What is counselling like?
When you picture going to a counsellor what comes to mind? Laying on a couch? Crying uncontrollably the whole session? Maybe you picture it being hard work because of the things that you need help with or have been putting off for so long. So what is counselling actually like?
Each therapist has their own unique way of running their sessions, but at Panorama Wellness Group there are some key core elements in how the counselling process works.
CLINICAL COUNSELLORS
Did you know that in BC almost anyone can call themselves a counsellor? There is no regulating College to demand a certain level of education or training before we help you.
That’s why, at Panorama Wellness Group, each counsellor that works out of our office has at least a Masters’ degree and has a designation of Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), Social Worker (RSW) or Psychologist (PhD). We believe that if we are going to be digging into the difficult things that you have faced in your life, we should have at least a core level of higher education so you can trust that we know what we’re doing. We are also all committed for continuing education and training in our specific niches.
While there is no regulating College for counsellors, many extended healthcare benefits will provide coverage for the majority or all of the cost of our counselling services. This is because we have that higher level of education that is recognized by the healthcare benefits providers. Since each business negotiates its own contract with these insurance providers, if you are counting on those funds in order to cover the cost of your counselling, you will want to check your benefits before beginning therapy. While we don’t offer direct billing, you will be provided with an email receipt at the end of your session that can be submitted to your extended health care benefits provider for reimbursement.
FINDING THE RIGHT FIT
Research has shown that at least half of the recipe for success in counselling involves the fit that you have with your therapist. If you don’t agree with their approach, or like how they talk or don’t feel comfortable opening up, then you’re not likely to stick with the process and reach your goals.
That is why we are committed to helping you find the best fit for you and your unique mental health needs. That starts with the contact form on our website where you give our Intake Coordinator some information that helps them determine the best fit for you. We then provide a free 15-minute phone consultation for you to talk to the counsellor on the phone. This phone call provides you with the opportunity to ask questions about our approach, see if they have an approach that you agree with, and confirm that they have the skills needed to help you reach your goals for therapy. If you finish that phone call and don’t feel that this counsellor is the best fit for you, we will set up a call with someone else, or give you a solid referral for someone else in the area.
FIRST SESSION
Before the first session, you will be asked to complete an electronic intake form. This form gives your therapist a bit of background information on you, your life, and your goals for counselling. There is also an Informed Consent form that you will sign in the electronic paperwork provided through our records management system - Jane. This form provides you with information about confidentiality with your counsellor, what the risks and benefits of counselling are, and how much the session will cost.
If your session is in person, you will arrive at our office in Murrayville and be welcomed with a cup of coffee or a glass of water while you wait in our comfortable waiting room for your counsellor to come and get you.
Counselling is a process of working together with your therapist to understand why you think and feel the way you do right now and discover new ways of managing the way life is going, how you function and uncovering paths to healthier relationships with yourself and those around you.
Each therapist at Panorama Wellness Group has their own unique way of approaching therapy. That being said, counselling is primarily about helping you do the work to reach your goals as opposed to having someone tell you what they think you should be doing. We provide you with coping tools, new ways of thinking, and a better understanding of yourself.
When your session is done, you’ll be asked if you would like to book another session to continue the work together, and payment will be taken either by your counsellor or by our administrative staff in the reception area.
You may notice that you feel a little raw after your counselling sessions. You’ve worked hard and been vulnerable, so this is totally normal. You might want to plan ahead and take some time to care for yourself after your session. Some people grab their favourite coffee and go for a walk, others order out dinner that night, and some people go home and have a bath and go to bed, while others don’t need any of these things and feel just fine.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Your main responsibilities in counselling are to attend your scheduled session, speak as openly and honestly as you can, and be committed to doing the work with your therapist. We may suggest you try a new approach(es) to dealing with the issues you are facing and the personal goals you are wanting to achieve. Counselling can be a lot of poking around and searching before you find exactly what works best for you.
The counselling process requires an investment on your part which includes your time, money and energy. These are things that we believe has a very high return on investment and that, in time, you will see changes in how you operate within your life, work, and relationships.
YOUR COUNSELLORS RESPONSIBILITIES
Ultimately the goal of each counsellor at Panorama Wellness Group is that you leave feeling like you have grown, learned and benefited from the counselling experience in a way that provides you with a healthier view of and relationship with yourself.
We are committed to providing you with a safe, non-judgemental space to work through the issues that you are currently facing. In order to do this, we commit to getting supervision with a therapist who is able to ensure we are providing the best care possible for you. We are also responsible for keeping up our education so that we can provide a high quality of care for you.
If you have decided that counselling is something that you want to pursue, you can expect a high quality of care from the therapists at Panorama Wellness Group, and a comfortable and inviting process and environment either in-person or online for doing this work together. You can expect that things might feel like they get worse before they get better, but the hard work and staying committed is going to net you a high return on investment. And in the long run, you can expect to start making changes in your life so that you can live more authentically and have healthy relationships with yourself and others.
If this sounds like something you would like to get started on, take that first step today and complete our interest form. We look forward to helping you reach your goals for counselling.
Lisa Catallo is the Owner/Director of Panorama Wellness Group. She has been purposeful in finding high-quality counsellors to meet the mental health needs of our community and across our country.
