People of marginalized identities include but are not limited to: women, BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+, people with a disability, people with a mental health diagnosis, people with lower-income, immigrants and refugees, plus-sized people, and people in the sex work industry. If you have a lower-income and do not have access to extended health benefits, please inquire about my sliding scale rate.

Although my passion is working with marginalized identities, as this has been my lived experience, I do welcome work with those who do not identify as marginalized if they are committed to being an ally to those who are.

If you think you can benefit from healing, validation, growth, change, empowerment, clarity, or an alternate perspective, then counselling may help you move forward in your life. You do not need to be struggling or in crisis to benefit from counselling.

I usually focus on gathering background information about you and your situation in the first appointment (and this may extend into the second appointment). Towards the end, if appropriate and you are open to it, I may provide resources for you to review and/or work on before the next appointment.

You will be asked to complete an intake and consent form prior to the first appointment. You do not need to prepare anything else, but some people do come prepared with specific information they would like to share with me.

This is totally dependent on what will work for you and your unique situation. In the beginning of our therapeutic relationship, I normally suggest weekly or bi-weekly sessions to build momentum in our work together. Then over time, appointments can be spaced further apart. However, this is just a general recommendation, and sometimes people may prefer more intensive support for a longer period of time. The vast majority of people I work with meet with me every 2-3 weeks.

Ultimately, you decide how many appointments you need, and this is also dependent on your unique situation. Some people feel they no longer need support after a period of time. Others may reach out in the future for follow-up. Others may have ongoing sessions with me on a longer-term basis. Depending on the situation, people can start to make some positive gains after a handful of sessions.

I usually begin with a recap of what we covered during the last appointment and discuss any resources/tools that may have been provided to you to review.

I also believe that the power of therapy is relational. There is so much transformation that can happen when we feel safe in the presence of another person who genuinely cares. This can help ease our nervous systems and other defenses, so we can connect and share what truly matters.

Ultimately, you decide what makes sense for a final appointment, sometimes with input from me. Preferably, this is based on how you feel about your progress towards your counselling goals. However, this is sometimes determined by other factors like limits to extended health coverage.

During the final appointment, we review your progress and discuss how to continue moving forward on your own. Receiving feedback from you about our work together is also helpful.

Counselling therapists are not regulated in British Columbia. Therefore,anyone regardless of their education, training, or experience can refer to themselves as a “counsellor” or “therapist”. Many are members of professional associations, but membership is voluntary and there are many associations to choose from. Such associations vary greatly in terms of the education and training they require from their members. They also typically do not require ongoing professional development.

Social workers, in contrast, are regulated professionals under the BC College of Social Workers in accordance with provincial legislation. In order to practice social work and refer to themselves as registered social workers, they must meet specific requirements. This includes completing a social work degree from an accredited institution, passing a licensure exam from the Association of Social Work Boards, and engaging in ongoing professional development.

Many social workers are experienced in providing counselling and therapy, but this is not an “entry-to-practice” competency. Therefore, if you are looking for a social worker to provide counselling and therapy, you should look for one who has experience in the field.

Clinical social work services are exempt from GST and can be claimed as a medical expense for income tax purposes.

Note 1: Currently, there are some exemptions to social work regulation in BC, including for those who work for the Ministry of Child and Family Development (child protection).

Note 2: Psychotherapists are not regulated in BC, but they are regulated in Ontario. Their services are not exempt from GST, but they can be claimed as a medical expense for income tax purposes.

Note 3: The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers does not currently require licensure exams, but this is expected become a requirement by 2027.

Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) is the most advanced and specialized professional designation from the BC College of Social Workers. The RCSW designation recognizes advanced practice skills in mental health and clinical social work. The designation requires completion of a Master of Social Work degree (or PhD in social work), extensive coursework, 3000 hours of post-graduate supervised clinical experience, and passing a clinical licensure exam from the Association of Social Work Boards.

Registered Clinical Social Workers are allowed to assess, diagnose and treat mental disorders based on the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Please note that I typically do not offer formal diagnoses to people in an attempt to decolonize my practice and in response to the over-pathologizing of the human experience in the mental health field. However, I may make exceptions for specific circumstances.

In contrast, Registered Social Worker (RSW) is the minimum professional designation required to practice social work from the BC College of Social Workers. Registered Social Workers have completed either a Bachelor or Master of Social Work degree and are required to pass a bachelor or master level licensure exam. The vast majority of social workers in BC are Registered Social Workers.

Note 1: Currently, there are some exemptions to social work regulation in BC, including for those who work for the Ministry of Child and Family Development (child protection).

Note 2: The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers does not currently offer a clinical social work designation. They also do not currently require licensure exams, but this is expected become a requirement by 2027.

Whether you need a psychologist or a psychiatrist depends on your goals for seeking mental health care.

Psychologists are regulated professionals under the College of Psychologists of BC (or the College of Psychologists of Ontario). They typically have a PhD in psychology. Like Registered Clinical Social Workers, they must pass a licensure exam and can assess, diagnose, and treat mental disorders based on the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). However, the suggested fee for an hour individual session with a private psychologist in BC is $225. Like Registered Clinical Social Workers, they cannot prescribe medication.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MD) who specialize in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders based on the DSM. Although some psychiatrists incorporate counselling/therapy into their work, most are focused on prescribing medication as the primary treatment. Psychiatrists typically require a referral (from a doctor, nurse practitioner, mental health program), and their waitlists are usually long. Their services are covered by public health insurance.

Counselling is not covered by public health insurance (MSP or OHIP) unfortunately, but many extended health benefits plans will offer coverage. Each plan is different, so I encourage you to check if “social work” services are covered.

If you are a post-secondary student, you can check your coverage at https://www.studentcare.ca/