Common Questions about Counselling

The Commons comes from the idea that wellness is something we create in community. We are social beings made for relationships. While it is in relationship that we often suffer our deepest wounds, it is also in relationship that we have the opportunity to heal. Functioning from a place of wellness benefits not only us but everything and everyone around us, including our environment.

No. We are not licensed to practice medicine or write prescriptions. We can collaborate with your medical team, with your permission, and may recommend that you see your doctor for additional support.

We accept payment by etransfer, or you can pay online through a profile you will have access to on our booking site. Most extended health plans provide coverage for a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) or Registered Social Worker (RSW). Our registration numbers will be provided on your receipts. Check with your extended health provider for more information on reimbursement.

That’s a great question! The BCACC recommends therapists charge between $140 and $165 per session depending on the level of experience. You can view the BCACC fee schedule here.

As of April 1, our clinic rates range from $150 to $155 for a standard session, depending on training and experience. Slightly longer sessions at 75 minutes are also available. We also offer low cost counselling, around $40, by hosting masters level students completing their internship as part of their program requirements for graduation. Once students finish their program, it can still take some months for them to receive their registration, so during that period, we offer an Accessible Rate of $80. Some of our clinicians offer a sliding scale that slides both ways, and if you have questions, this can be discussed this during your phone consultation. If you have the means to pay a bit more, that can offset those who require a slightly reduced rate. Priority for reduced fees will go to folks who are part of the global majority, or the LGTBQ community.

Current fees for a standard session as of April 1, 2026:

$150: Belinda, Jordan, Natasha, Katelyn, Kaleigh

$155: Nicole

We don’t want to sugarcoat it, therapy can be hard. When we have learned to respond to people and situations in our lives in a certain way, there is probably a reason for it. Changing our patterns can unearth painful memories, and may feel stressful. That’s why it is important to find a therapist that you feel like you can trust, who checks in with you regularly and lets you control the pace of therapy.

That’s totally up to you! It’s ok to come once or for a long period of time. Sometimes folks also want to come for a specific issue and then take a break once they feel like they have seen the change they were looking for. You are in charge of how your therapy journey looks, and we are happy to collaborate with you along the way.

We also see mental health care as part of preventative care over all. The world right now is a challenging place to live as a human being for many folks. Having a regular space to process your feelings, grieve, and explore what you’re experiencing can help your body release emotions and stress to support your overall health.

At this time, we work primarily with adults or teens aged 16 and up. All of our clinicians offer individual counselling, and we also have limited availability for family or relationship counselling. Check out our About Us page to see who offers which services.

AEDP stands for Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy, and is a style many of our clinicians are trained in. AEDP prioritizes positive experiences over pathology, and works towards healing by using the relationship we would create in our sessions to form a secure base for attachment. This creates a space that can feel safe enough to connect to healthy emotions while letting go of old behaviours and habits that used to be protective, but no longer serve us. This will allow you to feel more confident, calm, compassionate and clear, with a greater connection to yourself.

If you decide to move forward with a first session after your phone consultation, you can expect that we will have a conversation about some of the following:

• What has been coming up for you lately

• Your Emotions

• Reason for seeking therapy

• Current support and coping

• What you are hoping to see change

• Your protective strategies and internalized beliefs

Believe it or not, anyone can call themselves a therapist! It is always a good idea to make sure your therapist has proper credentials. A therapist should have a Masters degree in counselling from an accredited University. They should also be registered with a governing body that maintains ethical guidelines and standards for insurance. All of our clinicians are Registered Clinical Counsellors, or Registered Social Workers and registered through the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) or BC College of Social Workers. They are also committed to pursuing ongoing continuing education, to make sure you are supported in the best way we know how. Feel free to ask us any time what we have been learning.

That is totally your call. We would never approach you outside of the context of a therapy session to protect your privacy. If you see your therapist out in the real world and want to say hi, we would absolutely welcome that, but it is completely up to you. Confidentiality includes you being the one to have control over sharing information about your therapy journey, including who you are working with, at your choice.

That is totally ok, and also why we offer a free phone consultation. It is important that you feel comfortable with who you choose so that you get the most out of your therapy!

We are also happy to support you with a referral, either to another clinician at the Collective, or to someone in our broader community, so don’t hesitate to ask!

We understand life is always changing and things come up. You can cancel your session at any time. If you are cancelling within 24 hours of your scheduled time you are still responsible to pay your session fee as we do hold that time slot for you when you book. Please reach out to your clinician directly via email to cancel your session if you are within the 24 hour window, otherwise you can cancel your session yourself through our online booking site.