COUNSELLING SERVICES

A counsellor listens to your specific situation and your needs. A counsellor guides you through a process towards understanding yourself better and exploring the things that hold you back from experiencing a healthy and fully engaged life.  You are a crucial part of this process as you are the expert on you!   Counselling is a place where you get to safely examine things that seem to be preventing you from living the way you would like to. Counselling looks very different for different people and counsellors can skillfully assess and guide this process for you.

Counselling can handle any issue really, and it does not matter how overwhelming the issue may feel at first, or how small or trivial you think it sounds. If you feel held back from the life you want to live in any way, then it is valuable to come to counselling. You may not even know how to define why you feel the way you do, but you know you need help, and that is OK. Or, you may have an identified tendency in behaviours, or a relationship that causes distress, or perhaps a way of coping with life’s stressors that you would really like to change. There is no prerequisite list of issues and our team will be alert for any helpful additional supports and discuss those with you when appropriate to best serve you.

Sometimes, issues are identified and much progress can happen in just a few sessions. The support of a counsellor can help prioritize and make changes in an area that can impact day to day satisfaction in our lives. For others, counselling may begin or continue a journey of healing that is part of a longer process.

Students receive counseling for a nominal fee of $20 per session. Please keep in mind that students who miss appointments, without notifying their counsellor at least 24 hours in advance, will be charged $20 for the missed session.

Columbia respects the right to privacy, and keeps counselling appointments confidential. During the intake appointment, the Counselling Services Supervisor will discuss guidelines and limits of confidentiality.

To book a counselling session,complete the online intake form as your first step. We’ll contact you as soon as possible (within a few days) to schedule your intake interview.

Counselling is available weekdays by appointment. Friday the center is closed. If you want to get on the intake list, please see our booking form online. If you have any questions before booking, please email and the counselling supervisor will answer any of your questions.

We do not offer this currently.

This varies based on your presenting concerns and our assessment. We try very hard to see all students who wish to see us, even if just once or twice to help work through an issue. Some students may be seen weekly or biweekly for a time, where appropriate.

Sometimes you just need someone to help you sort through a decision that seems hard, or you don’t forsee weeks of counselling happening so you are resistant to contact us. No problem is too small if it is bothering you. Or perhaps you just want a referral to a community support –we can do that here too. We help you figure out what support you want and where to get it. Depending on what you want, sometimes the answer is counselling, and other times it is a local community group or church.

Yes, we can do that too. Just email us and let us know you just want a one-time resource and referral meeting. Or sometimes we can even answer your questions with a phone call. So give us your number if you would like a callback.

We have a great team of counsellors! You can take a look at our names and photos below. After your initial interview, you’ll be assigned the counsellor we feel will be the best fit, based on many factors.

We’ve curated a list of online resources with solid information, trustworthy staff teams, and helpful action steps.