The First Session:
I will guide you through the Informed Consent process, which outlines confidentiality (see below), your rights as a client, and my legal and ethical responsibilities as a counsellor. From here, I can start to learn about you and your reasons for seeking support, and we can discuss your hopes and goals for the counselling process. 

For parents or guardians seeking counselling for a child: I typically meet with the parents/guardians first and then the child can attend the next session.

Please feel free to ask questions in our first session! Finding a counsellor who you feel a connection with is essential for you to fully benefit from the counselling process.

Ongoing Counselling: A session is 60 minutes in length. I will listen carefully and non-judgmentally, clarifying your experiences and situation until you feel that I fully understand. We will explore patterns in feelings, thoughts, and behaviours and work together to formulate goals and problem-solving strategies. The session will go at your pace, based on how much information and/or feelings you are comfortable with sharing.

It is important to understand that I will not proceed with anything unless you are comfortable to continue, and you may stop the counselling session at any time. The one exception to this is outlined in the limits of confidentiality, as defined below within the confidentiality section.

The methods used in counselling come from a variety of theoretical backgrounds.  Each person is unique and wants to achieve something different, so my work as a counsellor is to help formulate a plan and strategies that fit you best and then guide you in carrying out some of these goals.  Together, we will figure out what works best for you.

Presenting Concerns
Some common reasons for parents to seek counselling, for themselves or their children, include:
  • Anxiety
  • Accessing parenting support and resources
  • Grief/loss
  • Stress management
  • Depression
  • Prenatal and/or postpartum depression
  • Prenatal and/or postpartum anxiety
  • Relationship issues
  • Academic concerns
  • Social skills
  • Social-emotional health

Confidentiality
Anything you talk about in a counselling session is kept in strict confidence unless you give written permission to share this information outside of the Calm Kids Counselling office. There are a few exceptions:

1. If you tell your counsellor that you are going to harm yourself or someone else, your counsellor is required by law to do anything that he or she can to reasonably prevent this from happening.
2. Your counsellor is required by law to report any suspected or potential child abuse and/or neglect to the Ministry of Children and Family Development or to the Police.
3. If a vulnerable adult is abused or neglected, a report may be filed with the appropriate governmental agency.
4. A subpoena by a court of law requiring disclosure from the counsellor and/or counselling records.
5. Your counsellor will also consult with a clinical supervisor or clinical colleagues from time to time regarding cases; however, client names are never used and identifying information is changed to protect client identity.
* email cannot be guaranteed as completely confidential.