F.A.Q.

Why should I choose your clinic for counselling?
Are anxiety and depression really treatable?
How long does counseling take?
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
How do I know if a counselor is competent and qualified?
What’s the difference between a Psychiatrist, Psychologist and Counsellor?
Is this covered by my Medical Service Plan (MSP)?
Is the cost covered by my extended health care plan?
Does anyone or anything else cover the cost of counseling?
What hours are you open?
What is the cost of counseling?
How do I pay for the sessions?

Why should I choose your clinic for counselling?

The Alpine Anxiety and Stress Relief Clinic has been serving the Vancouver Lower Mainland area for 20 years and have people that come from all over B.C.

We have established a good reputation amongst doctors, lawyers, priests and satisfied consumers.

We specialize in relationship counseling, anxiety, stress, depression, trauma and related difficulties.

We use proven approaches, to provide long term solutions, with relatively short term treatments.

Our counselors are mature, (over 40 years old) and have valuable life experience to help provide you with sensible and practical solutions.

Are anxiety and depression really treatable?

Yes they are. We have assisted hundreds of people manage and overcome these conditions.

You have within you the resources and capacity to heal and be free from these difficulties. Our role is to help stimulate this potential in you. Read our Free Report to help you understand how healing is possible.

We don’t promise miracles or quick fixes but rather solutions that you can apply in your everyday life for months and years to come.

How long does counseling take?

This is usually determined at the first or second visit. After we find out about your particular situation, your unique set of circumstances, and what goals and expectations you have for coming to counseling, within the first or second meeting, we try to give you an idea on how many sessions will likely be required to meet your needs.

It would be helpful to think about what it is you would like to achieve from counseling before you come to your first session. For some people however, goals become clearer or change as the counseling process unfolds.

Do I need a doctor’s referral?

You do not need a doctor’s referral to make an appointment with one of our counselors, however, in rare instances, you may need a referral from your doctor to ensure coverage on your extended medical plan.

How do I know if a counselor is competent and qualified?

The person you see should be registered with their respective governing body. They should have a minimum of a Master’s degree in either “Psychology”, “Counselling Psychology” or “Social Work” and have letters of designation after their name such as; Psychologist (R.Psych.), Canadian Certified Counsellors (C.C.C) or Registered Clinical Counsellors (R.C.C.).

What’s the difference between a Psychiatrist, Psychologist and Counsellor?

A Psychiatrist has a medical degree and is trained first as a doctor and later specializes in Psychiatry. Only psychiatrists and your doctor or GP are licensed to prescribe medication. Most psychiatrists restrict their services to medication management for treating psychological problems rather than doing counselling.

Psychologists in B.C. have an academic doctoral degree in the field of psychology.

Registered Clinical Counsellors and Canadian Certified Counsellors have a master’s degree in the field of psychology.

Psychologists and counsellors often use similar psychological approaches to provide counselling and psychotherapy.

If medication is needed, they will work jointly with a Psychiatrist or your G.P. to determine the best treatment option.

Is this covered by my Medical Service Plan (MSP)?

The cost of seeing a Psychologist or Counsellor is not covered under your Medical Service Plan of B.C. (MSP). Only your medical doctor (GP) and Psychiatrist are covered by the government plan.

Is the cost covered by my extended health care plan?

Psychologists and Registered Clinical Counsellors (R.C.C.) are generally covered on many extended health benefit plans, however, this depends on your company’s specific plan.

Please speak to your human resources department or consult your benefits booklet which contains the specifics of your company’s health plan to determine what kind of professionals are covered, and also, what amount you are entitled to per calendar year.

This information will help us make more informed decisions to meet your needs when you call us.

If your plan does not cover Canadian Certified Counsellors (C.C.C) or Registered Clinical Counsellors (R.C.C.), but only covers Registered Psychologists, you can make a request to your employer that they adjust your plan. This easy adjustment will be of no cost to your employer but will increase your benefit.

You are welcome to download the following Insurance Request Form to help you submit your request.

Does anyone or anything else cover the cost of counseling?

We are often covered by Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB) and Victim’s Assistance Services.

With the proper approval, we also occasionally receive payments from ICBC when people have been involved in a Motor Vehicle Accident and suffer from anxiety or trauma as a result.

Many clients who are self employed or who own their own company are able to offset the costs of counseling against their taxes.

What hours are you open?

We try to accommodate our clients by offering daytime, evening and some week-end appointments.

If you call us after hours, you can leave a message on our voice mail, or email us at info@anxietyandstressrelief.com and we will get back to you within a few hours.

What is the cost of counseling?

All our fees are set in accordance with the fee guidelines of the B.C. Association of Psychologists and the B.C. Association of Clinical Counsellors.

Our fees vary with each therapist, type of treatment, and length of session.

Rate options vary between $60.00 and $175.00 per session.

We also offer the services of our Graduate Intern Counsellors at a substantially reduced cost. When counselors complete their master’s degree in counseling, they are required to complete an internship. Our interns provide quality care at very affordable rates.

All our interns are trained and supervised directly by our director Claire Maisonneuve who has 22 years of counseling experience. Our current intern is Sarah Turner.

We also have regular group programs as a more affordable alternative.