Frequently Asked Questions

If you have never been to see a counsellor/psychotherapist before, it can be a bit unsettling to take the first step to book an appointment. In the first session together, your counsellor/psychotherapist will start by reviewing the Informed Consent form you signed in the electronic paperwork through Jane. This form provides you with information about confidentiality with your counsellor, what the risks and benefits to counselling are, and how much the session will cost.

Counselling/psychotherapy 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 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.

Your main responsibilities in counselling/psychotherapy 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/psychotherapy can be a lot of poking around and searching before you find exactly what works best for you.

Ultimately the goal of each counsellor at Panorama Wellness 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.

Whether you choose to work with a therapist at Panorama Wellness or not, it is important to recognize that counsellors are just people. Some counsellors will feel like they are a better fit for you than others because of things like their personality, style of counselling, and the way they approach what you’re wanting help with. You can get a feel for that from websites, but it won't be until you are on the phone for the free 15-minute phone consultation or sitting in front of them before you can get a better sense of who they are.

Research has shown that one of the primary factors to success in counselling/psychotherapy is the relationship between the counsellor/psychotherapist and the client. So if you are not comfortable, you are probably just going to waste a lot of time and money without a lot of results. We believe so strongly in this that, if for any reason you do not feel comfortable with one of our therapists, we will help you find another counsellor either at Panorama or elsewhere.

So what should you ask? We’ve written a blog with more details about how to find the right fit for your counselling needs.

If you have more questions about how one of our counsellors might be a good fit for you, feel free to contact us or book your free 15-minute phone consultation according to your schedule through our online scheduling app.

Risks - Counselling/Psychotherapy may require that you be willing to explore difficult topics or memories, and try new or different behaviours. These experiences can sometimes lead to stronger than usual emotions. Effective counselling attempts to minimize or manage these feelings, which requires cooperation between you and your counsellor/psychotherapist.

Benefits - The benefits of counselling/psychotherapy include a greater understanding of self, or others, a decrease in troubling symptoms of stress or anxiety, and an overall greater sense of personal well-being. You may learn coping skills that help you to more effectively manage life pressures, and allow you to build stronger more stable relationships with family and friends.

Each clinical counsellor has a few sliding scale spots available, so if finances are holding you back from receiving the help you need, please let our office know and we can advise as to who has reduced rate spots available.

If you are paying for your counselling/psychotherapy services out of pocket, you may be hoping that you can claim it on your year-end taxes.

Counselling/psychotherapy is a tax write-off in British Columbia if you are using the services of a Registered Social Worker or Psychologist. After November 1, 2027 we believe this will also apply to counsellors/psychotherapists.

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), or Social Worker (RSW).

As a result, many extended healthcare benefits will provide coverage for the majority or all of the cost of our services. Since each company negotiates their 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.

There are a number of extended healthcare benefits programs that allow counsellors to access direct billing. Reach out to us today to confirm that your provider is one of those.

If you find that our services are not covered, you might want to approach your Human Resources Department or your plan benefits coordinator directly to ask them to make an adjustment to the overall plan, or an exception for you to reach your goals.

Here is a sample letter that we have crafted to help you request coverage.

Please note that we are able to provide direct billing for a number of extended healthcare benefits plans. Please contact info@panoramawellness.ca to determine if your plan allows us to utilize this option.

We also offer direct billing if you are accessing services through Crime Victim Assistance Program and Autism Funding.

Please let our Intake Coordinator know if you will be utilizing these programs for funding your sessions. There are times when the provider does not cover the full cost of our services so we may request a co-pay fee.

Panorama Wellness has a policy of requiring a minimum 48-hour notice if you need to cancel your appointment. If we receive less than 48 hours notice, you will be charged the full rate for your services as you are holding a spot that someone else might be been able to use.

You can cancel or change your appointment through Jane, or the email confirmation you received when you booked your appointment. You can also call or email your service provider (all emails are firstname@panoramawellness.ca).

For more information on how you can prepare for your first online counselling session, click here.

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