Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What problems do you work with?

A: I help women to find long-term solutions to any of the following:

• depression
• anxiety
• grief/loss
• food/body image problems
• low self-esteem
• infertility
• peri-menopause or menopause
• addictions to alcohol and/or drugs
• relationship issues
• finding your purpose in life
• family problems

Q: Do I need a referral from my family doctor to see you?

A: No. Just call me or e-mail me directly and we can go from there.

Q: Will my extended health benefits cover your services?

A: I encourage all of my clients to call their insurance companies to find out whether they have coverage for psychotherapy services. Most plans do cover some form of psychotherapy.

I am finding that Registered Clinical Counsellors are being covered by a number of extended health plans in B.C. Even if they tell you that they do not cover RCC’s, they will usually offer this if the RCC contacts them directly which I am more than happy to do on your behalf.

Q: How much does a session cost?

A: I charge the standard rate for my profession: a one-hour session is $90+GST.

Q: How many times will I have to see you?

A: For this I have no set answer because everyone is unique and I leave it up to you to decide how long you need to see me. I would typically begin by seeing you on a weekly basis, and then we can change to bi-weekly appointments or whatever else works for you or fits your budget.

Oftentimes, clients will see me for a few months and then decide to take a break and then when they feel the need, they will come for “tune up” sessions. I am very flexible with people’s internal sense of “timing” and keep the door open for clients who I have seen in the past.

Life is not easy at the best of times and life transitions (like a birth, a death, a new job, ending of a relationship, family crises, retirement, etc.) can be especially taxing. A lot of people find it helpful to have a therapist there for support and guidance when they feel “derailed” by life events.

Q: How long does it take to get an appointment with you?

A: It depends on how full my schedule is. Usually, there is not a waiting list and I can see you within a week of our initial phone contact.

Q: How do I get a sense of who you are and if you’re the right therapist for me?

A: For starters, I suggest that you read the following pages on this website: About Me, How I Work, and Choosing a Therapist. From this, you will get a very good overview of who I am and how I work with clients.

Secondly, I offer a FREE 15-minute phone consultation to potential clients during which you can ask me questions about how I practise and I can get to know your particular situation better. I find that during this call, people can get a pretty good sense of me and they can determine whether we “click” or not.

Also, if I don’t feel that I am the best therapist for you or you would like to interview a few therapists before making a decision, I am well-connected to a number of helpful resources and would happy to put you in touch with someone who I think would be better suited to you and your issue.

Q: What can I expect from being in therapy with you?

A: A very good question and one for which there is no set answer. In my experience, you get as much out of the experience as you’re willing to put into it. I’ll be perfectly honest: therapy is hard work and can stir up a lot of emotions and memories that we have tried to ‘stuff down’.

It can often be a painful, scary, and messy endeavor- it takes a lot of courage and faith to let go of self-destructive behaviors and beliefs and to roll up your sleeves and endeavor in a healing/self-discovery process.

However, the rewards far outweigh the costs. I believe that there is nothing more valuable than being self-aware and in a position to freely make life-enhancing choices that come from one’s true self: that inner voice that tends to be extremely quiet, but the one that knows what is best for us.

While you will learn to be a “solid self” (the authentic you who has been waiting backstage to shine all of these years) and to be the person you’ve always dreamed of being; you will also feel much more satisfaction in all of the relationships in your life.

I see the work as being about becoming the best that you can be, while also staying meaningfully connected to the people and the world around you.

I also believe that we can only love another fully when we first love ourselves and that is at the core of the work that I do. Check out the Groups/Workshops page to find out more about my juicy workshops and groups designed to help women to love and honour ourselves exactly as we are…

To book a session or to set up a FREE 15-minute phone consultation, call me at 250.338.1800 or email me. Evening appointments available.