive healing processes. After successful treatment with a trained EMDR therapist, negative beliefs are reframed, physical symptoms are reduced, and emotional/psychological distress is significantly lessened. Visit EMDR to learn more.
+ How does EMDR therapy work?
Though there has been extensive research on the EMDR process, there are still different theories on how it works and why it is effective. One theory is that the processing centres of the brain are activated during eye movements, similar to what occurs during REM sleep. Another is that it is akin to prolonged exposure therapy (a gold standard behavioural treatment for PTSD) as EMDR requires the recalling of distressing memories repetitively for brief moments of time. This process of experiencing small amounts of distress intermittently is also referred to as 'titration' and is a necessary element for safe trauma processing.
+ How do I begin EMDR therapy?
To do EMDR processing, we must first do some preparation together. These preparation phases involve history taking, resource building, assessment of distress tolerance, identifying events that the client wishes to target, and building therapeutic rapport. This can take roughly 5-10+ sessions, however, it is different for each client.
+ What does EMDR processing look like?
When we are ready to process events/targets, you will be asked a set of questions to assess and activate the negative experience and the desired outcome. We will then do a set of bilateral stimulation (eye movements or tapping) and you will be encouraged to allow your brain to free associate and work through the material. We will then pause briefly and I will ask you what you noticed/what came up. We will continue alternating between bilateral stimulation and brief reports until the past experience has been desensitized and 'updated' to an adaptive present perspective. Depending on the complexity of targets, it may take multiple sessions to fully process.
+ In EMDR, is it necessary to tell the counsellor all the details about the events in order to fully process them?
Not at all. As long as the events are activated in your system, you do not need to reshare all the details in order for them to be fully processed. During EMDR processing, we will do a set of bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping) while you think of an event and then briefly check in about what you noticed during each set. You can choose what you wish to share each time.
+ What is important for me to know about EMDR?
- EMDR works. There have been over 40 peer-reviewed studies which have showed a positive outcome. Some studies showed 84-90% of single-event trauma survivors no longer had PTSD symptoms after three 90-minute EMDR sessions. Another study showed 100% success rate for single-event trauma survivors. Another study showed success with 77% of multiple trauma survivors after six 50-minute sessions.
- EMDR processing requires 90-minute sessions. The preparation sessions can be 60-minutes.
- During processing a lot of emotions, thoughts, and sensations will be stirred up. It will, however, begin to shift within the same session until the material is desensitized and more fully processed.
- Immediately following a session of processing, clients often feel tired and bit a raw. Please be gentle with yourself and take care afterwards.
+ How long do I need to do counselling for?
This depends on (1) the reason for which you are seeking counselling, and (2) what you put into your therapeutic journey. You get to set the pace and frequency of our sessions together - this often looks like once a week for a few months. You may wish to eventually taper our sessions from weekly to biweekly to monthly or come for a ‘booster’ session here and there. Counselling services usually wrap up when your therapeutic goals have been met and you feel ready. You also have the right to discontinue services if you are dissatisfied or are unhelpful for you, and I can refer you to other professionals if you wish for a different approach.