Counselling FAQs

Counselling can help with a wide range of topics/issues including:

• Career change
• Gambling problem
• Drug and Alcohol addiction
• Adjustment issues
• Bereavement and loss
• Self-growth
• Depression
• Relationship issues
• Health issues
• Major life changes
• Fear and Anxiety
• Stress
• Redundancy and work issues
• Trauma
• Burn out
• Worry

The average client receiving psychotherapy is better off than 79% of clients who do not seek treatment. By comparing the effects of psychotherapy with the effects of medication, Dr. Robert Rosenthal, Harvard University psychologist, convincingly demonstrated that the typical effects of psychotherapy often exceed the degree of effect found in biomedical breakthroughs. Simply put, psychotherapy is quite effective.

With an effective therapist, science shows that psychotherapy even works better in the long-term and is more enduring than medication. In fact, not only is it more cost-effective, but psychotherapy leads to fewer relapses of anxiety and mild to moderate depression than medication use alone. So much so that Norwegian Health Authorities have issued new guidelines concerning the treatment of mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stating that psychological interventions, not medications, should be applied first.

Many extended health plans and insurance plans offer coverage for counselling.  Check with your insurer.  If it is, I write receipts with my registration number for you to submit for insurance reimbursement.  

Whatever you say in therapy, stays in therapy.

However, there are times when a therapist is legally obligated to break confidentiality:

• Harm to self or others - If a therapist believes that you are in imminent danger of hurting yourself or someone else, e.g. a family member, police or ambulance will be called to ensure safety.
• A child under the age of 16 or an older adult in care is in danger - In these cases Family and Children’s Services or the police will be called.
• Your files are subpoenaed by the court or by the College of Registered Psychotherapists.
• A client experienced a health emergency during a session - In this case, medical staff will be provided only with necessary information. No information on why a client is in therapy will be shared.

At least 48 hours’ notice is required. The full fee will be charged if you provide less than 48 hours’ notice unless there is an emergency. 

Text or leave a message to let me know when you expect to arrive.  Please keep in mind that I might be in another session up until your appointment so I may not reply right away.  I am willing to wait 20 minutes for you to arrive and you will have the remaining scheduled time.  After that our session is cancelled.  Either way, you will be billed for the full session. 

If I have to cancel or change your session with less than 48 hours' notice, you will get your next session free. 

Horizon counselling only accepts Email Interac Transfers or credit card for payment. Email Transfers should be sent to pchan@horizoncounselling.ca . E-transfer payment must be made before the session.

The session is for 60 minutes (1 hour).  However, longer sessions can be pre-arranged.  Often couples or families find it useful to have more time in the session.  If you are interested in having a longer session, please contact me about the cost.