Blog
Wondering what happens in your first therapy session in BC? Learn how the counselling process works, what questions to expect, and how to feel prepared. Starting Therapy in BC? You’re Not Alone. Many people feel nervous before their first therapy session, especially if they’ve never worked with a counsellor before. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, trauma, burnout, or just feeling stuck, that first step can feel overwhelming. This blog will walk you through exactly what to expect in your first counselling session in British Columbia, including common therapy questions, how the intake…
We may all have trauma. What is traumatic is not objective as two people who experience the same thing may respond very differently. Physician and author Gabor Maté’s famous saying "trauma is not what happens to you; it's what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you” describes this well. Everyone’s experience is unique. And many of us underestimate the effects of what happened to us had on us. This is often because our ego is holding onto the idea that we are not that affected so that we can believe that we are strong and resilient. Many of us had to self-regulate and grow fast…
Addiction—whether to substances or behaviours—isn’t simply a matter of bad habits or poor choices. At its core, addiction is about the brain. Specifically, it’s about how the reward and pleasure system, driven largely by dopamine, gets rewired in ways that make stopping incredibly difficult. In this post, we’ll explore how both substance use and behavioural addictions affect the brain’s reward circuitry, and why understanding this can change how we approach healing. What is Dopamine, Really? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger in the brain that helps neurons communicate. It's…
Most people don’t know this, but if you've been in a car accident in British Columbia, ICBC will cover the cost of counselling from a mental health professional. That's 12 sessions, fully paid for, with no doctor’s referral required. It doesn’t matter if it was a small tap or a major collision, if you were the driver, a passenger, or even at fault — you still qualify. Why do so many people hesitate to get help? Because we’re conditioned to minimize our pain. “It wasn’t that bad.” “I’ll get over it.” But here’s the truth: Your nervous system remembers the accident - even if you try to forget…
The Unique School Experience of Children and Youth with CHD As a child with congenital heart disease, I had big feelings about how different I was from others at school—not just because of my surgical scars and very tiny body, but something inside me. I remember so clearly an experience when I was 5 and back to school from open heart surgery, where all the other children in the classroom seemed to know what they were doing on a math sheet, except me. It didn’t make sense to me. The numbers wobbled all over the page and I could feel myself going into my imaginary world. In my imaginary world, I…
I get a lot of people who come into therapy and ask me this question: "Do you think I have ADHD?" It usually comes after describing months or years of feeling disorganized, distracted, overwhelmed, or burned out — but also smart, creative, driven, and exhausted by how much effort it takes to function. We’re hearing more about ADHD than ever before. It’s in our feeds, on podcasts, in conversations with friends. The language around attention, focus, and executive function is everywhere, and for some, it can feel like someone finally turned the lights on. Maybe you relate to things you never had…
You were probably praised for being “so easy to get along with.” So agreeable. So accommodating. So… nice. But somewhere along the way, that niceness started to feel like a burden. Your chest tightens before saying “no.” You apologize when it’s not your fault. You leave conversations feeling resentful, drained, or invisible. Sound familiar? Here’s the uncomfortable truth: People-pleasing isn’t kindness. It’s self-protection. It's a coping mechanism born from fear. Let’s get into it. What People-Pleasing Really Is (and What It’s Not) People-pleasing is often misunderstood as being kind…
The yogic traditions teach that the fundamental driver of human behavior is a mistaken sense of lack, born from forgetting our true nature and believing ourselves to be separate from the whole. In this illusion of separateness, we search for completion in external things: jobs, beauty, cars, success, praise, and—often most powerfully—in relationships with others. It’s common for a part of us, whether consciously or unconsciously, to look to our romantic partners to provide that sense of wholeness. If we’re single, we may carry a story like, “Once I find a relationship, everything will fall…
Today I will dance with destiny !! I will continue my initiation into the complex world of flamenco !! My Solo Skills class will perform at Folktoria in Centenail Square at 4:00 pm. Full of colour and love of flamenco. This morning I added a piece of magic, a ritual to enhance my experience. Wish me luck and call if you want to know more about this. Phone 250-208-4071
By Arezou Mirzaei, A Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC), Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Psychology Instructor. Let’s be honest: bringing up the idea of counselling to your partner can feel like walking a tightrope over a minefield. It’s loaded. One wrong word and suddenly you’re in a defensive argument, feeling worse than before. But if you’re here, it means something in your relationship matters enough to fight for, not about. Whether you’re married, engaged, dating seriously, or even just figuring things out with someone, there are moments when you know something needs to change…
Disclaimer: CounsellingBC does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any informational content contained within any of the individual blogs on this website. All counsellors, psychologists and other professionals are asked to ensure that their sources and their information are reliable. Ultimately any questions or concerns about the content contained in their blog can be addressed to them individually via the link to their listing.
How to use this site:
This form helps you find a counsellor that meets your needs. Here's how to use it:
Virtual/In-Person
- Virtual: Select this option if you're looking for online counselling sessions. Virtual counselling is available across the province, so you can choose a counsellor from any city in British Columbia
- In-Person: Select this if you want face-to-face sessions. You'll need to choose a city where the counsellor is located.
Area of Practice
Pick the main focus of the counselling you're seeking (e.g., anxiety, relationships).
City
- If you're looking for in-person counselling, select the city where you'd like to meet your counsellor
- If you're looking for virtual counselling, you can still select a specific city if you prefer working with a counsellor from that area, or leave it blank to see options form all cities in BC.
Approach Used
Choose the counselling style or method you're comfortable with (e.g., CBT, mindfulness).
Find the right Counselling Therapist
Browse our directory of more than 800 therapists & counsellors.
What do the terms mean?
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
All of Mainland/Southwest
Abbotsford
Bowen Island
Burnaby
Chilliwack
Coquitlam
Delta
Fort Langley
East Vancouver
Hope
Ladner
Langley
Lillooet
Maple Ridge
Mission
New Westminster
North Vancouver
Port Coquitlam
Port Moody
Richmond
South Surrey
Squamish
Surrey
Tsawwassen
West Vancouver
Whistler
White Rock
Vancouver
All of Vancouver
Arbutus-Ridge
Coal Harbour
Downtown
Downtown Eastside
Dunbar-Southlands
East Side
Fairview
Grandview-Woodland
Hastings-Sunrise
Kensington-Cedar Cottage
Kerrisdale
Killarney
Kitsilano
Marpole
Mount Pleasant
Oakridge
Renfrew - Collingwood
Riley Park
Shaugnessy
South Cambie
Strathcona
Sunset
Victoria - Fraserview
West End
West Point Grey
Yaletown
Northeast
North Coast and Nechako
Thompson-Okanagan
Addiction
Child and Adolescent
Trauma
Family
Couple Relationships
Sleep or Insomnia
Work Related
Mental Health and Behavioural Disorders
Attention Deficit Disorder - ADHD
Anxiety and/or Panic
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Autism and Developmental Disorders
Dementia and Alzheimer's
Anger Management Issues
Dissociative Disorders
Borderline Personality Disorder - BPD
Eating Disorders
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Hoarding
Perfectionism
Learning Disabilities
Neurodiversity
Self Harming Practices
Stress Management
Holiday Stress and Anxiety
Procrastination
Personal Growth and Health
Phobias
Abuse - Emotional, Physical, Sexual
Personal Injury
Health Issues and Injury
Caregiving
Life Stages
Supervision
First Nations Issues
Women's Issues
Men's Issues
Cross Cultural Issues
Immigration
Social Media
Spirituality
Religious/Spiritual trauma
Sexual Assault
Sexuality
Your filters will result in 0 counsellors.
Please modify your filters.
Please modify your filters.
Your filters will result in 0 counsellors.
Please modify your filters.
Reset Filters
978 Matching CounsellorsBrowse 978 Counsellors—View Directory
Please modify your filters.