What Counselling Is
Counselling and psychotherapy cover talk-based work with a trained practitioner — regular sessions, usually weekly or biweekly at first, working on something specific or on something you can't yet name precisely.
The titles are worth understanding before you book, because they aren't interchangeable. Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker are regulated titles in BC. “Counsellor” and “psychotherapist” are not protected in the same way — practitioners commonly hold voluntary registrations such as RCC or CCC, which reflect real training and a complaints process, but the province regulates them differently. Which title a practitioner holds often decides whether your plan reimburses the session.
What a Session Looks Like
Typically 50 minutes, sometimes 80 for couples or an intake
A first session is mostly orientation in both directions: what brought you, what you want to be different, how the practitioner works, and whether the two of you are a fit. Not clicking with the first person you see is common and is not a failure of the process. Many practitioners offer a short free consultation call first, which is worth taking.
Common Reasons People Book
- Anxiety and low mood
- Grief and loss
- Relationship and family concerns, including couples work
- Work stress and burnout
- Trauma-focused therapy, with a practitioner who lists that training
- Wanting somewhere to think out loud that isn't a friend
Last reviewed 2026-09-23.