Great question. Counselling is a great fit for many individuals looking to make change in their life. To know whether you are ready for this important step, a good question to ask yourself is, “am I ready to take actionable steps to make these changes happen?”. Counselling offers a safe and non-judgmental space so if you’re unsure as to whether counselling is the right fit, you can always start with a free consultation with one of our amazing clinicians.

After your consultation, you will schedule your first session with your clinician. During this initial session, there are few items your clinician will cover, including informed consent and your rights/limits to confidentiality within the counselling space. This first session will also focus on gathering important information about your goals as well as background information to inform clinical planning.

Just yourself. If you would like, you may also find it helpful to bring a notepad to write down any insights during your therapeutic work. It is also helpful to have water and tissues on hand. Some individuals also find it comforting to bring a loved one to the first few sessions, which is completely acceptable.

There is no set number of sessions that fit each unique individual and their needs. After your first session, your clinician may give you a rough approximation as to the number of sessions you can expect; however, you are in the driver’s seat and may connect with your counsellor as much or as little as you need.

At Apricot Integrated Wellness, therapeutic work is approached from both a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy lens. Emphasis is put on understanding your experience in the present moment and working together collaboratively to make meaningful change guided by your personal values.

A Registered Clinical Counsellor is a member of the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) which is a regulatory body for the province of British Columbia. Compared to the term “Therapist” or “Counsellor”, RCC’s have a certain level of training and are bound by BCACC’s Code of Ethics. To learn more, you can visit BCACC’s website here. RCC’s clinical work is similar to that of a psychologist; however, unlike a psychologist, an RCC is unable to make an official diagnosis for mental health related disorders.

Our team at Apricot Integrated Wellness takes our commitment to ethical decision making seriously. If you ever feel your clinician has behaved unethically in their interactions with you, you may file a complaint here.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, and UnionPay. We also accept Email Money Transfers through your online banking platform.

Some extended health insurance plans will cover the cost of RCC counselling sessions. To find out whether you have coverage through your insurance provider, we recommend looking at your plan details or calling a customer service representative about your specific plan.

Not at this time; however, many extended health benefits do cover counselling sessions provided by a registered clinical counsellor. We encourage you to contact your health service provider to clarify whether this is a possibility for you.