COUNSELLING RATES

The regular rates at Mind Ahead Counselling for a Canadian Certified Counsellor affiliated with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association are as follows:

• $140 + GST for 50 minute sessions

• $210 + GST for 75 minute sessions

Mind Ahead Counselling does accept clients on a sliding fee scale. Please ask about this when you are booking your session, and we will discuss the details and availability.

***If you have health benefits, please check with your provider to ensure that your sessions will be covered as we do not direct bill***

The list of benefits and risks of counselling outlined below are not exhaustive, but will give you an informed idea about whether or not therapy is right for you. It is much more likely that therapy will be beneficial, but it does bring about a certain amount of risk that should be considered. Clients are strongly encouraged to discuss any concerns, doubts, or fears about their progress in therapy, including any benefits or risks that are not listed but may be associated with their situation.

NICOLE ALEXANDER, MEd, CCC

My Background

My passion for helping others began at a young age and has taken me down a deep path of self-exploration through inner child work and Hakomi therapy. By doing my own work in therapy, I learned to have more compassion for myself and others, to broaden my life perspective, and to question my relational patterns. I ultimately found more freedom in my life and the choices I made, and grew both as a person and a therapist. 

I spent much of my young adulthood travelling the world through Asia, Europe, South America, Australia, and Africa. This extensive travel humbled me and really showed me how other people live, love, and struggle. It also showed me how resilient people are and how they can overcome even the greatest adversities. My passion for helping others solidified as a result and increased my faith in our own inner healing.

My formal training includes a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology from St. Mary’s University, and a MEd in counselling psychology from the University of Lethbridge. I have worked in a hospital setting providing counselling to adolescents in crisis, and have helped them and their families find the strength and support to re-enter their communities. A lot of my recent work has been in psychedelic integration, which has included my own personal journey in this realm. I have also completed trainings in Compassionate Inquiry, self-esteem, male and female sexuality, and sex positivity.

MEET GOOSE

Goose is a friendly, snuggly, and happy Goldendoodle that sometimes attends in-office and outdoor sessions. You might also spy him in the background of a zoom session. Goose brings a calm energy to the therapy room, as well as a wagging tail and the occasional dog lick. His favourite treats are apples, peanut butter, and carrots, and he loves running along Dallas Road with all of his pupper friends. He also rates napping as 10/10.

BENEFITS OF COUNSELLING

• Improvement in general mood

• Increased self-esteem, confidence, and relationship satisfaction

• Gaining coping skills to manage stress more effectively

• Set and achieve realistic goals

• Get help to express feelings and manage strong emotional reactions

• Greater ability to communicate needs, feelings, and thoughts more openly to others

• Less engagement in unhealthy or destructive behaviours and replacing them with healthy behaviours

• Coming to terms with past experiences

• Increased ability to set boundaries

• More self-acceptance and decreased levels of anxiety and depression

RISKS OF COUNSELLING

• Lack of progress towards therapy goals

• Relationships with other people in your life may be impacted

• Uncomfortable or painful feelings may get worse at the beginning of therapy (this is usually temporary)

• Counselling may bring up painful memories causing you to feel guilt, sadness, anxiety, anger or frustration

• Feelings of vulnerability when sharing sensitive information

• Financial cost of therapy

• Feelings of distress when therapy ends

• Gaining insights about yourself that are difficult to accept and work through

• Experiencing your own comfort or resistance when being challenged by your therapist

PSYCHEDELIC INTEGRATION

Disclaimer: Mind Ahead Counselling does not provide psychedelic substances nor do we offer information on where to access controlled substances. The only legal way to access controlled substances is through an approved research study. If you wish to participate in a clinical trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov. Psychedelic Integration therapy is not about encouraging the consumption of psychedelics, it is about post-consumption management and harm reduction. 

For individuals who are planning to participate in a psychedelic journey, or who have already explored psychedelic journeying and are looking to integrate their insights with the help of a counsellor, psychedelic integration is offered by Mind Ahead Counselling.

Psychedelic integration aims to help bolster healing and change, and to make sense of the symbolism and insights that arise during a psychedelic journey. As a psychedelic integration therapist, I provide a non-judgmental and compassionate professional relationship that will challenge you and allow you to objectively see your own truth. My approach is gentle and emotion-focused, and works from a trauma informed and attachment-oriented perspective. This means that we may explore family dynamics and the significant experiences that make up your past in order to heal painful patterns. I will utilize a range of coping skills and techniques to support you in healing that will allow you to express yourself more freely, and to know yourself on a deeper level.