Frequently Asked Questions

Counselling offers an opportunity for you to express yourself in a safe, non-judgemental environment. With the guidance of a qualified, professional counsellor, you can gain new perspectives and learn different strategies to overcome whatever issues you’re facing.

By working with the right counselor, you can understand yourself more deeply, take better care of yourself, improve the quality of your relationships, overcome negative patterns of behaviour, and learn to set clearly defined goals.

You will be greeted in a waiting room that offers espresso, tea, and water, before joining your counsellor in a comfortable sound-proofed room. You will be met with warmth and respect before you are guided through the process of informed consent so that there is total transparency. Your counsellor will get to know you so that the therapy is specially fitted to you as a unique person. All activities will be explained fully and nothing will ever happen without your consent and awareness. Once you’re done, you will receive a detailed receipt following payment by credit card, e-transfer or cash (no change provided) that may be submitted to your Extended Insurance Plan.

Our therapy models are based on the integration of body, mind, and emotion, instead of focusing on just one.

At Thrive, we work to normalize mental health struggles. We want you to realize that you aren’t broken, that your struggles make sense, and that, with the right support, you can change your relationship with yourself and others. We make sure to honour the individual journey of each of our clients, in a way that feels safe and non-judgemental.

Growth and healing are best viewed as a journey that you learn to live, instead of a cure that you take like a pill. For this reason, everybody is different. We often find that 4 – 8 sessions accomplish a great deal of relief. With that said, clients may experience transformation within a few sessions or realize there is something bigger they want to work on the long term.

When possible, it’s a great idea to come in every week or two when you get started. The biggest first step is building trust and safety with your counsellor—that’s what allows good work to be done. Once this occurs, clients often space out appointments to a month or more, or take breaks from counselling altogether.

Our Clinical Counsellors are covered under most Extended Health Plans, but always call or check online to ensure your plan covers counselling specifically.

Most sessions are 50-minutes, leaving your counsellor 10 minutes to prepare notes and to help organize the best treatment possible.