Stillwater Counselling & Wellness does not require a referral from another service provider.
Simply call us at (780) 800-0404 or email us at info@stillwaterwellness.ca.

We recommend making appointments by telephone. You are also welcome to schedule an appointment by email at info@stillwaterwellness.ca.

The free 15-minute telephone consultation is intended to help you and your counsellor ensure the right fit for your needs. The consultation provides you the opportunity to meet a prospective counsellor and ask questions that are important to you. It also provides an opportunity for your counsellor to ask you questions, clarify your goals, and evaluate if their training and approach is well-aligned with your needs. The consultation is not an assessment nor counselling.

Research consistently shows that the quality of the relationship between you and your counsellor is the most important factor for determining counselling success. As such, we believe it is essential to ensure the ‘right fit’ between you and your counsellor. Consider asking a prospective counsellor the following questions:

How would you describe your approach?
Have you worked with someone who is dealing with the same issues as me?
What does a ‘typical’ session look like?
Do you have availability that fits my schedule?

Registered Social Workers, Registered Clinical Social Workers, and Psychologists are all regulated professionals who are trained to provide evidence-based interventions for individuals, couples, families, and groups. In Alberta, Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) and Psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Social workers approach individuals holistically, recognizing that a person’s context can have both positive and negative impacts on their well-being. Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) is a protected title and used by professionals recognized as having advanced standing in clinical social work practice

Your first session is intended to provide your counsellor with a clear picture of what brought you to counselling and a thorough understanding of your relevant personal history. During this session, you and your counsellor will explore solutions you have already tried and what's been working well for you. Importantly, you and your counsellor will also clarify your unique goals for counselling. This process typically requires the duration of the initial session and is important to build a foundation for effective and efficient counselling. Subsequent sessions will focus on addressing the issues that brought you to counselling while hopefully bringing you closer towards achieving your personal goals

The number of recommended sessions will depend on your specific needs and goals, and can be collaboratively discussed with your counsellor. While your counsellor may provide an estimate regarding the anticipated duration of counselling, it is also important to keep in mind that achievement of counselling goals may proceed more slowly or quickly than estimated.

Each session is typically fifty (50) minutes in length. The length of the appointment may vary depending on the counselling approach being used and the agreement in place between you and your counsellor.

Confidentiality, trust, and respect is at the heart of effective counselling. Essentially everything that is discussed during your counselling services will be kept private and in the strictest of confidence. There are some notable exceptions where your counsellor is legally required to break confidentiality. Prior to commencing services, you will have the opportunity to review our consent for services document, ask questions, and ensure that you have a clear understanding of our confidentiality policy.

Virtual counselling services offer several benefits, including convenience (e.g., no commute, ability to schedule sessions that fit with your daily activities, etc.), affordability (e.g., no travel and/or parking costs), accessibility (e.g., access for individuals living in remote locations, alternative options for individuals living in small communities with limited anonymity, access for individuals who may feel too anxious/overwhelmed to leave their residence, improved access for people with disabilities who may experience transportation difficulties and/or have physical needs that can only be met in their home), and enhanced comfort from being in your own space. During the pandemic response, virtual counselling services additionally offer a safe option that may reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Research regarding the effectiveness of virtual and telephone counselling is ongoing, however, many initial studies have found that their effectiveness is comparable to in-person counselling.

Risks of virtual counselling services may include technological issues (e.g., poor audio and/or video quality, dropped calls, unstable internet connection), lack of privacy and/or distractions in your environment, and miscommunication. Telephone counselling lacks the visual cues that are particular to in-person sessions, increasing the possibility that both you and your counsellor may miss important forms of communication. Within the context of virtual counselling, visual cues are limited to those captured on screen

In an effort to mitigate risks associated with virtual and telephone counselling services and to enhance your counselling experience, you will be provided with an information sheet with tips for participating in these counselling formats. Stillwater Counselling & Wellness uses Zoom’s professional platform which is compliant with Canadian Data Protection regulations, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and, locally, the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

Standard Fee
15-minute Telephone Consultation
Free
Standard 50-minute Individual Counselling Session
$180.00
Standard 30-minute Booster Session
$90.00
Standard 50-minute Couples Counselling Session
$200.00
Reports/letters (upon request)
Prorated at $180.00/hr
Out of session emails and telephone calls lasting over 15 mins
Prorated at $180.00/hr