Areas of practice
- Anger Management Issues
- Anxiety and/or Panic
- Child Behaviour
- COVID-19 Stress, Anxiety and Depression
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Family Issues
- Grief and Loss - General
- Marriage and/or Relationship Issues
- Perfectionism
- Personal Growth
- Self-Esteem Issues
- Stress Management
- Weight Loss
- Women's Issues
Approaches used
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Emotion Focused Therapy
- Emotionally Focused Therapy - Individuals
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy
- ONLINE / VIRTUAL / TELEHEALTH COUNSELLING
- Telephone Counselling
- Video Counselling
Counselling practice website:
www.counselmevancouver.comPractice information:
About Me
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with a Master's Degree (MA) in Counselling Psychology.
I grew up in Vancouver, BC where I earned a Bachelor's Degree with Honours in Psychology from the University of the Fraser Valley before relocating to Ontario to complete my Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology at Western University. Throughout my studies and after graduation, I’ve been refining my counselling skills with various work experiences and ongoing education to ensure that I am an expert in the field of therapy. Over the years, I gained experience working with children, adolescents, and adults across school and private settings as well as non-profit sectors. This has taught me about the nuances and specific struggles that people face who have different life experiences and challenges. It has also taught me how to approach helping from an informed frame of reference. I’m passionate about counselling therapy and applying my knowledge, skills, and experience to help clients achieve their goals and overcome their internal and external barriers so that they can gain freedom.
Now, I’m happy to be living back in Vancouver, where you might find me out in nature by the water or exploring the city for a new food spot.
My Clinical Approach to Counselling
When working with clients, I use a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach meaning that I work with clients to identify and build their strengths while being aware of any traumas they may have experienced or are currently experiencing. When these arise in our work, I utilize research proven counselling tools to help clients identify these and then work through them as needed.
I believe in providing a healing space for clients to grow and am able to achieve this with my calm, non-judgemental, accepting demeanor. While my specific approach in session depends on the client and their counselling needs, I primarily use techniques from the Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Systemic Therapy; all of which are proven to be effective in helping clients overcome their struggles.
I believe that each individual is capable of growth and change and am passionate about helping you reach your personal goals by teaching you effective tools and guiding you towards healing through collaboration, continued learning and professional support.
Counselling is a Smart Investment in Yourself
From time to time, we reward ourselves with a treat-a cup of coffee, a new electronic gadget, a massage, perhaps a new watch or clothing. However, we often forget the importance of our mental well-being. Consider rewarding your inner life and budgeting some of this money for counselling. There is no better, long-term investment than improving the quality of your life-your health, well-being, and relationships. Counselling can help alleviate problems before they take physical, mental, and financial tolls. Make your mental health a priority and improve your quality of life. Contact me to set up a free 15 minute consultation to see if counselling is a fit for you.
What About Cost?
Counsel Me Vancouver believes that pricing for counselling should be fair and reasonable. Most importantly, it should be affordable. Cost has been carefully considered through the comparison of other comparable service providers, professional level of the counselling being offered, and the desire to provide counselling to as many clients as possible. The fees are also in accordance with the recommended fee guidelines set forth by the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors.
For individual counselling, each session costs $180 per session. For couple's counselling, each session costs $225 per session. Most individual sessions generally run for 1 hour while couple's sessions run for 90 minutes. Check your health benefits as many plans cover some or all of this cost. I also am ICBC and CVAP approved if you have funding through these programs. If you have any questions regarding the fees, do not hesitate to contact me for more information.
The initial 15 minute phone session is free of charge. This call insures that I can assist your personal mental health concerns within my scope of practice and gives you the opportunity to ask any questions prior to scheduling an appointment. It also allows me to prepare for your first session so that you get the most out of your counselling experience. I also offer a free 30 minute consultation so that you can come in to the office, meet me, and get a general idea of the work that we'd be doing in session. It's important to find a counsellor that fits your needs and this consultation can help you decide if you want to work specifically with me.
*All canceled appointments require 24 hours notice.*
Which Insurance Companies Cover Counselling?
Although counselling fees are not covered under the BC Medical Services Plan, many health benefit plans do include counselling coverage that reimburse you for visits to a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). If your insurance is provided by one of the below companies, check with them to see how much your plan covers per calendar year. However, if your insurance company is not listed below, this does not mean that they won’t cover costs. Refer to your insurance company benefits package or Human Resources Department to find out what type of coverage you have.
The following plans are known to cover some or all of counselling provided by a RCC:
- Great West Life
- Pacific Blue Cross
- Sunlife Insurance
- Green Shield Insurance
- Employee Assistance Programs
- Publically funded services such as Non-Insured Health Benefits for Aboriginal people
- *Family Assistance Programs
- *Workers Compensation Board (WCB)
- *Victim’s Assistance Services (call 604-660-3888 or toll free in BC at 1-866-660-3888 to enrol with CVAP)
- * ICBC (if involved in a Motor Vehicle Accident causing anxiety and trauma)
*Depends on the client’s reasons for seeking counselling and requires proper approval from the company.
If your insurance company does cover counsellor from a RCC, simply provide the receipt Counsel Me Vancouver gives you to your insurance company and they will reimburse you.
If you find that RCC visits are not covered under your plan, you may want to contact your employer, Human Resources Department, or insurance company directly to request a small change to the plan’s coverage. This isn’t difficult, doesn’t cost the employer anything, and at the same time increases your employee benefits. Most employers like to increase the amount of benefits that their employees can access, especially when it does not cost the employer any additional fee. Often plans will cover visits to a Psychologist but not a qualified RCC who is less expensive. By adjusting the plan to include RCC’s, your counselling dollars will actually go further. Please use the link below to access a document with the information you will need to put into your own letter when making this request.
Specialized training:
- Gottman Couples Therapy Training
Client fee individuals:
180Client fee couples/families:
225Availability:
| MonMonday | TueTuesday | WedWednesday | ThuThursday | FriFriday | SatSaturday | SunSunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MorningAM | Available | Available | Available | Available | Available | ||
| AfternoonPM | Available | Available | Available | Available | Available | ||
| EveningLate | Available | Available | Available | Available |