Our team of Registered Clinical Counsellors offer many different techniques and approaches including talk therapy, couple's counselling, neuro-affirming therapy, EMDR, clinical hypnosis, Child & Youth Therapy, CBT, DBT, ACT, virtual therapy, Lifespan Integration Therapy, etc. (these are all clinician dependent). A more comprehensive breakdown can be seen at https://www.kaydahealth.ca/services (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/services)

No. Counsellors cannot offer a diagnosis. If you are seeking a diagnosis, it is best to see psychologists, psychiatrists, and doctors who are well trained in clinical assessment. If you think you may have a diagnosable mental health condition and think an assessment would be valuable to you (for example for medication or accommodation purposes), a good first step is to talk to your doctor.

Sessions start at $140 (individual virtual sessions & clinician dependent) for a 60 minute time slot; about 45-50 minutes is spent with the clinician and the last 10-15 minutes are used by the therapist for administrative work related to your visit, such as note-taking, researching, and perhaps sending you resources, for example. Session fees are in line with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors Fee Guide.(https://bcacc.ca/bcacc-fee-guide-2024/) See our Fees & Insurance page (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/fees-insurance)for more information on how you may be able to be reimbursed for some or all of your sessions. A sliding scale (discounted sessions) may be negotiated depending on your particular circumstances; please book a consult if you would like to discuss this option. ​ As of Dec 20, 2025, there is no more GST on psychotherapy provided by RCCs/ CCCs - see https://www.kaydahealth.ca/post/great-news-for-your-mental-health-gst-now-exempt-on-psychotherapy-services (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/post/great-news-for-your-mental-health-gst-now-exempt-on-psychotherapy-services)for more information. The is still GST on therapy with a counselling intern.

Most research shows that between 8 and 16 weekly sessions are where the majority of therapeutic gain is seen for most mental health concerns. Of course, there can be ongoing benefit beyond that, especially in terms of maintaining changes and having continual support. However, there is no exact number of sessions presumed; everyone's situation, presenting concerns, and ability to implement what they learn in therapy is different. We work with our clients to provide the maximum benefits through our interventions and recommendations, and we tailor our approach as much as possible to each client's own needs, budget, and abilities. We spend a lot of time in the first session trying to understand in great detail what is happening for you so that we can give you our best estimate; please keep in mind it is just an estimate and that as your situation changes, the number of sessions recommended may change too. In sum, we're here for you for as many sessions as you need or as feel beneficial to you, whether that's days, weeks, months, or even years (and maybe with some breaks between). We do always recommend starting with weekly sessions, however, and do recommend booking in a standing appointment time.

Yes. We work with ages 5+ providing individual therapy, couple's counselling, family therapy, and EMDR Therapy Intensives (clinician dependent - Meet Our Team (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/meet-team)for more details).

Parents who are supporting their children to attend counselling sign a Parental Agreement which explains this in detail. In short, this agreement explains the need for children/ youth to feel safe in counselling and how privacy works as well as the terms for payment. Some parents/ guardians may wish to use part of their child/ youth's session time to touch base with the counsellor, and/or may wish to schedule separate Parent Consultation time. Sometimes, clinicians may request parental involvement. In either of these cases, the time involving parents/ guardians is best used to discus general themes, ideas, and recommendations and is not to go into specific details shared by the child/ youth unless there is a significant safety concern (ie. imminent or immediate risk of harm to self or others/ abuse or neglect).

Mindful Caregiving: Therapy for Families, Parents, Partners, and Adult Children of Aging Parents(https://www.kaydahealth.ca/mindful-caregiving) Burnout, Executive Function & Neurodiversity Therapy(https://www.kaydahealth.ca/burnout) Counselling for Chronic Pain, Illness & Depression(https://www.kaydahealth.ca/copy-of-anxiety-stress-panic-phobias) Grief, Loss & Life Transitions Counselling(https://www.kaydahealth.ca/grief-loss-depression)

We specialize in helping stressed, burnt out, anxious, depressed and/or neurodivergent executives, entrepreneurs, professionals, parents, couples, and students (ages 5+). We like to believe that between out team, we can help anyone of any age with any concern, and if we don't find that to be the case, we are happy to refer out to our comprehensive wellness network.

We are a team of Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs). RCCs are registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). To become an RCC, a practitioner must: • Complete a Master’s degree from an accredited university program • Complete specific graduate-level counselling coursework • Complete supervised clinical practice • Adhere to a code of ethics and standards of practice • Maintain ongoing professional development • Be accountable to a professional body that clients can report concerns to This means RCCs are trained to provide ethical, evidence-based counselling and mental health treatment, and they are held to clear professional standards. Many extended health benefit plans also cover some or all of the cost of seeing an RCC (coverage varies by plan). RCCs are similar in training and oversight to other regulated helping professionals, including: • Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCCs) with the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association • Registered Clinical Social Workers / Registered Social Workers (RCSW/RSW) with the BC College of Social Workers • Registered Psychologists, who typically hold a doctoral degree and are qualified to conduct formal psychological assessments

Yes. Several of our team (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/meet-team)of Registered Clinical Counsellors offer in person therapy in Coquitlam.

Yes. RCC Sarah Susswein (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/about-sarah)maintains her own office in Port Moody and sees clients there.

Yes. Our team of RCCs can work with people in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. In certain conditions, RCCs may be able to work with people living in other provinces. Our RCCs do not work with people living out of country, but can generally support people who are travelling out of country for short periods.

Yes. Our team of RCCs can work virtually (by secure video platform or phone) with people in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. In certain conditions, RCCs may be able to work with people living in other provinces. Our RCCs do not work with people living out of country, but can generally support people who are travelling out of country for short periods.

Yes. Most of our team members offer free consultations which can easily be booked here.(https://theamegas.janeapp.com/) You can visit their individual profiles t(https://www.kaydahealth.ca/meet-team)o check whether they offer a free consult.

The vast majority of extended benefits plans (ie. Sun Life, Blue Cross, DesJardins, Canada Life, Manulife, etc.) cover some or all costs associated with individual counselling sessions provided by an RCC or OT. If you intend to seek reimbursement for the cost of sessions under a group plan, please check with your employer or benefits plan to ensure the coverage criteria includes your clinician's designation (ie. RCC/ OT). As of Nov 1, 2024, we offer limited direct billing to certain extended benefits plan (see the list of providers we can attempt to direct bill here)(https://www.kaydahealth.ca/insurance-direct-billing). However, this is clinician dependent, policy dependent, and subject to approval from each client's specific plan. Clients are responsible to pay any outstanding fees that direct billing does not cover. ​ If your plan does not cover RCCs/OTs but does cover Psychologists, Social Workers, and/or Counsellors with other designations, you can make a request to your employer through the Human Resources Department to adjust the plan to include RCC designation. Many employers are not aware that making this change is easy and can be done at no extra cost to them. Click here ()t()o download a template to help with this. Receipts are issued via email and may be needed for health plan reimbursement or as a medical expense toward your personal income tax.

If you are actively trying to treat something (ie. decrease anxiety, improve depression, recover from infidelity, manage trauma, etc.), most research suggests weekly - biweekly sessions are needed to have any clinical gain. Most people start with about 4-6 weekly sessions, and then work with their clinician from there to determine if the frequency needs maintained or not. The research also suggests that by the time you spread sessions out to once a month and lower frequency, there is little to no clinical gain. For this reason, sessions that are monthly or even more spread out, are only recommended for people looking for a supportive/ maintenance type of therapy vs. active treatment.

In your first counselling session you'll be welcomed into a safe & private space. Your therapist will go over some logistics, like explaining confidentiality, risks and benefits of therapy, and policies/ procedures to complete intake/consent steps. Then, the counsellor will take a comprehensive history (concerns, goals, risk/protective factors, past therapy) and begin collaboratively setting goals and a treatment plan. You may also receive psychoeducation, grounding if you're activated, and optional between-session work or next-step recommendations. You can read more here i(https://www.kaydahealth.ca/post/navigating-your-first-counseling-therapy-session)f it helps.

It can feel overwhelming to try and figure out which counsellor would be a good fit. To start, we suggest you review therapist profiles on the Meet Our Team (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/meet-team)page to match specialties (e.g., burnout, EMDR, couples, child/youth, neurodiversity), modalities, location (Coquitlam, Port Moody, or virtual), and fees. You can book a free consult with a clinician who seems like a fit. Alternatively, contact the clinic for guidance via connect@kaydahealth.ca (connect@kaydahealth.ca.) - just let us know what you are hoping to address, if you prefer virtual, in person, or a hybrid, if there are specific days/ times you are hoping for, and any other brief details you think might help us understand your needs. Once you get started, if after 3–5 sessions it doesn’t feel like a fit, consider switching counsellors —therapy success depends on clinical match and a trusting relationship, and it can take a few sessions to get a sense of how the relationship really feels.

If you don’t feel a fit, first tell your counsellor - honest feedback can help adjust pace, approach, or safety/grounding in sessions. If things still don’t improve after a few sessions (typically 3–5), it’s reasonable to switch therapists —Kayda Health recommends trying a different counsellor and most of our clinicians offer free consults to find a better match. If you need help changing clinicians or want recommendations, check the Meet Our Team (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/meet-team)profiles and book a free consult with someone new. If you have bigger concerns about the counsellor you are seeing and would like to pass this feedback forward, please email connect@kaydahealth.ca (connect@kaydahealth.ca)

Yes, with some limitations. Your therapist will explain confidentiality and consent at the start of therapy, but the short explanation is that your counsellor must keep clinical notes, but will not disclose any of your health information except in the face of a legal exception. The important legal exceptions the clinician must follow (they will review these) are: imminent risk of harm to self or others, concerns about abuse/neglect of a child or vulnerable person, legal involvement/ subpoenas/court orders, or if you sign release/authorize records to be shared. A good way to think about it is that Kayda Health and your counsellor are the caretakers of your file, but you are the guardian of your privacy. This is different from the legal privilege you would have in speaking to a lawyer; counsellors can be compelled to share what you have said, and you should seek legal counsel on this if you have questions or concerns about your confidentiality and privacy. If you have specific confidentiality concerns or want to discuss limits on what’s recorded/shared, raise them with your clinician and check their consent/privacy paperwork or the clinic’s Privacy Policy (https://www.kaydahealth.ca/privacy-policy)for details.

Yes. All counsellors at Kayda Health take a trauma-informed approach.

In British Columbia, the terms “counsellor,” “therapy,” “psychotherapy,” and “counselling” are not fully regulated. This means that anyone — regardless of education or training — can legally call themselves a counsellor or therapist and offer counselling services. Because of this, it’s important to look beyond titles and understand a practitioner’s credentials. Seeing a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) (or an Intern Counsellor moving towards this designation) is one way to ensure you are working with a highly trained, supervised, and ethically accountable professional. RCCs are registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). To become an RCC, a practitioner must: • Complete a Master’s degree from an accredited university program • Complete specific graduate-level counselling coursework • Complete supervised clinical practice • Adhere to a code of ethics and standards of practice • Maintain ongoing professional development • Be accountable to a professional body that clients can report concerns to This means RCCs are trained to provide ethical, evidence-based counselling and mental health treatment, and they are held to clear professional standards. Many extended health benefit plans also cover some or all of the cost of seeing an RCC (coverage varies by plan). RCCs are similar in training and oversight to other regulated helping professionals, including: • Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCCs) with the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association • Registered Clinical Social Workers / Registered Social Workers (RCSW/RSW) with the BC College of Social Workers • Registered Psychologists, who typically hold a doctoral degree and are qualified to conduct formal psychological assessments In 2025, psychotherapy became a regulated practice in BC. It is anticipated that many RCCs will join the newly formed Allied Health and Care Professionals College in or around November 2026, becoming registered as Psychotherapists, a newly regulated profession in the province. In summary: RCCs, RCSWs, CCCs, and Registered Psychologists all have formal education, professional oversight, ethical accountability, and minimum graduate-level training. This is very different from unregulated practitioners who may use the title “counsellor” without standardized qualifications or accountability.