FAQ
Counselling starts by booking your initial session. This initial session is commonly called an “assessment” or “intake” session when you and your counsellor will spend time discussing the following:
- What can be expected from counselling in terms of confidentiality, payment, and scheduling.
- Your previous experiences doing counselling including what worked and didn’t work for you.
- A thorough exploration of your current challenges, thoughts, and feelings and how they impact your day-to-day life.
- A history of your current concerns and a brief overview of your family background.
- An exploration as to why you might be feeling or behaving the way you do.
- What we can do in counselling to help you start feeling better and improve your situation.
- Any questions or concerns you might have about the process.
Our fees vary depending on the services provided:
- Counselling Interns:
- Individual Counselling: $80/60min. *
- Couples Counselling: $90/60min. *
- Psychotherapists and Social Workers:
- Individual Counselling: $160/60min **
- Couples or Family Counselling: $180/60min **
- Psychologist (Supervised Practice):
- Individual Counselling: $196/60min **
- Couples or Family Counselling: $216/60min **
*NOTE: Intern fees will be increasing by $5/hr January 1st, 2025
**NOTE: Fees will be increasing by $10/hr January 1st, 2025
- Sessions may be extended past 60min at a fraction of the hourly rate.
- Preferred payment by credit credit or debit (*we do not normally accept e-transfers).
- Payment is provided at the end of sessions.
Our services can be covered under most health insurance plans that cover the services of a Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Social Worker, or a Registered Psychologist. It is your responsibility to call your insurance provider prior to your first session to determine the details of your coverage. Questions you can ask your insurance provider include:
- Do they cover Registered Psychotherapists or Registered Social Workers?
- Do they cover a therapist **supervised** by a Registered Psychologist? *
- What is the total amount of coverage you have left for the year (e.g., $500/year).
- How much is covered per session (e.g., 100%, up to a certain amount, etc.).
- What details are required on the receipt?
- Are your family members included in the coverage?
- Is a physician’s referral/note required?
When choosing your counsellor from our centre, please ensure you’ve picked a counsellor with the credentials your insurance provider will cover (i.e., Registered Psychotherapist or a Registered Social Worker). See our counsellors’ website profiles for details or contact us anytime for further clarification.
If your provider only covers a Registered Psychologist, then ask if they will cover services of a qualified professional who is supervised by a Registered Psychologist. Most of our counsellors (excluding intern counsellors) are supervised by a Registered Psychological Associate (Leanne Wagner).
* Check our counsellors’ web profiles to see if your selected counsellor is listed as “Eligible for Plans Requiring a Psychologist” in their “Insurance Info” section.
Note: Insurance claims that are rejected are not refundable nor can they be retroactively changed to a Psychologist should one be required for coverage. It is therefore important to clarify coverage ahead of time.
These details can be very confusing and so please do not hesitate to contact us any time with the information you’ve collected from your health insurance company and we would be happy to match you with the appropriate counsellor or further explain the process.
Counselling hours vary according to your individual counsellor’s availability. Some of our counsellors work on weekends, evenings, and weekdays. By booking online, you’ll be able to see their current schedules and pick the time that works best for you. You’re welcome to call or e-mail us anytime and we’ll aim to return your message within 24 hours during weekdays.
- Book online to see our counsellors’ availability.
- Call or e-email anytime and we’ll return your message within 24hrs during weekdays.
Schedule a session instantly using our online scheduling system – no waiting or phone tag. Use the link below to see our counsellors’ schedules in real time and book your session instantly:
- Click here and follow the easy on-screen instructions to book online instantly.
- Call our Client Care Specialist toll free at 1-800-828-9484 weekdays from 9-5 for live support in selecting a counsellor.
- Alternatively, e-mail our Client Care Specialist at mylife@mylifecounselling.ca to request a session.
- We aim to return your call or reply to your e-mail within 24/hrs during weekdays.
Our 18 offices are located at 109 Surrey St. E. in Guelph, Ontario in a newly renovated heritage building. Our space provides a relaxing and quiet environment specially designed to maintain your privacy and comfort. Our offices are specially sound proofed and used exclusively for counselling purposes.
- 109 Surrey St. E., Guelph, Ontario.
- Free dedicated parking at the rear of the building.
- Free street parking for 2 hours in front of the building.
- Our offices are open only for scheduled appointments so please call first to arrange your meeting time.
We offer professional counselling services in Guelph, Ontario for both adults and youth ages 5 and up. Our services are available to any individual, couple or family regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age or economic status. We offer:
- Individual Counselling
- Couples & Marriage Counselling
- Child & Youth Counselling
- Adolescent Counselling
- Family Counselling
Our counsellors cover a wide range of issues that you might be struggling with. There are a number of specific issues that are associated with these experiences that our counsellors can help you work through:
- Relationship Conflict: frequent fighting, anger, mistrust, inability to assert oneself, communication problems.
- Depression: feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, loss of energy and pleasure.
- Anxiety: feeling on edge, panic, unable to sleep, heart racing, fear of dying, irritable, need to escape.
- Grief and Loss: persistent sadness, guilt, loss of energy, yearning, confusion, numbness, anger, flashbacks.
- Suicidal thoughts and self-harm: thoughts of ending your life/pain, impulses to cut, burn, or otherwise hurt yourself to cope with overwhelming emotions or numbness.
- Post Traumatic Stress: distressing flashbacks, nightmares, feeling disconnected, unreal, numb, afraid, easily triggered, unsafe, mistrustful of others.
- Addictions: using alcohol, drugs, gambling, internet, or porn or other addictive things to distract from overwhelming emotions or flashbacks.
- Emotional Self-regulation: feeling on the edge of an emotional “breakdown,” fear of going “crazy” at work, in school, or at home, inexplicable outbursts of anger, sadness, or fear.
- Low Self-esteem: being self-critical, feeling like a failure, alone, unacceptable, unattractive, flawed, or unlovable.
- Life Purpose and Identity: needing to develop a more positive identity based on one’s hopes, strengths, and aspirations instead of past limitations, pain, and loss.
- Eating Disorders & Body Issues: endless intrusive thoughts about your appearance, self-worth, and eating habits, restrictive or binging eating behaviours that take a toll on your physical and emotional health.
- Post-Partum Issues: feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed after giving birth and feeling shame and fear in asking for help.
- Parenting Support: needing expert guidance and advice in dealing with your children’s emotions and behaviours at home and in school.
- Acquired Brain Injury, Chronic Illness, Concussion: learning to cope and overcome the challenges associated with newly acquired injuries or illnesses that impact your mental health, self-concept, and relationships.
Our counsellors use a range of helping approaches and will work to find an effective combination for your unique issues and preferences. These include such evidence-based therapies as,
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Person-Centred Therapy (PST)
- Gottman Method Couples Counselling
- Emotionally Focused Therapy
- Mindfulness-based Therapy
- Existential Therapy
- Gestalt Therapy
- Art Therapy
- Family Systems Theory
- Attachment Based Therapies
All information shared in a counselling session is private and confidential except in the following instances:
- There is a risk of imminent danger to an identifiable third party or to self.
- There is suspicion of child abuse or neglect.
- A disclosure is ordered by a court.
- There is reasonable belief that a health professional is guilty of sexual abuse.
- There is reasonable belief that abuse or neglect of residents living in Long-Term Care Facilities or Retirement Homes is taking place.
- There is a need to share information with the College of Psychologists of Ontario or the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario or the the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers for supervision or auditing purposes.
Your specific session lengths will be agreed upon prior to starting counselling. Our counsellors can adjust the time based on your needs and preferences. Generally speaking,
- Sessions are typically 60 to 120 minutes in length.
- Sessions start off on a weekly basis.
- As you begin to experience improvement and change, it is possible to space your sessions out over time (e.g., every two weeks).
- After you’re satisfied with the progress you’ve made, you can set up “follow-up” sessions and check-in every month or second month to help maintain your changes.
- Should new issues or challenges arise at any point you can request to change the frequency of sessions anytime.
- There are no session limits.
The number of sessions required depends on the kind of issue you’re struggling with and how you’re experiencing progress in counselling. Because this is highly individual, we do not set predetermined limits or expectations on the number of sessions you receive. Research shows that on average,
- People experience rapid decreases in emotional distress within 3-4 sessions.
- Significant and lasting improvement is more likely to occur after 8 or more sessions.
- People can continue to see benefits in longer term counselling particularly for severe anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, and personality issues.
We offer reduced rates for those choosing to see one of our supervised counselling interns (i.e. a counsellor in training who is supervised by an experienced clinician). These reduced rates are half of our regular hourly rates.
- $80/60min for individual counselling
- $90/60min for couples counselling
Learn more about our current interns below:
Each of our counsellors can be contacted via their assigned emails and phone extensions. For an up-to-date list of contact information, please visit our counsellor directory page or click on the profile of the counsellor you’re trying to contact.
Missed appointments and late cancellations impact your counsellor’s practice. They cannot replace your spot with another client on short notice and are not paid by anyone else for your missed sessions. At the same time, we understand that there are circumstances outside of your control that can prevent you from attending. Learn more about our cancellation policy below:
- 24 hours notice at minimum is required to cancel or reschedule your appointment.
- You can change or cancel your appointment yourself online 24/7 if more than 24 hours notice is provided.
- You may also contact your counsellor or our Client Care Specialist to change your appointment.
- If you cancel with less than 24 hours notice or do not show up for the appointment you are responsible for the full session fee which will be debited from your credit card or deposit that was collected at the time of your registration and first appointment.
- Exceptions to this policy may apply if you’re experiencing a crisis or for medical reasons (e.g., death in the family, accident, illness, failure to pass COVID-19 screening measure). Please inform your therapist or our Client Care Specialist as soon as possible to discuss your circumstances.
- If you miss your scheduled session, please confirm any future scheduled sessions with your therapist within 24 hours. Failing to do so will result in the cancellation of any future scheduled sessions.
- You are responsible for recording and managing your appointments even though you may receive automated e-mail and text reminders.
Coaches Do Not Treat Mental Illness
If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression or other disorders of mood or cognition that impair your ability to function in your life, our Coaches will refer you to a qualified professional such as a Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker. Once those issues are resolved, our Coaches can resume their coaching with you.
Coaches Have a Present and Future Focus vs a Past Focus
Our Coaches focus more on your present challenges and future goals instead of exploring your past. Psychotherapy tends to have a broader lens which may include exploring your past and your present to better understand your present self. Coaching focuses less on explaining why you do what you do and instead focuses more on practical strategies that can help you reach your identified goals.
Payment Differences and Insurance Coverage
Coaching is usually not covered under extended health insurance plans since the focus is not on treatment mental health issues. Coaching may also involve paying for a group of sessions in advance in the form of “packages.” Our therapists only charge hourly.
Accreditation & Licensing
A Coach does not need to be licensed to legally provide coaching services, although our Coaches have specialized education, certification, and training to provide you with the most effective help. Our Psychotherapists and Social Workers must belong to a licensing regulating college to legally provide the Controlled Act of Psychotherapy.
- Your mediator will focus on conflict management goal setting and respectful negotiation strategies. Mediation focuses on making choices that will create a positive future for the clients, and is less concerned with what has happened in the past.
- Mediation is more structured than therapy with clear objectives set out by both parties at the beginning of the process. Your mediator will continue to re-focus each session on the agreed upon agenda.
- Therapy can be used to explore a limitless variety of topics, whereas mediation is focused on legal issues relating to children, support and division of property during a separation or divorce.
- Mediation may trigger intense emotions such as sadness, anger and grief. Your mediator will be able to refer you to appropriate supports for managing these emotions if necessary.
Opening Hours
By Appointment Only
Monday-Friday, 9 to 5