Frequently Asked Questions

Online Counselling, Coaching, Sex Therapy and Supervision in B.C.

Fees and Payments

  • The fees for Individual Counselling are:

    $155.00 per 60-minute session

    $195.00 per 75-minute session 

    $235.00 per 90-minute session

    $310.00 per 120-minute session

  • Couples Counselling or Relationship Therapy sessions are:

    $175 per 60-minute session 

    $225 per 75-minute session

    $275 per 90-minute session

    $350 per 120-minute session 

  • The fees for Clinical Supervision are:

    $155.00 per 60-minute session

    $195.00 per 75-minute session 

    $235.00 per 90-minute session

    $310.00 per 120-minute session

  • Please provide 48 hours notice or as much time as possible to reschedule or cancel a session.

    Please text for time sensitive issues.

    If the session is not cancelled 24 hours before the scheduled appointment time, I will charge a full session fee for the session as I am unable to fill last minute sessions.

    If there is a pattern of missed or rescheduled appointments, I reserve the right to end our working relationship and refer you to another counsellor.  

    Please be mindful when booking appointments and aim to attend the ones you book, as it can be difficult to fill sessions even with notice.

    Thank you for understanding!

  • I accept e-transfers, cash and credit cards.

  • I appreciate receiving payment before the session or at the start of session, to minimize additional administrative work in following up with late or missed payments after the session.

Insurance

  • Yes. Registered Clinical Counsellors are reimbursed through most insurance companies, though individual plans may vary. 

    Please contact your Insurance provider directly to inquire about which healthcare professionals your plan covers, how much is covered and the timeframe of your coverage.

    Receipts are emailed to you within ten days after the session for you to submit it to your provider.

  • I accept funding from the Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP) and charge a small top-up fee per session.

  • I appreciate and very much enjoy supporting First Nations people. However, FNHA offers a significantly reduced, fixed rate for all Registered Clinical Counsellor's regardless of experience or education, which makes it unsustainable to continue accepting FNHA coverage.

    I encourage First Nations people who are seeking counselling and support to use their health benefits through their work.

    Also, I encourage First Nations people to contact FNHA directly to request that this issue be addressed and resolved..

The Counselling Process

  • A new client fills out the Intake and Consent Forms and brings them to the first session or emails them back to me for virtual sessions.

    The first session is an introductory session where we discuss an overview of your concerns and this allows you to see if it is a good fit for you. 

    ​The session is usually 60 minutes long. At the end of the session, we check in and discuss whether or not this is a good fit. If it is a good fit, we will make a plan together, complete payment and schedule the next session.

    You are invited to ask questions at any time, as this is a process designed to nurture, support and empower you. 

    And when you feel like you have achieved your goals, would like to take a break or get a referral for another health care professional, feel free to share that with me and I will assist you the best way that I can.

  • Counselling, like other health professions, requires the client to be informed of the risks and the benefits of any treatment.

    You have the right to consent to therapy by signing the consent form and if it is not signed, your engagement and participation in therapy would imply that you are consenting to therapy. 

    Consent is an ongoing process and can be withdrawn at any time, which would end the counselling relationship.

  • Confidentiality essential means privacy about your personal information.

    Everything you say in counselling will be kept private except for the following concerns.

    If I believe that you are likely to attempt fatal harm to yourself or you share threats of lethal harm to another identifiable person, I have a duty to report this to the authorities.

    If children are being seriously harmed, courts request information or I need supervision, these are the only times I will take your personal information outside of the therapy room.

    Also, if I see you in public, I will not approach you in order to protect your privacy.

    Counsellors are ethically required to take confidentiality seriously.

  • You can just say that! You could share with them directly or with a text or an email about what you are thinking.

    Perhaps, it might be that you would like to take a break or you would like a referral for a different specialty or perhaps you are feeling okay with how thing are and you don’t need to connect as often.

    It is as easy as that!

    We really do care about our clients and their journey’s and it is also helpful for therapists to know for scheduling purposes.

What do Registered Clinical Counsellors study?

  • Registered Clinical Counsellors spend around three years completing a Master’s program which includes a biopsychosocial or a holistic approach to wellbeing.

    A practicum is completed as part of the program, which is usually 8 months though I chose to extend mine over the course of a year.

    There are additional counselling requirements for Registered Clinical Counsellors such as specific time requirements in each counselling area to meet the standards for our registering body which is the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors.

    ​The Masters program I attended focuses on counselling and every course over three years is focused on various approaches to counselling.

    ​Some of these topics include; individual therapy, systemic or family therapy, group therapy and couples therapy.

    In addition, I studied counselling skills and competencies, theories of personalities, cultural diversity, assessments, ethical standards, research methodology and psychopathology.

    Also, I studied different modalities such as emotion-focused therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, psychodynamic and humanistic approaches. I explored topics such as trauma, couples counselling, health psychology and domestic abuse. 

  • You could ask about their qualifications including level of education, years of training or experience and if they are registered with a professional association such as the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors or the Canadian Certified Counsellor.

    You could ask practical questions such as fees, office location, how long are sessions and payment questions.

    If you are seeking a therapist or a counsellor with for a specific issue such as sex therapy or looking for a specific modality such as emotion-focused therapy, you could to ask about this.

    You may also want to ask about their counselling style as some counsellors are really directive and some primarily focus on empathic listening.

    Most counsellors offer brief complimentary consultations where you can discuss your questions and see how you feel when you connect with them.

    What matters the most, is finding the right fit for you!

Sex Therapy

  • Sex therapy is a professional healthcare service, just like clinical counselling or seeing a medical professional, where we can have an open conversation about your sexual health and wellness concerns and explore ideas and solutions to these issues.

    Similar to the counselling process, the focus of attention is exclusively on your issues, your feelings and your concerns and not the therapists' concerns.​ 

  • Sex therapy is exclusively talk therapy and does not include any form of physical touch or physical contact.

Social Media Policy and Privacy

  • Clients can follow my therapy page Julie Thomason Clinical Counsellor for therapy related posts and information.

    As for my personal Facebook page, I can’t accept friend requests from current or former clients on social media sites like Facebook, as this can compromise your confidentiality, our respective privacy and it may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship.

    If you have sent me a friend request and I didn’t respond, this is why. And, If there are any questions about this, please feel free to discuss this with me.

  • Yes, you can follow my therapy socials on Instagram as I have one for therapy and one for sex therapy.

    @julie_therapy_works

    @sextherapywithjulie

    I use my social media pages to promote my private practice and share resources and inspiration.

    I do not search, follow or friend current or former clients and I make a practice of deleting any comments regarding my services from current or former clients on these platforms.

  • The best way to reach me is text or email.

    I encourage people to avoid messaging me on social media because the message will likely be missed as I do not check them regularly.

    Also, social media sites are not secure and I cannot protect your privacy.

  • Some sites automatically ask for reviews but please know that it is unethical for a therapist to ask for or display client reviews according to our registering body which is the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors.

  • If you use location-based services on your phone, you may wish to be aware of the privacy issues related to using these services.

    If you have GPS tracking enabled on your device, it is possible that others could guess, where you are and that you may that you be a client, due to your location.

Emergencies

  • My role is to provide scheduled counselling sessions only.

    I do not offer crisis calls, on-call services or emergency services. 

    I do however, help prepare suicide safety plans for people struggling with suicidality and I can support you through this issue, during your scheduled appointments.

  • Please go to the nearest hospital or If you are unable to get yourself safely there, please dial 911 to contact emergency services and they will come get you and take you to the hospital to ensure your safety.

    Or you can call the Fraser Health crisis line:

    604-951-8855 or 1-877-820-7444 (toll-free) which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

  • If you or someone identifiable is at serious risk of suicide please text or call the following.

    Call 911 to get an ambulance to take you to the hospital.   

    For online text/chat from 6pm to midnight go to http://youthspace.ca/

    For chat go to: www.youthinbc.com

    Or call the START Team at 1-844-START11 (1-844-782-7811).

  • Find the safest place in your house and take care of your needs and avoid the kitchen, garage and bathroom.

    Hide things that you could harm yourself with including your car keys.

    Then, have some food.

    Drink some tea.

    Take a nap.

    Breathe deeply.

    And connect with safe others when you can.

Would you love to live a life where you feel seen, safe, and understood — in your body, your mind, and your relationships?