FAQs

Sessions are typically 50 minutes in duration. However, longer
sessions are available on request. Often, couples and clients with previous trauma benefit from longer sessions.

The goal of our first meeting is to get to know each other and see if the fit is good between us. You’ll be able to share more detail about what brings you to counselling and what you hope to gain through our work together.

Counselling is personal and the fit is really important. Often, this is simply felt as “right”, and one can get a sense of this after a couple of sessions. Of course, meeting someone new is often a bit awkward at first and those new to counselling will be comforted to know this does abate. If feelings of discomfort or awkwardness do not shift, perhaps we aren’t a match. I encourage clients to trust themselves.

No doubt you have thought about what you’d like to work on in therapy prior to coming or you may have unfinished business from prior counselling, but giving concrete thought to your goals is helpful. Successful counselling is truly dependent on the fit between us, so thinking about, and then communicating that to me in our first session, is often helpful.

You can email me directly at chaber@envisioncounselling.ca, call me at 604-222-1120 or fill in the form on the “contact me” page. I do have a practice management system for appointment reminders, invoicing and receipt sending, but presently clients must contact me directly to book or change an appointment.

Each client is unique so therefore, it is difficult to predict this with certainty at the outset. The cadence of our sessions can be best determined by discussion together, based on your needs and concerns, appointment availability, and financial considerations.

Yes, I offer in-person counselling in my Vancouver office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. If a client is locally situated, I prefer to begin with in-person meetings and then move to virtual sessions if that is deemed to be more convenient for the client. Fridays are reserved for virtual sessions, although virtual sessions are also possible Tuesday through Thursday as well.

Yes, I do. Heterosexual and same sex couples are welcome.

On occasion, but it is not an area of expertise.

I accept e-transfers, cash or cheque. Payment is due at the end of each session.

Yes, I have a few reduced fee spaces for low-income individuals. Please reach out to inquire. I recognize that therapy is expensive and fees can be a barrier.

I require 24 hours notice for cancellation or changes to your appointment. The exception to this is illness or emergency. Missed appointments without notice will be invoiced for the full fee of the session.

Many extended health benefit plans (i.e. Blue Cross, Great West Life, Manulife, etc) will reimburse for the services of a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), usually up to a set amount per year or a percentage of each session. I would encourage you to check with the human resources department of your employer to confirm coverage. I will provide you with an electronic receipt that can be submitted to your health benefit provider for reimbursement.

Yes, anything discussed during our sessions is confidential between us. However, there are circumstances whereby confidentiality will not be upheld, and you would be informed in the moment that confidentiality would be breeched. Those circumstances are outlined in my consent form, and are as follows:

  • Child protective services would be notified if there is suspicion or knowledge of a minor child in need of protection due to neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
  • If a vulnerable adult was being physically, sexually or emotionally abused I would notify appropriate authorities.
  • If a judge was to subpoena a client’s record.
  • If a client reveals they have the intention to end their own or another person’s life.

Yes, there are a few free visitor parking spots in the building. Access to the parking is at the rear of the building. Press 213 on the entry phone and I will buzz you in. Visitor parking is located immediately on the left at the bottom of the driveway. There is also some free street parking within one block and meter parking around the building.