COUNSELLING IN CALGARY

Answering this question fully would require a discussion that goes beyond the scope of a FAQ list. However, we do know that the client’s motivation and engagement in the therapy process and the relationship between the therapist and client (characterized by trust, respect, and goodness of fit) are some of the most important factors.

It is also important that the way the therapist makes sense of the client’s symptoms also makes sense to the client, which relates to the goodness of fit between client and therapist.

Bottom line: You need to feel comfortable with your therapist and have confidence in your therapist’s competence. And you need to be ready to do the difficult work that counselling asks you to do.

This depends on several factors. One is whether you are coming to address an acute problem, such as a parenting concern, or, a more long-standing issue, such as a history of abuse. The more entrenched a problem has become, the longer it has been an issue, and the bigger the impact on various areas of your life, the longer you will typically need in order to address it.

Another factor to consider is how much work you are willing to do between sessions. If you want to keep the work inside the therapy room, you will likely require more sessions.

Finally, it will depend on whether you are looking simply to learn coping strategies or if want to do more in-depth work. Keep in mind that short-term therapy is considered to be 12 sessions or less while long-term therapy is considered to be more than 12 sessions. If you are limited in the amount of time you can or want to spend in therapy, please tell your therapist so that you can develop a realistic plan together.

This is a good question because the fit between therapist and client is crucial for a positive outcome in therapy. Therapy is both an art and a science, and there is no one correct way to ‘do’ it, which means that every therapist will be a bit different from the next.

In order to assist you in making the decision to begin working with us, we offer a free 15 minute phone consultation.  

Please note that this consultation is not a therapy session. Rather, it is an opportunity for you to ask questions and for us to acquaint you with our approach, training, schedule, etc. Book your consultation here.

Some questions to ask yourself are: How easy is it to talk to her/him/them? Do I feel judged or accepted? Do I feel heard? Do I feel like I can be honest with her/him/them? Does she/he/they seem competent to handle my concerns? 

Typically, sessions are 50 minutes and this works for most people. However, some clients may choose to do longer sessions if they find the extra time to be helpful and if we believe they can manage the extra time. More than 50 minutes will be too intense for some, so we maintain the right to restrict sessions to 50 minutes.

If you are being covered by insurance, keep in mind that your insurance company might mandate the maximum length of your therapy sessions.

Many people prefer to see us weekly, at least to start. This is helpful in terms of developing the therapeutic relationship and gaining momentum. Research suggests that people who attend counselling on a weekly basis have better outcomes. However, depending on the severity and depth of your concern, as well as your willingness to do work between sessions to maintain momentum, you can see us less frequently and still be successful.

We are also sensitive to the fact that many people desire to spread the funding they have available over a longer period of time. The only time we will specifically ask clients to commit to weekly sessions is when we believe weekly sessions are necessary to maintain the client’s safety and help to create stability.

Yes, with a few exceptions. These are outlined below:

• you are in imminent danger of harming yourself or someone else,
• a child, dependent adult or senior is at risk of abuse or neglect
• your file and/or your therapist has been subpoenaed by the court
• a workplace psychological injury is reported (we must report this to WCB)
• you are a minor; your guardian has the right to impose limits to your confidentiality
• you have given written permission to your therapist to release all or part of the information in your file

No, as Psychologists and Social Workers, we cannot prescribe medication and cannot give direct guidance on medication. However, we are trained to be familiar with psychiatric medications. This means that we may suggest seeing a doctor if we believe it might be helpful to have a conversation about medication or if we believe that you are possibly being impacted by medication side effects.

You have a right to be made aware of the potential risks and benefits of counselling. Potential risks include the emergence of unpleasant feelings that arise as a result of discussing difficult experiences, disruptions to relationships as changes are made, and lack of progress.

Potential benefits include reductions in distress, improved functioning, improved relationships, solutions to problems, improved mood, increased self-esteem, improved coping, and feelings of connection. The choice to pursue counselling involves consideration of whether the potential risks are worth the potential benefits.

We are unable to offer immediate or crisis services. In case of crisis or emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest urgent care centre. You may also find these resources helpful.