How is a Social Worker different from a Counsellor?

Registered Social Workers (RSWs) are one of the largest providers of mental health services in North America. With university degrees primarily at the Masters or Doctorate level, they are skilled clinicians who provide counselling and therapy for a wide range of personal, family and work-related problems. Because Canada Revenue Agency recognizes Social Work as a health profession, the clinical counselling services of Registered Social Workers are HST exempt. In addition to RSWs, only Psychiatrists and Registered Psychologists qualify for this exemption. Social Work is a is legislated profession governed by a regulatory body, the BC College of Social Workers and all RSWs must adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

(http://www.bcasw.org/utility/registered-social-workers-in-private-practice/)

What can I expect?

I work from a client centered approach, which means I meet you where you are at and you can expect to feel accepted and respected. This does not mean all of our conversations will feel comfortable but they should feel safe. We will collaborate together to clearly identify the greatest challenges and work towards resolutions.

Are your sessions covered by insurance?

Payments for service are collected at the time of your appointment. Once payment is received, a receipt will be issued to you to submit to your insurance provider. It is important that you check with your insurance provider prior to your appointment to ensure services provided by Registered Social Workers are cover.

What is your cancellation policy?

If you need to reschedule or make a cancellation, 24 hour notice is required or the session will be charged in full. However, life can be unpredictable and emergencies pop up unexpectedly. That’s understandable. In the event an emergency prevented you from providing a 24 hour notice, please reach out to me.

Do you offer a sliding scale?

Therapy is not for the faint of heart and requires significant courage. I do not want finances to be a barrier to your self discovery. I offer a limited number of sliding scale spots. At this time these spots are filled and I have a wait list. If you would like to be put on the wait list, you can sign up by contacting me below.

I haven’t seen you in a while and want to book an appointment. Do I need to book another consultation?

I would be more than happy to resume our work together. If six months has passed since our last appointment, I will mark your file as inactive and offer your spot to a new client. You can expect that at the next appointment, we will revisit your current needs and discuss any pricing changes that have occurred since your last appointment.

How many sessions will I need?

Research shows that therapeutic change typically requires medium to long term participation to see sustainable change. In addition, our needs vary throughout our lifetime. Due to the nature of my training, I do not provide brief counselling services (5-6 sessions). Therapy is a journey that requires investment and commitment so please consider your time and financial limits. I work with some clients for as short as four months and as long as several years.

What is Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)?

EMDR is a therapy modality where the client is supported to briefly focus on a memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements). This is based on the research of Shapiro (1987) and focusses on how past painful experiences continue to cause distress because the memory was not adequately processed. When these memories are triggered consciously or subconsciously, it causes distress and behaviours we may not otherwise choose. EMDR therapy is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the memory and therefore encourages different engagement in our lives.

How often should I book appointments?

As we begin our work together, it will take some time to build up to and create therapeutic change. Most clients begin their work with me on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and then taper off as they find resolution and develop tools to manage the challenges experienced. We will discuss this in our work together.