Frequently
Asked Questions

The majority of extended health benefit plans (e.g., Blue Cross, Sunlife, ManuLife, Great West Life, etc.) reimburse you for services of a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). Christine is also under supervised practice by a Registered Psychologist for psychological assessment services which you may inquire about for further coverage. For both counselling and psychological assessment services, you will pay the service fee in full, then submit your receipt to your extended health care provider for reimbursement.

Assessments vary greatly in length, depending on complexity of the case. The preparation of the report also varies depending on the amount of material reviewed, while variability is also found in the time taken when scoring and interpreting testing results, as well as writing of the report. In general, psychodiagnostic assessments require less testing time than psychoeducational assessments. Notwithstanding, Christine ensures every assessment reflects the questions being asked and uses a holistic perspective when conceptualizing and treatment planning. Each assessment process and outcome is as individualized as the person being assessed. Christine aims to complete an assessment between 4-6 weeks.

During your first session with Christine, you will be asked questions to get to know you and understand what brings you to counselling. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the counselling process. The first session usually involves much discussion around the nature of one's issues. As counselling progresses there is often more balance of discussion/exploration as well as recommendations for practical strategies.

Christine usually recommends starting with weekly counselling sessions, as this allows time to understand the nature of the presenting concerns and offers initial practical strategies. As counselling progresses, often there is more time for deeper work to occur. Since counselling is a collaborative process, there is ongoing discussion about how frequent sessions should occur.

Christine is committed to providing clients with opportunities for regular care. When a client cancels without enough notice, it prevents another client from being seen. For this reason, Christine requires 24 hours notice for cancellations or rescheduling. However, Christine understands that unexpected circumstances occur, and she is happy to discuss these on an individual basis. The fee for a late cancellation or missed session is the full fee of the session.

If you are running late, no worries, Christine will do her best to give you the full duration of the session; however, your session will be shortened if there are other clients after you.