Counselling is a very individual process and at the heart of how counselling works is the relationship between you and your therapist. Counselling often looks like talk therapy where you focus on your goals by processing what has happened in the past and what you are going through in the present to understand yourself more. Counselling can also be a place where you learn coping skills to learn how to deal with stressors and triggers in your life. Counselling can also be a place where you make decisions about your future with the guidance of a trained therapist. As your therapist I will not tell you what to do, but help you come to a decision that feels right for you.
Counselling is a broad term that can included trauma therapy, as well as talk therapy, learning coping skills, and exploring your past. Trauma therapy is a specific form of counselling that addresses the root of the problem using a variety of specific trauma processing therapies. These therapies are designed to support you in processing memories and experiences that are stuck in your body that make it feel like those experiences are still happening. These therapies activate both your body and brain to help you release the impacts of those stressful and traumatic experiences. Amy is trained in Lifespan Integration Therapy as well as OEI (Observed Experiential Integration). Ask her about them in your consultation call to see if they might be a fit for you.
- Counselling is tailored to the individual which means that depending on your schedule, your finances and how you process information sessions can be spaced out accordingly. Starting with weekly or bi-weekly sessions is what Amy suggests when you being counselling.
- The number of sessions is dependent on your goals in counselling which can make it tricky to give a number. This is a question to ask in your consultation call to get an estimate.
Amy works with individuals ages 11 and up.
The therapist-client fit is one of the most important determinants of success in counselling. It is important that you feel safe with your counsellor. While it is normal that it could take time to feel safe enough to open up, if you feel that Amy’s personality or style of work does not fit well with you that is a great thing to bring up in counselling! Amy would be happy to make alternative recommendations for you to other counsellors or work on those differences with you to make sure that counselling is a safe and successful experience for you.
- Unfortunately counselling is not covered under MSP. If you have extended health benefits they all differ, so be sure to check if your insurance covers a registered clinical counsellor (RCC). Even if you have insurance we require payment up front and then you will receive a receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
- If you have coverage through the Crime Victims Assistance Program (CVAP) Amy is a registered provider and so some or all of your counselling may be covered.
