Frequently asked questions

You can either book a first counselling session, or a Free Telephone Consultation.

Book an Initial Counselling Session

If you feel ready to get started you’re welcome to book an initial session online. After setting up your account you will be prompted to complete a brief intake, and I will email you additional information to get ready for our first session.

Book a Free Telephone Consultation for New Clients

If you have further questions for me, or want to tell me more about what you’re hoping to work on before meeting for an appointment you can book a 15 minute Free Telephone Consultation. After you book a consultation call I will call you at the phone number you enter into Jane app at your appointment time.

In a first session we will spend a few minutes reviewing the informed consent and making sure your questions are answered before I get your verbal consent. What you do and don’t want to share next is up to you. I find it helpful to learn more about what brings you to counselling and clarify your goals so we can make a plan for how we can reach them together (it’s ok if you don’t have this all figured out already!).

You can book additional appointments, reschedule, or cancel appointments through your Headwaters Therapy Jane app account. You will be required to create an account when you book a counselling session or telephone consultation.

The number of sessions really depends on what you want to work on and what your goals are. Most people come to counselling more frequently at first to build some momentum and also get a clear sense of if their counsellor feels like the right fit for them, and they may come less frequently later. Some crisis or short-term issues may resolve quickly, and others may require longer-term work. Check out this guide to help you decide how often you should go to counselling. Both the number of sessions and frequency is something we can discuss together in our first sessions.

Most people find that a 50 minute session works best for them, but if you prefer a longer 75 minute session you are welcome to book for a longer time.

You are free to pause or end counselling whenever you choose to. Often, as people make progress towards their goals they find that having more time in between counselling sessions is helpful to have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned. As we make progress I will check in with you about how the frequency of sessions feels for you, and if we might want to decrease frequency or decide to pause or end counselling.

I offer daytime availability between 9am-4pm Monday-Friday. I see clients in-person in downtown Vancouver on Thursdays, and work virtually the rest of the week. See what’s available in my online schedule.

All virtual sessions will take place over Zoom which allows for face-to-face video and voice calls. Zoom calls are encrypted to ensure confidentiality and the platform is PIPEDA and PHIPA compliant. If you’d like to know more about how Zoom keeps your information private you can read about it here. If you’re not sure about online counselling read more about how to have a great online counselling experience.

Clients will be charged the full session fee for all missed sessions, and sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours notice. If you arrive late for your appointment you are entitled to the remainder of your appointment time. I charge for late cancellations because your appointment time is reserved for you, and it can be difficult to fill your space short notice. If I can fill your appointment time you will not be charged for the late cancellation.

50 minute Individual Counselling - $180

75 minute Individual Counselling - $270

50 minute Couples Counselling - $234

75 minute Couples Counselling - $351

You can pay for appointments by credit card or e-transfer to jen@headwaterstherapy.ca. If you choose to pay by credit card you can enter your credit card information to be securely stored by Janeapp when prompted during your intake. That credit card can then be billed for all appointments going forward.

While counselling services are not currently covered by the Medical Services Plan, many extended health insurance agencies will cover counselling services. Please check with your insurance provider to see if they cover seeing a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

Unfortunately, I’m not able to offer direct billing at this time. You will need to pay for sessions at our appointment time and seek reimbursement from your insurance company with the invoice I provide you after payment is received. I cannot issue receipts for sessions that were not attended.

I offer a limited number of sliding scale spots based on financial need. You’re welcome to ask about availability.

Yes, I’m an approved CVAP provider, and I accept CVAP funding to cover a portion of my fee.

Unfortunately, at this time I do not work with ICBC claims.

Yes! While I’m not an expert in non-monogamy, I do work with couples who practice different types of openness in their relationship. Each relationship is unique, and I don’t believe the one-size fits all of monogamy works for everyone. I’m happy to work with you and your primary partner on strengthening your bond so you have the security needed to allow for the openness that works for your relationship. If that means bringing another partner into our therapy at some point, I’m happy to chat about that!

A Registered Clinical Counsellor is a clinician trained in counselling to help clients understand and address issues that impact their mental health and well-being. There are many different therapies that RCC’s may use in treatment. In BC they are registered with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors.

A Registered Psychologist must complete a PhD and be licensed with the College of Psychologists of British Columbia. They give psychological tests for the purposes of providing a diagnosis, and offer counselling.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has specialized in psychiatry after completing an MD. Psychiatrists can offer assessment, counselling, and prescribe medications to help manage mental health concerns. Seeing a psychiatrist is often covered under MSP, and a referral from your family doctor is required.

Headwaters are the source of a stream or river and serve as a good metaphor for how I work as a therapist - focusing on addressing the root cause of a person’s struggles, and not only treating symptoms.

While I primarily work with residents of BC I’m able to help clients living in some other territories and provinces within Canada. At the present time I can offer counselling for clients whose primary residence is in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland & Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. The primary reason for these limitations is that in some provinces counselling services are regulated under a provinical college with which I am not registered. I am unable to offer counselling to clients who are living outside of Canada.