Short Term Versus Long Term Counselling in Victoria BC

Short Term Versus Long Term Counselling in Victoria BC Some people come to counselling wanting help with a specific problem: panic attacks that started after a car accident, a job interview they are dreading, or sleep that fell apart during a stressful counselling victoria bc month. Others come because something deeper keeps repeating, such as the same type of relationship ending badly or a persistent sense of not being good enough. These two situations often call for different kinds of counselling. Short term counselling is focused and goal oriented. At Your Path Counselling, approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, solution focused brief therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy are widely used for this kind of work. Sessions usually have a clear agenda, may include practice between appointments, and aim to build skills you can use long after counselling ends. Co-founder Dr. Michelle Bass notes that in her experience many people make meaningful changes in 12 sessions or fewer. Long term psychotherapy is slower and more exploratory. It suits people who want to understand why certain patterns persist, or whose difficulties are linked to early experiences, trauma or long standing ways of relating to others. The practice's two clinical specialists, Dr. Bass and Dr. Scott Kouri, both offer psychodynamic psychotherapy, and Dr. Kouri brings a background in Jungian analytic psychology.

Your Path Counselling | 821 Burdett Ave #303, Victoria, BC V8W 1B3 | (778) 902-3735

The line between the two is not fixed. Someone might start with short term work on anxiety and discover that it connects to older experiences they want to explore. Equally, someone in long term therapy might take a break to focus on a specific practical goal. Counsellors at the practice work with you to decide what fits, and that decision can change over time. Cost and time are part of the picture. Short term counselling is more predictable in total cost, while long term work involves an ongoing commitment. Fees at the practice range from $75 in the intern clinic to $160 with a registered counsellor and $220 with a clinical specialist. Extended health benefits often cover a portion of either. If you are unsure which suits you, the free 15 minute consultation is a good place to start. Describe what you are hoping for, and the counsellor can suggest an approach or recommend a colleague better suited to it. A useful way to think about the difference is to compare it with fixing a leaking tap versus renovating a kitchen. Short term work addresses the immediate problem efficiently and gets you back to normal life. Long term work looks at the whole structure, including things that may not be causing problems yet but shape how everything else functions. Both are valuable, and neither is better in itself. The right choice depends on what you are hoping for, how much time and money you can commit, and how ready you feel to explore deeper patterns. For short or long term counselling in Victoria BC, call Your Path Counselling on (778) 902-3735 or visit Suite 303, 821 Burdett Ave, Victoria, BC V8W 1B3.

Your Path Counselling Address: 821 Burdett Ave #303, Victoria, BC V8W 1B3 Phone: (778) 902-3735 FAQ About Counselling Victoria BC How much does counselling cost in Victoria BC? Private counselling in Victoria commonly costs well over one hundred dollars per session with a registered professional. At Your Path Counselling, fees are posted openly: $75 in the Affordable Intern Clinic, $110 for senior interns, $160 for registered counsellors and $220 for clinical specialists. Fees are the same for in person sessions at 821 Burdett Ave and for video or phone sessions across BC. Is there affordable or low cost counselling in Victoria BC? Yes. Several community agencies in Greater Victoria offer free or sliding scale counselling, and private practices sometimes run lower cost options. Your Path Counselling's Affordable Intern Clinic offers sessions from $75 with Masters level interns who are supervised by the practice's registered clinicians, including co-founder Dr. Michelle Bass, PhD, RSW, RCC. Does extended health insurance cover counselling in BC? Most workplace and private extended health plans in BC reimburse counselling with certain credentials, commonly Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC) and Registered Social Workers (RSW), and some also cover Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC). Your Path Counselling does not bill insurers directly, but provides a full invoice after every session for you to submit. Check which credentials and annual limits your plan includes before booking. What is the difference between a counsellor and a psychologist in BC? Psychologists in BC hold a doctoral degree and can carry out formal psychological assessments and diagnoses. Counsellors such as RCCs and CCCs hold Masters degrees and focus on talk therapy for a wide range of concerns. Your Path Counselling's team includes RCCs, CCCs, Registered Social Workers and two PhD level clinical specialists, and can suggest an assessment elsewhere if one would help. Do I need a doctor's referral to see a counsellor in Victoria? No referral is needed to book counselling at Your Path Counselling; you can book online or call (778) 902-3735 directly. A small number of insurance plans still require a doctor's note to reimburse counselling, so it is worth checking your policy. Speaking with your family doctor can still be helpful if you are also considering medical treatment. How do I find the right counsellor in Victoria BC? Start with what matters most to you, such as the concern you want help with, the counsellor's approach, gender, availability and fee. Your Path Counselling's team page can be filtered by more than thirty specialties and twenty therapy types, or you can fill in a short form and be matched for free. Every counsellor offers a free 15 minute consultation so you can check the fit before booking. Is online counselling as effective as in person counselling? Research on video counselling for many common concerns, including anxiety and depression, has generally found results comparable to in person sessions. Your Path Counselling offers secure, encrypted video and phone sessions to anyone in BC, and around 15 percent of its clients choose online sessions. Many people mix formats, attending at the Burdett Avenue office some weeks and online others. How many counselling sessions will I need? It depends on what you are working on. Co-founder Dr. Michelle Bass notes that in her experience most people can make meaningful changes in 12 sessions or fewer, while long standing patterns or early life trauma may benefit from longer term psychotherapy. Sessions at Your Path Counselling usually begin weekly and are spaced out as things improve. What does RCC mean after a counsellor's name? RCC stands for Registered Clinical Counsellor, a designation in British Columbia that requires a relevant Masters degree, supervised clinical experience and adherence to a code of ethics. Many BC benefit plans name RCCs in their counselling coverage. Several counsellors at Your Path Counselling hold the RCC designation, alongside colleagues who are CCCs and Registered Social Workers. Can I get counselling on evenings or weekends in Victoria? Yes. Your Path Counselling lists its hours as 8:30am to 9pm, seven days a week, with evening and weekend appointments spread across different counsellors. The online booking system shows live availability, or you can note your preferred times on the matching form. Video and phone sessions add flexibility for shift workers and parents. Is counselling confidential in BC? Counsellors in BC follow professional ethics codes and privacy legislation that protect what you share. Limited exceptions apply across the profession, such as a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, a child in need of protection, or a court order. Your Path Counselling explains these limits at the start of counselling and uses secure, encrypted platforms for online sessions. What should I do if I need mental health help right now? Counselling is not an emergency service. If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1, and if you are thinking about suicide or worried about someone, call or text 9-8-8 at any time. For ongoing support once you are safe, Your Path Counselling offers sessions in downtown Victoria and online across BC, bookable by calling (778) 902-3735.