the past fifteen years counselling has become mainstream, and a large percentage of the population now gets assistance from a professional psychotherapist, at least occasionally.  Many professionals seek counselling to relieve stress, achieve career goals, or to reduce the anxiety of busy, competitive lives.  Others wish to find freedom from shyness, relationship problems, and eating disorders that prevent them from reaching their goals.  Many Arbutus Counselling clients are very high-achieving in many areas of their lives and simply want to work on an issue they haven't been able to fix on their own.

How Many Sessions Will I Need?

When is therapy useful? 

Psychotherapy is useful any time you 

• Need someone on your side -- someone who is knowledgeable 
• Are stuck and need help resolving a particular problem
• Have an eating disorder or addiction and need advice and support in order to get in control
• Need coaching support to meet a specific goal, such as career, relationship or social
• Have concerns about your relationship and want expert help to improve it, or to make decisions about the direction the relationship should take
• Have a need for strict confidentiality in regard to your concerns
• Need a fresh look at your life and where it's going
• Are feeling depressed or traumatized by specific events
• Are sad, lonely, or anxious and don't see a way out.

What and who to look for

Anyone can call himself/herself a counsellor or psychotherapist, so you will need to be certain that the person you choose is registered by a recognized regulatory body in the Province of BC.  The types of therapists governed by these regulatory bodies are

• Psychiatrists
• Registered Clinical Counsellors or Canadian Certified Counsellors
• Registered Psychologists
• Registered Social Workers

Note that there are people using terms that sound similar to those above, but they are not recognized designations. The therapist you choose should have at least a Master's Degree from a recognized university, in a Counselling-related field, and should be able to provide you with a registration number. Registration means that the person has a professional body governing their practice, bringing you third party accountability.  In addition, only those who are registered have practices eligible for insurance and related assistance with fees.

You can also ask what specialty training the professional has.  Many therapists have trained in modalities such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Relationship, Addictions, and more.