How do you find a counsellor?

So you have made the decision that you want to get some professional help to help you reach the goals that you have for yourself, and your mental and emotional health.  If you are like many people that contact us, you want to know where to start in finding the right therapist for you! 

So as you grab your phone and start a Google search, what is it that you want to be looking for?

What kind of training do they have?

One thing that you need to be aware of, is that not all people who call themselves counsellors in BC have had formal education or training in counselling and psychotherapy.  The types of counsellors that are typically covered by extended health care benefits are Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC), Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC), Masters of Social Workers (MSW), and Doctors of Psychology (PhD).  While there isn’t a formal organization to regulate counselling in BC, each of these designations have at least a Masters-level of training and belong to an association that holds their practitioners responsible if something should go wrong.  Social Workers and Psychologists do each have a College which is appealing to a lot of extended health care benefits plans when they are considering who they will cover. 

If you are wanting to use extended health care benefits to pay for your counselling, it is important to check your coverage before booking an appointment with a therapist.

Where do you find counsellors?

Ask your friends!  Get some feedback on whether they’ve seen a counsellor, and what they liked or didn’t like about them. 

Do a Google search for counsellors in your area, and then take a look at their websites to see if they sound/look like someone you would like to open up to.

You can also search these websites from the associations noted above:

1.  BCACC – Registered Clinical Counsellors at www.bc-counsellors.org.

2.  CCPA – Canadian Certified Counsellors at www.ccpa-accp.ca/find-a-canadian-certified-counsellor

3.  British Columbia Psychologists at www.psychologists.bc.ca/content/find-help

4.  BC Registered Social Workers at www.findasocialworker.ca/BC

3.  Psychology Today – Counsellors in BC will list their services here.  Please note that there is no education/training requirement for listing with this organization.  Read the profiles carefully at www.psychologytoday.com

How much does counselling cost?

The best place to start is to determine what kinds of cost you can expect from counselling.  The fees for therapy in the Lower Mainland vary from $30-$200.  Again, it is important to do your research.  Look for the qualifications of the therapist that you are considering.  If they are associated with organizations like BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association, College of Psychologists, or the BC College of Social Workers.

If you have extended health care benefits, it will be important to check the following:

1.  What type of counselling professional is covered?

2.  What is your yearly maximum?  This can be listed in amounts such as $500 per year, or number of sessions that will be covered.

3.  How do you submit costs, and what information needs to be on the invoice/receipt?

Once you have this information and begin the process of finding a counsellor, be sure to provide the parameters you are working with in your first session.  It can be difficult to being to open up and explore a painful issue over a few sessions, only to have to end counselling abruptly because your benefit plan won’t cover these expenses.

If your plan only covers psychologists, and the maximum is $500 per year, pay close attention to how much that psychologist charges.  What happens if you really like that person, but they charge $175 per session?  You’ll be in about three sessions before you have to start paying out of pocket.  Are you able to afford that?  Or would it be better to find a counsellor or social worker who charges $120 per session and you’re able to work with them for a longer period of time? 

Are you a good fit for me?

Once you have determined what is covered by your extended health care benefits, the next step is to find a counsellor that is a good fit for you.  It may be helpful to know that a lot of counsellors will offer a free phone call, or a reduced rate for the first session. 

We always recommend that you take advantage of this. 

Here are some questions to ask:

-       How do you work with the issue I’m dealing with? 

-       What are your specialty areas?

-       What happens if I have to cancel a session last minute?

-       What is your background?

-       Do you provide me with homework? 

Here are some things to listen for:

-       Do they speak in a way that makes you feel comfortable?

-       Do you like their voice?

-       Do they use language that you understand?

-       Do they “get” you or are you having difficulties explaining yourself?

If you find a counsellor that sounds good in their description, but they do not have any time available in the timeframe you are hoping for, ask them for a referral.  Quite often counsellors will refer to someone that works similarly to them.

We hope that this information helps you as you begin your search for the right counsellor for you. 

At Panorama Wellness Group, our counsellors are all either Registered Clinical Counsellors, Canadian Certified Counsellors or Registered Social Workers.  We would be honoured to be the counsellors that you choose to work with you to achieve the goals that you have for your moving forward.  You can reach us at 778-726-0550 if you have any further questions.

Lisa Catallo is the Owner and Director at Panorama Wellness Group. She, and the team here, all feel strongly that helping you find the best counsellor for your personality and needs is so important that if we don’t have a good match within our team, we will do our best to find another qualified therapist who is.