Frequently Asked Questions

Counselling is a process designed to help you address your concerns and develop stronger personal and interpersonal coping strategies. It is not a one-size-fits-all service! Your counsellor will work with you and adapt to your unique needs. You can expect to discuss current events in your life, your personal history related to your present concern, and any progress or insight gained from previous sessions. 

Counselling can be short- or long-term and will depend on your preference and desire. It is not uncommon to experience stronger than usual emotions between sessions, as we unpack difficult experiences. Positive changes through counselling often require consistent sessions (typically weekly or biweekly), and a persistent effort on your behalf. Your counsellor may suggest ‘homework’ between sessions. Homework will be based on in-session progress and offered if your counsellor believes it would be useful. Homework is a choice  – If it does not feel right to you, then you can leave it. Take what works and leave what doesn’t! 

Sessions vary between 50 and 75 minutes in length. We recommend starting with 50 minutes because that is usually more than enough time. If you are someone who would like more time, the 75 minute option is a great idea. Sessions are booked for 60- and 90-minute periods for booking purposes. However, sessions remain 50- and 75-minutes long.

Direct billing to insurance providers or third party providers (i.e., ICBC, work programs) is not currently available. If you have external coverage for your sessions, you will need to submit your receipts directly. 

Research shows that coming to therapy once a week or every two weeks typically yields the best results. However, this is completely your decision. Your therapist will work with you to find a plan that works for you.

Your privacy is of utmost importance in your sessions. Confidentiality will always be maintained to ensure a safe space for you to discuss sensitive information that you may not feel comfortable sharing elsewhere. Every counsellor should provide a written copy of their Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement. This is called  Informed Consent  and should be discussed verbally in the first session. Occasionally, you may want your counsellor to share information or provide an update to someone on your healthcare team. This can only be done with your written consent. 

 While your privacy is always a priority, according to provincial and ethical laws there are certain circumstances that your counsellor has a duty to report. These include:  

• If you or someone else is an imminent risk of harm; 
• If your counsellor suspects  any abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult; 
• If a court subpoenaed your counsellor’s documents.

You can book a session by calling 604-924-6626, following this link https://lynnvalleycounselling.janeapp.com/ or by emailing: info@lynnvalleycounselling.com

Session rates vary by counsellor. Please check counsellor profiles for their rates. All rates are subject to 5% GST & are in accordance with the BCACC recommended fee schedule.

Finding the right counsellor for you can be tricky. It is so important that you feel good about the counsellor you are working with. The number one predictor of the efficacy of counselling is the relationship  you have with your counsellor! 

Just like in your life, sometimes there are counsellors you just don’t jive with. Because of this, we offer a free 20-minute consultation to all new clients so that you and your therapist can get a feel for each other. In this consultation, you will get an opportunity to get to know your therapist and how they work. Your therapist will also get an idea of your reasons for counselling and may offer you a referral in some cases if they feel that another counsellor may be better suited to your concerns and needs.

The average number of sessions ranges from 12-16. Therapy can be brief or longterm, depending on your needs.  Sometimes life gets in the way or you may feel ready for a break from counselling. Over time, you may decide that you would like to come back to work on new or ongoing concerns. Our door is always open if you ever want to come back after taking a break!

Lynn Valley Counselling is located on the 2nd floor of Lynn Valley Centre.  

Address: (#44-1199) Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7J 3H2. 

There is street level parking in the front and back of the mall, as well as underground parking beneath SaveOn Foods and the Library Plaza. 

Bus stops are located outside Lynn Valley Centre. 

There are a couple of things to keep in mind for your virtual appointment. First, you will need to complete the Telehealth Informed Consent form before starting your appointment. Please ensure that you are in a quiet and private space in order to maintain confidentiality.  

You can choose between a phone or video appointment: 

• Phone appointments – I will call you from a private number at the start of our session. 
• Video appointments – You will receive an emailed link to the video platform (which runs through JaneApp) 30 minutes prior to our appointment time. Please ensure you are using Google Chrome if using a laptop or desktop and the JaneApp mobile app if using your mobile phone.

Strict protocols have been put in place to ensure everyone’s safety in the clinic and to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus. These protocols include: 

• Required ongoing self-assessment for signs of Covid-19 related symptoms. You will need to complete a Covid-19 Questionnaire prior to coming in for each of your appointments. 
• Reduced physical, non-treatment related interactions amongst all people within the practice environment 
• Hand hygiene requirements 
• Avoiding face touching 
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE). You will need to wear a face mask while in the office. This includes through the duration of our appointment. 
• Meeting professional obligations, particularly related to informed consent and liability insurance 

For more detailed information about the clinic’s Covid-19 Safety protocols, please visit: TBD – link to covid safety page

As part of our registration with the British Columbian Association of Clinical Counsellors we are required to have a Social Media Policy. Please take a read for clarification on how Lynn Valley Counselling uses social media, how we respond to communication over social media, and how we maintain client confidentiality.

Lynn Valley Counselling Instagram & Facebook

LVC operates a business Instagram page under the username @lvccounselling as well as a business Facebook page under the username Lynn Valley Counselling. These is are public accounts designed to share relevant posts relating to mental health tips, they does not offer individual advice or intend to act as a substitute for therapy. While a client is welcome to follow these accounts please be aware that this may infer to others that you are a client and therefore please do so at your own discretion. To protect your confidentiality, we will never respond to questions or comments by a client on Instagram or Facebook or reveal our relationship to you. All questions/inquiries must be sent through the info@lynnvalleycounselling.com email account or by phone on 604-924-6626. While we do follow other mental health professionals and related accounts, we do not follow clients or former clients.

Personal Social Media Accounts

The LVC team will not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any personal social networking site (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). This is to maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, and maintain a high ethical standard of practice.

Business Review Sites

You may find Lynn Valley Counselling on sites such as Yelp or Google where online client reviews are possible. If you should find LVC on one of these sites please know this is not a request for a review or a rating, as while you are able to post reviews for where you wish, doing this would impact your confidentiality and anonymity and we want to protect this as much as possible.

If you have any questions about this policy please do get in touch and note that should this policy be updated we will notify you with the changes to review.