Frequently Asked Questions About Counselling
What is counselling?
Counselling is a collaborative process between you and your counsellor in order to examine and better understand your thoughts, behaviours, emotions, and how you relate to others. You may seek counselling for a variety of reasons, including emotional difficulties, challenging life transitions, or relationship problems. It is up to you to determine what you want out of the counselling process, and the counsellor will support you through this process; helping you set and achieve goals, learn coping skills, and offer strategies and techniques to assist you in reaching your goals. Most importantly, we are here to listen and support you.
What are the benefits of counselling?
Benefits of counselling include increased personal insight, self-growth, and learning problem solving and coping skills. Clients may also experience a greater sense of well being and healthier functioning in relationships.
There are also risks involved in counselling, as clients sometimes experience strong emotions or difficult memories that arise as a result of discussing personal issues. Making changes in behaviour, beliefs, or in the ways one relates to others can also be difficult, and may impact relationships.
How long does counselling last?
It depends on your needs. People seek counselling for a wide variety of reasons. Some clients come for only one or two sessions, while others benefit from long-term therapy that addresses deeply embedded problems. The number of counselling sessions you have also depends on the goals you set, and how long it takes you to reach these goals.
Is counselling confidential, and what are the limits of confidentiality?We take your privacy and confidentiality very seriously. Anything you discuss with your counsellor is confidential, and information about your sessions will not be released to anyone without your voluntary, written consent. We protect your personal information in accordance with BC’s Personal Information and Privacy Act (PIPA, 2004), which outlines how counsellors collect, use and disclose personal information.
There are times we may have to break confidentiality, but this is rare. As counsellors, we are legally required to break confidentiality for the following reasons:
In order to provide you with the best care, we participate in regular clinical and peer supervision. If your case is reviewed, it will be done so in a completely confidential and non-identifying manner.
What if I am in crisis and require help immediately?
If you are in crisis and require emergency mental health assistance, please call 9-1-1 or go to the emergency department of your nearest hospital.
What training do the counsellors/nurses at Coast Pregnancy and Postpartum Counselling have?
All of our clinical counsellors have master’s degrees in Counselling Psychology from an accredited post-secondary institution. We are registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) or the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), and adhere to the professional standards and ethics codes of these organizations. In addition to being a clinical counsellor, Barb Komar is also a Registered Nurse. Nishi is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse with training in clinical counselling. Each of our counsellors/nurses also completed their clinical training at St. Paul’s Hospital Reproductive Mental Health program. We have experience working with individuals, couples, and facilitating groups, and continue to develop their skills through professional development workshops and training.
Counselling is a collaborative process between you and your counsellor in order to examine and better understand your thoughts, behaviours, emotions, and how you relate to others. You may seek counselling for a variety of reasons, including emotional difficulties, challenging life transitions, or relationship problems. It is up to you to determine what you want out of the counselling process, and the counsellor will support you through this process; helping you set and achieve goals, learn coping skills, and offer strategies and techniques to assist you in reaching your goals. Most importantly, we are here to listen and support you.
What are the benefits of counselling?
Benefits of counselling include increased personal insight, self-growth, and learning problem solving and coping skills. Clients may also experience a greater sense of well being and healthier functioning in relationships.
There are also risks involved in counselling, as clients sometimes experience strong emotions or difficult memories that arise as a result of discussing personal issues. Making changes in behaviour, beliefs, or in the ways one relates to others can also be difficult, and may impact relationships.
How long does counselling last?
It depends on your needs. People seek counselling for a wide variety of reasons. Some clients come for only one or two sessions, while others benefit from long-term therapy that addresses deeply embedded problems. The number of counselling sessions you have also depends on the goals you set, and how long it takes you to reach these goals.
Is counselling confidential, and what are the limits of confidentiality?We take your privacy and confidentiality very seriously. Anything you discuss with your counsellor is confidential, and information about your sessions will not be released to anyone without your voluntary, written consent. We protect your personal information in accordance with BC’s Personal Information and Privacy Act (PIPA, 2004), which outlines how counsellors collect, use and disclose personal information.
There are times we may have to break confidentiality, but this is rare. As counsellors, we are legally required to break confidentiality for the following reasons:
- If we have reason to believe that a child or vulnerable adult is being sexually or physically abused or severely neglected, or is at risk of such abuse;
- If we suspect there is imminent danger to our client or identifiable others;
- If a court orders the disclosure of our records.
In order to provide you with the best care, we participate in regular clinical and peer supervision. If your case is reviewed, it will be done so in a completely confidential and non-identifying manner.
What if I am in crisis and require help immediately?
If you are in crisis and require emergency mental health assistance, please call 9-1-1 or go to the emergency department of your nearest hospital.
What training do the counsellors/nurses at Coast Pregnancy and Postpartum Counselling have?
All of our clinical counsellors have master’s degrees in Counselling Psychology from an accredited post-secondary institution. We are registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) or the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), and adhere to the professional standards and ethics codes of these organizations. In addition to being a clinical counsellor, Barb Komar is also a Registered Nurse. Nishi is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse with training in clinical counselling. Each of our counsellors/nurses also completed their clinical training at St. Paul’s Hospital Reproductive Mental Health program. We have experience working with individuals, couples, and facilitating groups, and continue to develop their skills through professional development workshops and training.
