In respect of your counsellor’s time, as well as to support appointment availability for other clients seeking care, we ask that you provide at least 48 hours notice when cancelling or rescheduling your appointment.
Please note: Full payment of the session will be required in the event that 48-hour notice isn’t provided. Consideration will be given in the event of emergency circumstances.
You do not need a referral from your doctor or anyone else to see a counsellor. Book your first session today!
Online counselling is similar to in-person counselling, but you just meet with your counsellor online. Once your appointment has been booked, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with a link to enter the session. You simply click the link at the start of your appointment time and you will enter a virtual waiting room. You do not need to download anything. To avoid technical issues, please make sure your browser is updated and you have a good internet connection.
The first appointment is called an “intake session,” and is often an information gathering session. There will be some paperwork to go over, a discussion about the counselling process, and an opportunity for you to ask questions. The first session often has a different “feel” compared to other counselling sessions. Since everyone is different, the first session helps your counsellor get to know you and find out in more detail about how they can help.
While some people may only come for a few appointments, others attend for longer. Most people will start off coming every week and transition into either every other week or once a month. Your counsellor will work with you to come up with a schedule that makes the most sense to you. Ultimately you decide how often and for how long you would like to attend counselling. At WMH Counselling Group, we have an open door policy and no matter how much time has passed between your sessions, you are always welcome to come back!
The length of counselling depends on the issue or issues that you choose to bring to counselling. Often times when someone wants to work on a specific issue, it may take between 6 to 8 sessions. However, some issues involve multiple factors and more sessions may be needed. That being said, it is not uncommon for people to attend one session and find it to be extremely helpful, especially if someone has been struggling for a long time and keeping something secret. Counselling will end when the time feels right for you. There is no one-size fits all model. Once you feel your goals are met, you can end your regularly-scheduled appointments.
It’s completely normal to feel anxious if you’ve never done counselling before. It’s okay if you do not know what to say or how you want to say it. We are here to help make the process easy for you. Often times it can be very hard to know where to start and especially difficult to bring up certain topics. We start where you like and move at a pace that feels right for you. The role of your counsellor is to create an environment that helps you feel comfortable sharing anything that might be on your mind, and we all understand that sometimes it can take time.
Group programs depend on a minimum number of participants to run effectively and are designed for the purpose of completing the program in its entirety. If group members drop out before the end of the program, it may have an impact on other group members. For this reason, fees for the entire 4-week group are due in full at the time of registration.
We understand that unforeseen events occur at times. Cancellations can be made one month prior to the first group session date and a full refund will be provided. Cancellations made between the period of one month to two weeks prior to the first group session date will incur a 50% cancellation fee. No refunds will be given for cancellation requests within two weeks of the first group session date. Registration is non-transferable and not available for resale. Receipts will be provided for insurance and/or income tax purposes if applicable.
