FAQ

In the first few sessions, we’ll get to know one another.  When you book your first appointment, you will see the ‘Intake Questions’ that help me understand much of what could be influencing your life.  You can complete some, all, or none of those questions online! Some people prefer to wait until we meet in person.  Some examples of intake questions:

• What aspects of your identity are important for me to understand? (Eg, language, racial background, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, religion…)
• What does daily life look like? (Eg, where do you live, who are your people and pets, how do you spend your time? Caregiving, creating, working, volunteering…)
• How’s it going with ‘the essentials’? (Eg, shelter and security, sleep and rest, nutrition and hydration, movement/exercise, social connection…)
• What would you like more of/less of in your life? What would you like to be different?

While we are talking, I will be helping you bring awareness to bodily sensations and emotions.  Often, slowing down can help.  We’ll do some gentle movements or physical practices to increase somatic awareness. For some people, we’ll include supportive touch. You will have some new skills to practice in your daily life.

As you develop your capacity to work with difficult experiences, we’ll explore those slowly, using your new skills in tolerating emotionally challenging parts of your life experience. That means we don’t go digging at the hardest stuff right away!

We’ll have a free introductory phone call or (video meeting) so you can get a sense of how it might feel for us to work together.  I believe effective counselling requires good rapport and appropriate nudging, so that you learn new skills and have support to shift unhelpful patterns.  This is delicate, requiring trust which builds over time.

I will ask for your feedback – and if you feel like you’re not making the kind of progress you hoped for, I’ll help you look for other options!  Counsellors work in a wide range of approaches, and we are lucky to have many very skilled practitioners in our region.

To see my policies, click here.

You should have a sense after one or two appointments if it’s a good fit.  Most people can identify some new awareness and skills after three or four appointments – often this first arrives in recognizing early signs of the stress response, and being able to make choices differently.  Over time, your confidence will grow in your ability to move through your emotional experiences, enjoy relationships and navigate tricky life situations.

Most Blue Cross plans will provide coverage.  Many other plans such as Greenshield, Sunlife and Manulife will as well.  Please check in advance if your plan covers Registered Counselling Therapists.  Direct-billing is possible for Blue Cross only at this time.  (For Nova Scotia Health employees on a Return-to-Work plan, additional coverage may be available through the PATH program. Please contact your employee services advisor for details.)

I serve individual adults and young adults/late teens who are motivated to seek counselling. I do not have training or experience in counselling couples, children or families.

The classic answer: It depends.

Sometimes, people benefit from weekly support as they come to terms with difficult life events. Then biweekly appointments can help maintain confidence in using new skills. Some folks come once a month for a ‘check in’ – or because that’s how best to stretch the coverage from their health plan. We’ll work together to decide what’s best for you, and make changes over time.

Yes!  There are immense brain benefits in learning new patterns, and moving with other people in shared rhythm.  New moves are introduced in layers, so you can move safely and feel mastery as you learn.  Movement variety is also stimulating for the brain-body pathways.

‘Getting it right’ means finding pleasure in the music and movement.  You’ll see that everyone is doing the moves in their own unique way!  It’s all good.

I will offer variations on the moves so everyone experiences pleasure and mastery.  Finding flow in your own unique way is the best outcome! There are always options – moving in a smaller range or using a chair are helpful. This is not a class focused on losing weight or changing your body…the goal is to feel energized and connected. 

It’s true that typically, women are the majority in fitness classes.  I believe ALL people benefit from moving in community!  Everyone is welcome and I strive to create spaces that are welcoming, gender-affirming and weight neutral. Come as you are, in your sweats or your fancy pants.  

For the Mahone Bay Class passes are 5 classes for $60, 10 classes for $110.  Drop in is $15.  Passes expire six months from date of purchase.  It’s always free to try your first class and see if it’s a good fit.  Sliding scale is available … I want you with us!

Class costs through municipal recreation may be priced differently.