Meet the Counsellors

Though not typically covered by basic provincial health plans, counselling sessions are covered or partially covered by most extended health plans.

After your session, you’ll get an in-app receipt. If you have an extended health plan that covers counselling services, you can file a claim by submitting your receipt to your extended health care plan.

To download your receipt: Open the app > Go to the Appointments tab > Select the appropriate appointment > Tap on Receipt > Tap the download icon in the top right corner.

To make your insurance claims easier, here are the different designations the counsellors can hold:

Registered Social Worker (RSW) is a designation available to individuals with an accredited social work degree. RSWs adhere to a professional standard of practice that is regulated by the provincial College of Social Workers.

Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) is a Canada-wide counselling designation that verifies a counsellor to be master's level and has undergone a specific number of supervised clinical hours. It is a voluntary professional organization that provides guidelines and clinical standards.

Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) is a Canada-wide counselling designation similar to an RCC. Canadian Certified Counsellors are certified through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. The CCPA is a voluntary professional organization that provides guidelines and clinical standards.

All of our counsellors have a minimum masters level education and are highly experienced. To make your insurance claims easier, here are the different designations the counsellors can hold:

Registered Social Worker (RSW) is a designation available to individuals with an accredited social work degree. RSWs adhere to a professional standard of practice that is regulated by the provincial College of Social Workers.

Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) is a Canada-wide counselling designation that verifies a counsellor to be master's level and has undergone a specific number of supervised clinical hours. It is a voluntary professional organization that provides guidelines and clinical standards.

Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) is a Canada-wide counselling designation similar to an RCC. Canadian Certified Counsellors are certified through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. The CCPA is a voluntary professional organization that provides guidelines and clinical standards.

To view what designation your counsellor has, visit https://www.telus.com/personal-health/mycare/mental-health/counsellors and select your counsellor. Or open the app > tap notification > select your appointment > tap on the counsellor's name.

In the first session, your counsellor will spend some time getting to know you, ask about your life, what brought you to counselling and what you want to achieve through the sessions. You will then agree whether counselling is going to be useful to you, what type of counselling you may benefit from and how many sessions you may need. There will also be opportunities for you to ask any questions you may have.

Counselling appointments are $120 per 50 minute appointment. Following your appointment you will be provided with an in app receipt for reimbursement if applicable.

During the session your counsellor will listen and ask questions to help you identify priorities, goals, and needs. Wherever possible your counsellor will help you with tools and strategies to manage the issue. They may also give you homework or additional resources so that you can learn more or practice new skills. Counselling is a collaborative process, and you can choose what you are comfortable sharing. Your counsellor will not judge you and will not make decisions for you.

Yes, if you’d like to book further sessions with the same counsellor, you can talk to them about follow-up appointments. Following your appointment tap book an appointment > select who the appointment is for > select counsellor > select your counsellor > select a time that works best for you.

Tip! It’s recommended to book your follow up appointment right after your session so you don’t forget. Or book a series of appointments in advance and add it into your personal calendar. That way you can hold yourself accountable.

Yes, we strive to have counsellors available for same-day/next day appointments. Note, however, that we cannot guarantee any particular counsellor will be available on short notice. Please check our Counsellors page for availability.

If your counsellor thinks that you are a serious risk to yourself or others, or someone else may be at risk, then they have a duty of care to report this to the relevant authorities. Where possible the counsellor will discuss this with you. If you have any questions regarding this, please discuss with your counsellor.

No, appointments are available for those 16 years and older as the care we are able to provide to support youth over video consultations may be limited. If you are 16 or 17 years old, your counsellor will spend the first ten minutes of your first appointment discussing terms of confidentiality. Parents are welcome to book an appointment for advice on how to best support a child’s mental health at any time.

Counsellors are unable to prescribe medication. If you need to have a medication review or you feel you might benefit from medication then please book an appointment with your family doctor or a TELUS Health MyCare physician. If your counsellor identifies that you might benefit from medication alongside/or in place of counselling, he/she will discuss the next steps with you, which may include recommendations to speak with your family doctor or one of our doctors, who can then undertake further assessments.

Yes, you can. You can discuss this with your counsellor during your first session. You can book in advance for a series of counselling sessions with the same counsellor, and your counsellor will help you decide what is best for you.

Usually it takes a number of sessions to notice improvements but for some people a single session can be enough. You and your counsellor will agree to a number of sessions, which may be adjusted as you review your progress together regularly. Your counsellor’s goal isn’t to keep you in counselling indefinitely but to empower you to better manage your difficulties on your own. All counselling appointments are 50 minutes in length.