My commitment to you:
My commitment to clients is to create a safe and profoundly respectful environment in which to explore your experience, feelings, perceptions, beliefs and desires. I will do my best to thoroughly understand and support you. By attending carefully to your inner experience and to the interaction between us, we will move towards a more complete understanding of what is blocking your way to greater freedom and authenticity in your life. To the degree that you desire, we will work together to mobilize the potential for healing and growth within you.
Confidentiality:
I respect your right to privacy and hold information that you discuss in strict confidence. No information about you will be disclosed unless you have signed a written release, except for in the following circumstances:
• If you threaten grave bodily harm to yourself or another, or if you are unable to care for yourself, I am legally responsible to inform the appropriate authorities, and the intended victim.
• If I hear of or suspect physical abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse, I am required to report this information.
• I seek supervision and consultation to ensure the quality of my work. These are done under strictly professional and confidential circumstances.
Cancellations:
If you miss a scheduled session with less than 24 hours notice, you will be charged for that session. If you need to change a scheduled session, the sooner you let me know the better, as I will more likely be able to find you another appointment time. I don’t charge for cancellations due to illness or emergency. Likewise, I will do my best to give you as much notice as possible when I take time off. If I have to cancel with less than 24 hours notice, I will do so only because of illness or emergency.
Fees:
My fees range from $120 to $160 per hour depending on your income and financial situation. All fees include taxes and are based upon a full 60-minute therapy hour. I give clients one month notice if I need to raise my fees.
Payment options:
I take cash, personal check, Interac E-transfers, and credit card payments over Paypal. For in-person counselling I usually take cash or personal check at the beginning of each session.
Phone calls:
My phone is answered by voice mail 24 hours a day, but I check and return phone calls during business hours only. If it is an emergency, please call 911 or one of the crisis lines listed on the Vancouver Island Counselling Resources page on this site.
When leaving a message on my voicemail, please leave your name, the time you called, a phone number on which you can be reached, and whether it is ok to leave a message on your voicemail. There is no charge for administrative, business, and scheduling phone calls.
E-Counselling:
E-counselling is available to clients either through telephone, FaceTime, and Skype. It is understood that no recording of the sessions will be made be either the counselor or the client. This is a way to ensure as much privacy for the session as possible.
While in person counselling is held in a private, secure space, e-counselling requires the client to also ensure that she or he is in a private and secure location. Both therapist and client will also not allow a third party to listen in to any part of a therapy session without prior consent from each party. And clients will turn electronic personal assistants such as Alexa or Siri off for the duration of the session.
Both parties must also ensure they have the necessary technical capacity for online sessions, such as a powerful enough computer and a fast enough internet or data connection. In the event of unexpected disturbances, such as internet connection problems, the session may require a call back or a change in modality (e.g.: continuing a Skype session over the telephone).
Payment for online counselling is by Interac e-Transfers, or Paypal. The use of Paypal requires a small extra fee.
Contact Information:
My phone is answered by voice mail 24 hours a day, but I check and return phone calls during business hours only. I do not respond to text messages, but I do respond to business-related emails during office hours, Monday to Thursday, as time permits.
If you experience an emergency, please call 911 or a local crisis line. The phone number for the Vancouver Island Crisis Line is: 1-888-494-3888.
When leaving a message on my voicemail, please leave your name, the time you called, a phone number on which you can be reached, and whether it is ok to leave a message on your voicemail. There is no charge for administrative, business, and scheduling phone calls.
