Frequently Asked Questions
How much does online counselling cost?
Julia follows the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors' fee schedule which recommends:
$120 for a 60-minute individual meeting
$150 for a 60-minute couples or family meeting
Sliding scale available if necessary. Also many employee benefits will cover a percentage of this fee. Contact your benefit provider to ask for details.
What are the benefits of counselling?
Counselling takes time, means opening up about your life, and costs money. All of these things can seem like a sacrifice, so how will working with Julia benefit you?
You will gain:
- A deeper understanding of the problem you are up against and how it came to be present in your life.
- Ideas for how to decrease the effects of the problem in your life.
- New strategies to attain your goals and make the changes you want.
- An appreciation for the skills, abilities, and competencies you already possess.
- A trusting and respectful professional relationship with Julia in which you are actively listened to and supported.
-An improvement in your relationships with your partner(s), friends, family, and/or colleagues; and a reconnection to your community as you successfully make the changes you desire.
Do I actually need counselling?
Sometimes people wait a long time before they decide to meet with a counsellor. Problems have a way of convincing us that maybe what we're dealing with isn't so bad or that we should be able to just get over it ourselves.
No situation or concern is too big or too small for counselling. Some people have a specific concern they want to work on, like depression or past trauma, while others don't know exactly what the problem is, except for a general sense of dissatisfaction. Some people are deeply suffering and require assistance in getting relief; whereas others feel they are doing fairly well, but would like growth in one or more areas of their lives. Some people don't necessarily need to fix something, but rather to improve upon something, such as communicating with their partner. There isn’t a prescribed “right” time to start counselling, but if you are curious about the process, have some personal changes you would like to make, and are interested in healing or self-growth, now could be a good time to start.
Are there any particular risks to online counselling?
Online counselling comes with risks to confidentiality as video conferencing platforms, emails, and texts are unsecured forms of communication and all data from these servers is stored and thus subject to electronic monitoring. You must be aware that your information is not 100% secure when using these mediums of online communication. To mitigate these privacy risks, Julia uses an end-to-end encrypted, secure telemedicine platform for video-conferencing.
Additionally, self-harm and suicidal ideation, serious mental health crises such as psychosis or mania, or intimate partner violence are not appropriate for online counselling. These situations require more care and support than an online counsellor can safely provide. If this applies to you, please contact your local mental health and substance use centre, your doctor, or emergency department.