Do I need a referral to see a counsellor?

No. You can book directly with any counsellor at either the Chilliwack or Abbotsford clinic. No doctor's referral is required for Registered Clinical Counselling in BC.

What is the difference between a counsellor and a psychologist?

Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs) hold a master's degree and provide therapy. Registered Psychologists hold a doctoral degree and can additionally perform psychological assessments and formal diagnoses. Both provide effective therapy. Your choice depends on whether you need assessment or therapy.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on what you're working on. Specific issues (a life transition, a grief response, a workplace conflict) may resolve in 6-10 sessions. Longer-standing patterns (chronic anxiety, trauma, relationship patterns) often benefit from 15-25 or more sessions. Your counsellor will discuss this openly after the first few meetings.

What is EMDR and who is it for?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a trauma processing technique that uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. It is effective for PTSD, single-incident trauma, accident recovery, and childhood trauma. It does not require detailed verbal retelling of the event.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy identifies the thought patterns driving anxiety, depression, or avoidance and teaches you to recognize and restructure them. It is structured, goal-oriented, and typically involves practice between sessions. Strong research supports CBT for anxiety, depression, OCD, and insomnia.

Can counselling help with physical symptoms like chronic pain?

Yes. Chronic pain, tension, insomnia, and fatigue often have psychological components such as stress, trauma, and hypervigilance. Somatic therapy and trauma-informed approaches address the nervous system patterns underlying physical symptoms. At The Healing Oak, your counsellor can coordinate with RMTs, naturopaths, and acupuncturists for a combined approach.

Is what I say in counselling confidential?

Yes. All sessions are confidential with legally mandated exceptions: imminent risk of harm to yourself or others, disclosure of child abuse or neglect, and court orders. Your counsellor explains these limits during your first session.

Registered Clinical Counselling

Professional therapeutic support for emotional wellness, relationships, and life challenges.

Registered Clinical Counselling Practitioners at The Healing Oak

Jillian Whitely, M.ED, RCC Counselling Chilliwack, BC Specializes in: Anxiety, Life Transitions, Trauma
Jillian Whitely understands that life's challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming, whether it's dealing with anxiety, past traumas, or difficult transitions. As a therapist, Jillian offers a safe and…
Remi Wauthy, RCC Counselling Chilliwack, BC Specializes in: Abuse, Addiction, Anger Management, Anxiety
Life often does not turn out the way we planned. Things happen (or a lack of things happen) that cause us to feel defeated, to suffer, and leave us searching for answers. It’s time to slow down and st…
Jessy Parmar, RCC, BSW, MSW, RSW Registered Clinical Counselling Chilliwack, BC Specializes in: addiction, anxiety, depression, inner-child-healing
I believe that at the very center of all people, tucked deeply away with our fears, traumas and insecurities are the answers to that which we are seeking. When we are able to go within ourselves and r…
Jessica Hilton, RCC Counselling Chilliwack, BC Specializes in: Trauma & Developmental Injury, Substance Use & Recovery, ADHD & Executive Function Challenges, Anxiety
I work with youth, adults, and families navigating trauma, developmental injury, substance use, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and relationship patterns. Many of my clients appear “fine” on the outside wh…
Korey Smith, MPCC-C Counselling Chilliwack, BC Specializes in: Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Domestic Abuse, Emotional Health
Ever feel like you’re navigating life without a compass? Those mornings when getting out of bed feels like climbing a mountain? You’re not alone.It’s important to understand that the old “just push th…
Susan Doiron, MEd, CCC Counselling Abbotsford, BC Specializes in: Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Life Transitions
Susan Doiron is a Certified Counsellor and EMDR Therapist based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. She is passionate about helping clients cultivate greater presence and resiliency in their live…

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a referral to see a counsellor?: No. You can book directly with any counsellor at either the Chilliwack or Abbotsford clinic. No doctor's referral is required for Registered Clinical Counselling in BC.
Is counselling covered by my insurance?: Most extended health plans in BC cover Registered Clinical Counselling. Check your plan under counselling, clinical counselling, or mental health. Direct billing is available with select insurers depending on the practitioner.
What is the difference between a counsellor and a psychologist?: Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs) hold a master's degree and provide therapy. Registered Psychologists hold a doctoral degree and can additionally perform psychological assessments and formal diagnoses. Both provide effective therapy. Your choice depends on whether you need assessment or therapy.
How many sessions will I need?: It depends on what you're working on. Specific issues (a life transition, a grief response, a workplace conflict) may resolve in 6-10 sessions. Longer-standing patterns (chronic anxiety, trauma, relationship patterns) often benefit from 15-25 or more sessions. Your counsellor will discuss this openly after the first few meetings.
What is EMDR and who is it for?: EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a trauma processing technique that uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. It is effective for PTSD, single-incident trauma, accident recovery, and childhood trauma. It does not require detailed verbal retelling of the event.
What is CBT?: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy identifies the thought patterns driving anxiety, depression, or avoidance and teaches you to recognize and restructure them. It is structured, goal-oriented, and typically involves practice between sessions. Strong research supports CBT for anxiety, depression, OCD, and insomnia.
Can counselling help with physical symptoms like chronic pain?: Yes. Chronic pain, tension, insomnia, and fatigue often have psychological components such as stress, trauma, and hypervigilance. Somatic therapy and trauma-informed approaches address the nervous system patterns underlying physical symptoms. At The Healing Oak, your counsellor can coordinate with RMTs, naturopaths, and acupuncturists for a combined approach.
Is what I say in counselling confidential?: Yes. All sessions are confidential with legally mandated exceptions: imminent risk of harm to yourself or others, disclosure of child abuse or neglect, and court orders. Your counsellor explains these limits during your first session.

Why EMDR is Becoming a Leading Therapy for Trauma Recovery
Trauma affects people from all walks of life, often leaving lasting emotional and psychological scars. Conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and depression frequently...
CBT for Codependency: Establishing Healthy Boundaries in Relationships
Relationships are a cornerstone of human experience, offering connection, support, and joy. However, when these connections become imbalanced—when one person...
The Weight of Should: Reframing Internalized Pressure Through Narrative Therapy
For individuals managing long-term stress, anxiety, or recovering from surgery or chronic illness, "should" statements can become a heavy emotional burden. Narrative Therapy offers a powerful, evidence-informed approach to reframe these pressures.

Duration: 50 minutes

What Clinical Counselling Addresses

Counselling is effective across a wide range of conditions, from acute distress to long-standing patterns that affect quality of life over time.

Mood and Anxiety

Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks
Depression, persistent low mood, loss of motivation
Burnout and emotional exhaustion
Mood disorders and emotional dysregulation

Trauma and Stress

PTSD and complex trauma
Childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences
Acute stress from life events (job loss, divorce, illness, bereavement)
Domestic abuse recovery

Behavioural Patterns

Anger management and conflict resolution
OCD and intrusive thoughts
Substance use and addiction
Self-harm

Relationships and Identity

Relationship difficulties and communication breakdowns
Grief and loss
Life transitions (career change, retirement, parenthood, separation)
Self-esteem, self-worth, and boundary setting
Men's mental health

Therapy Modalities Available

Different conditions respond to different approaches. The counsellors at The Healing Oak are trained across multiple modalities, so treatment is matched to the problem rather than fitting one framework to every client.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Identifies and restructures the thought patterns that drive anxiety, depression, and avoidance. The most-researched modality in psychotherapy, with strong evidence for anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, and insomnia. CBT is structured and goal-oriented. You work on specific thought and behaviour patterns between sessions.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): A trauma processing technique that uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones) to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. Effective for PTSD, single-incident trauma, and complex trauma. Does not require detailed verbal retelling of the traumatic event.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Originally developed for borderline personality disorder, now widely used for emotional dysregulation, self-harm, and interpersonal instability. DBT teaches distress tolerance, emotion regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Focuses on psychological flexibility rather than symptom elimination. You learn to observe difficult thoughts and feelings without being controlled by them, and commit to actions aligned with your values. Effective for chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and substance use.
Psychodynamic Therapy: Explores how unconscious patterns, early relationships, and unresolved experiences shape current emotional and behavioural responses. Effective for persistent low mood, relationship difficulties, identity concerns, and situations where other approaches have not fully resolved the issue.
Somatic Therapy: Works with the body's physical responses to emotional distress. Trauma often manifests as chronic tension, pain, or nervous system dysregulation that talk therapy alone does not resolve. Somatic approaches use body awareness, breath, and movement to process what is held physically.
Narrative Therapy: Helps separate your identity from the problem. You externalize and rewrite the stories you carry about yourself, your relationships, and your experiences. Effective for grief, life transitions, low self-esteem, and situations where someone feels defined by their difficulties.
Art Therapy: Uses creative expression as a therapeutic tool when words are not enough. Particularly effective for children, adolescents, and adults processing trauma where verbal articulation is difficult.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Concentrates on building solutions rather than analyzing problems. Goal-directed, typically shorter in duration, and effective for workplace stress, communication issues, and specific behavioural change.

Counselling vs. Psychology

The Healing Oak offers both Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs) and a Psychology service. The choice depends on what you need.

Registered Clinical Counsellors hold a master's degree in counselling or a related field and are registered with the BCACC or CCPA. They provide talk therapy, CBT, EMDR, DBT, and other therapeutic modalities. Most extended health plans cover RCC sessions under counselling or clinical counselling benefits.

Registered Psychologists hold a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) and can perform psychological assessments, diagnose conditions, and provide therapy. Extended health plans typically have a separate psychologist benefit category, often with higher per-session coverage.

Both are effective for therapy. If you need a formal psychological assessment or diagnosis, see a psychologist. If you need therapy for a known issue (anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship difficulties), an RCC is a direct path with typically shorter wait times.

Insurance and Coverage

Registered Clinical Counselling is covered under most extended health benefit plans in BC. Coverage typically falls under counselling, clinical counselling, or mental health categories depending on your insurer.

Direct billing is available for practitioners who have set it up with specific insurers. The service page shows which insurers each counsellor bills directly. If your insurer is not listed for direct billing, you pay at the time of your session and submit the receipt for reimbursement.

CVAP (Crime Victim Assistance Program) is accepted by some counsellors at the clinic for clients who have experienced violent crime, including domestic violence and sexual assault.

Coverage amounts vary by plan and employer. Check your benefits booklet or call your insurer to confirm your counselling coverage and annual limits.

What to Expect

Before your first session: No referral needed. Book directly online or call either clinic. You will complete an intake form covering your history, current concerns, and what you are hoping to get from counselling.

First session (50-60 minutes): Your counsellor listens to what brought you in, asks about your history and current functioning, and begins to form a picture of what is happening. The pace is yours. Some people come in with a clear issue; others need help articulating what feels wrong. Both are fine.

Building a plan: By the second or third session, your counsellor will have a sense of what is driving the difficulty and which modality fits best. This is discussed openly. You are involved in choosing the approach.

Session frequency: Weekly is standard to start. As things stabilize, sessions move to biweekly or monthly. Some people come for 6-8 sessions around a specific issue. Others continue longer for deeper work. There is no minimum commitment.

Confidentiality: Everything discussed in session is confidential, with legally mandated exceptions (imminent risk to self or others, child abuse, court order). Your counsellor explains these limits at intake.

Related Services

Counselling at The Healing Oak sits within a multidisciplinary clinic. Mental health conditions often have physical components, and physical conditions often have psychological components.

Psychology - for formal psychological assessment, diagnosis, or when your insurance covers psychologist sessions at a higher rate
Naturopathic Medicine - for sleep, anxiety, hormonal contributors to mood, and nutritional support alongside therapy
Acupuncture - for stress, nervous system regulation, and chronic pain that intersects with mental health
Registered Massage Therapy - for somatic tension, stress-related muscle pain, and nervous system downregulation
Manual Osteopathic Therapy - for chronic pain conditions with psychological overlay

Offered at The Healing Oak - Multidisciplinary Health & Wellness Clinic in Chilliwack & Abbotsford, BC. No referral required. Direct billing available.