What is Clinical Counselling?

According to the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC), “Clinical Counselling” means the assessment, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of behavioural, cognitive, social, mental or emotional issues, problems or disorders, and the use of Clinical Counselling values, principles and treatment methods, including psychotherapy (1), to help individual, couple, family, and group clients understand, cope with and resolve their situation, in order to:

  • Enhance personal, couple, family, group, organizational or community growth and effectiveness;
  • Promote healthy interpersonal relationships;
  • Encourage self growth;
  • Sustain mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.

(1)“Psychotherapy” means the treatment, by psychological means, of problems of an emotional nature in which a trained person deliberately establishes a professional relationship with the client with the object of removing, modifying or retarding existing symptoms, mediating disturbed patterns of behaviour, and promoting positive personality growth and development.

Approved by Board of Directors, October 26, 2003


What To Expect

When you meet with a counsellor at Evoke Wellness Centre you can expect to be treated in a professional, warm, and non- judgmental way. With care and compassion, you will be guided through the process and consulted along the way about your treatment and individual goals in therapy.

  • Common Conditions Treated
    • Adolescent / youth counselling
    • Alcohol & drug counselling
    • Anger management issues
    • Anxiety
    • Bereavement / grief & loss counselling
    • Chronic pain / health counselling
    • Cognitive behavioural therapy
    • Crime victim assistance program (CVAP)
    • Depression
    • Disordered eating
    • Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
    • Humanistic counselling
    • Individual counselling
    • Life coaching & life transitions
    • Mindfulness & relaxation techniques
    • Parenting challenges
    • Parent & teen conflict resolution
    • Person centered therapy
    • Relationship counselling
    • Self-esteem issues
    • Stress & burnout
    • Transitioning to parenting
    • Trauma
    • Weight management/body image issues
  • Types of Counselling

    Integrated Types of Counselling:

    Couples’ Therapy

    Family Counselling

    Trauma Informed Perspective

    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy 

    Experiential Therapy

    Family Counselling  

    Family counselling works with multiple family members or the entire family, versus one person. It addresses specific issues which affect the health and functioning of a family, to work through a difficult period, a major transition, or addressing the mental or behavior patterns of family members. 

    • Conflict
    • Crisis
    • Communication skills
    • Parent support: (Including parenting special needs)
    • Blended family issues & step-parenting

    COUPLES’ COUNSELLING

    Relationships are complex and let’s face it hard work. Counselling helps navigate the ups and downs couples face.

    • Conflict
    • Crisis
    • Life transitions
    • Relationship challenges

    INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING

    • Crisis
    • Stress management
    • Anxiety
    • Spiritual / Faith crisis
    • Early Childhood Experiences: attachment, trauma, neglect, family system
    • Growth and Personal Development

    WOMEN’S ISSUES

    • Prenatal
    • Parenting newborns with special needs
    • Infant loss, miscarriage, stillbirth
    • Birth trauma
    • Postpartum adjustment
    • Self-esteem & confidence
    • Family violence
    • Identity/ role shifts
    • Midlife & empty nest
    • Childhood trauma 
  • Rates

    Fees are in accordance with the BCACC’s recommendations for service.

    Individual Session

    • $135 / 50 minute session

    Couples/Family

    • $135 / 50 minute session

    To book an initial no charge 15 minute consultation, please contact us to make arrangements.

  • ICBC Coverage

    If you have an open ICBC claim you may be eligible for counselling sessions in relation to the trauma you experienced and anxiety that has resulted. You are required to request a Doctors note which specifies that you require counselling pertaining to your motor vehicle accident (MVA). Submit this note to your ICBC adjuster and provide us with a copy. We will follow up with your adjuster to ensure that you have been approved for counselling as well as how many sessions you are entitled to. Your adjuster may allow Evoke to bill them directly or they may request that you pay up front and they will reimburse you- it is up to your individual adjuster.

    We will assist you through this process as it can be both confusing and complicated. Should your adjuster require you to seek a counselling professional with a different designation, we can assist you to find another suitable therapist in the community.

  • Extended Health Care Coverage

    The majority of extended health care plans cover counselling provided by a Registered Clinical Counsellor. If you have an extended health care plan you must check with them directly to find out if they offer reimbursement for services. It is common that the print material provided to plan members is often incomplete and/or can be unclear. Evoke Wellness Centre does not bill extended health care plans directly. Full payment for your treatment will be taken at the time of service. You will be issued receipts which you can then submit to your extended health care company for reimbursement.
    Below are some suggestions on what to ask your provider when you inquire about your coverage:

    • Do my health benefits cover the cost of seeing a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) ?
    • What are my mental health benefits?
    • What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
    • How many therapy sessions does my plan cover per year?
    • Is approval or referral (doctors note) required from my primary care physician/doctor prior to attending counselling?

“As a practical person, I was skeptical about the effectiveness of “talk therapy”. I had a history of depression and when my second baby was born, I started counselling. What a difference! I was given the tools to work through my depression, manage my triggers, and coached to a better mental place.  I was able to enjoy those early years with my kids instead of being trapped by my depression. Counselling changed my life.”

(Client name withheld to protect confidentiality)

Meet Sam

Sam is a compassionate and experienced counsellor dedicated to fostering growth and resilience in individuals facing life’s challenges. Her approach is personalized, integrating various therapeutic techniques to offer a safe, supportive, and judgement-free space for self-expression and healing. Drawing from a diverse background in education, yoga, and doula support, Sam enriches her practice, aiming to collaborate closely with clients towards meaningful change and well-being.

Read more about how Sam can work with you to navigate your journey towards growth and fulfilment.