FAQs

Due to the current risk of COVID-19, we are providing the following options for ALL clients:

• Video Session: 30 mins before your appointment, you will receive an email from Jane with instructions on how to access our video option (please also check your junk mail). No need to download anything, just click on the link and you will be connected to your psychologist at the scheduled appointment time. You can also log into your account and find the “Upcoming Appointments” tab and there will be a blue “BEGIN” button to click.
• Phone Session: Your psychologist will give you a call on the number provided at the scheduled appointment time. The number may show us with “no caller ID” or “private caller”.

PLEASE NOTE: There MAY be instances where video/phone sessions may NOT be possible but your psychologist will discuss this with you if this is the case.

At Refresh Counselling, we offer your first 20-minute session at no charge.  This is your opportunity to ask any question you would like to ask, and get a feel of what future sessions will be like.  This will also give us a chance to get to know you and start preparing for our next session.

We offer you a complimentary consultation (a 20-minute session).  This provides the opportunity to meet your therapist, ask any questions, understand what future sessions will be like, and ensure that you feel safe and a connection with your psychologist.  This also gives us a chance to get to know you a bit and prepare for our next session.

I am so glad you are dedicated to getting the most out of your sessions. Your active participation and dedication is crucial to your success. After all, we only see each other for a session a week. It’s the work you do outside of our sessions that will really help you see your personal growth and development.

Our psychologists are all very personable and work with a wide range of clients.  It is not necessary to use a 20-minute consultation to see a psychologist.  If you have any specific concerns or are looking for a psychologist who uses a particular methodology we would recommend booking a consultation to better understand your needs and pair you with a psychologist that meets your requirements.

This is one of the most common counselling questions we get asked and certainly makes sense because the nature of therapy is so dynamic.  Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. we tailor our therapeutic approach to your specific needs.

Video, audio, or chat communication cannot be recorded during an Online Appointment session. This approach ensures that this feature remains HIPAA compliant and addresses major privacy concerns around telehealth posed by clinics.

Not at all. People who ask for help know when they need it and have the ability to reach out. Everyone needs help now and then. You already have some strengths that you’ve used before, that for whatever reason aren’t working right now. Perhaps this problem feels overwhelming and is making it difficult to access your past strengths. In our work together, I’ll help you identify what those strengths are and how to implement them again in what is happening now.

Not at all. Everyone needs help sometimes. You may have had some skills or strengths that you’ve used to deal with challenges before, but for whatever reason, those aren’t working right now. Perhaps what you are dealing with right now feels overwhelming and you are unable to access your past strengths. Through your relationship with your counsellor and the process of therapy, you can explore the challenges you are facing and find your inner strength or develop new skills and strategies to find healing.

The difference is between someone who can do something and someone who has the training and experience to do that same thing professionally. A mental health professional can help you approach your situation in a new way– teach you new skills, gain different perspectives, listen to you without judgment or expectations, and help you listen to yourself. Furthermore, therapy is completely confidential. You won’t have to worry about others “knowing my business.” Lastly, if your situation provokes a great deal of negative emotion, if you’ve been confiding in a friend or family member, there is the risk that once you are feeling better you could start avoiding that person so you aren’t reminded of this difficult time in your life.

We offer Direct Billing to several different insurance providers.  Generally, direct billing is determined by the therapist's designation.  Below is a list of the current direct bill breakdowns.

• All Clinicians direct bill to: Alberta Blue Cross & GreenShield
• R. (Prov) Psych direct bills to: only Alberta Blue Cross & Greenshield 
• Registered Psychologists direct bills to: Alberta Blue Cross, Greenshield, insurers part of Telus eclaims (Manulife, Canada Life, Desjardins, Industrial Alliance) 

If your sessions cannot be direct billed, we will provide you with a receipt you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement, assuming your policy allows for the proper coverage.

Occasionally, some insurance companies  ask for a little more information about your therapist to confirm their coverage for services.  If that happens, please email our office with the specific information you will require and we will be happy to provide that to you. 

(Please note: we cannot guarantee direct billing or insurance coverage - we always recommend confirming coverage with your specific provider)

A typical session is 60 minutes but depending on the presenting concerns and the size of your family, it may be suggested to have 90-minute sessions. The length and frequency of sessions will be collaboratively determined with your psychologist.

Unfortunately, this is not possible to say on a general FAQs page. Everyone’s circumstances are unique to them and the length of time therapy can take to allow you to accomplish your goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place.

Medication alone cannot solve all issues. What medication does is treat the symptoms. Our work together is designed to explore the root of the issue, dig deep into your behavior and teach strategies that can help you accomplish your personal and/or relational goals.

Medication can be effective and is sometimes needed in conjunction with therapy.

Refresh Counselling North:  4039 Brentwood Rd NW

Just off of Breisbois Drive and Crowchild Trail in the NW, pop into "the Village at Brentwood" one of the more exciting redevelopments in NW Calgary.  Head into the building, go up the stairs (or elevator) and turn left.  Then follow the sign on the left to Refresh Counselling offices. Have seat in the waiting room and your therapist will meet you as soon as your session starts.

Refresh Counselling South:  340 Midpark Way SE, Suite 300

As soon as you get to the building, park in any guest parking spot or anywhere that says "Fish Creek Executive".  Head up the elevator to the 3rd floor and enter the Fish Creek Executive Offices.  Let reception know which therapist you're meeting with and have a seat.  They will come and get you.

Our simple to use portal can be found here:

Join Jane

This blog can also be useful!

Our beta release is best experienced on a computer or laptop using Chrome or Firefox. Android devices work best with Chrome. If you’re on an iOS device (iPhone, iPad) you will need the Jane Online Appointments app which is available on the app store.

Check your internet connection at fast.com. You will need a result of 15Mbps or higher. If you’re seeing a number measured in Kbps, that’s not good news. If your internet connection isn’t great, you will have the option to shut off the video and do an audio-only session.

For all Video sessions, we strongly recommend finding a private place where you can speak freely and hear the communication from your psychologist clearly – in some cases you may want to consider using headphones with a microphone to better communicate in your session.

Our video sessions utilize the same online booking platform we use called “Jane”. 30 minutes before your appointment, Jane will email you a clickable link which you will use to get connected to your Psychologist.  We recommend logging in 5 mins prior to your session to ensure that you begin on time.  As soon as your Psychologist is ready to begin, the Video chat will begin.

• Laptops & Desktop Computers: Our beta release is best experienced using Chrome or Opera, Firefox unfortunately does not allow to reduce the quality of the video so it will gobble up all your bandwidth. Safari is audio-only.
• Android Devices: Android devices work best with Chrome.
• iPhone & iPad: If you’re on an iOS device (iPhone, iPad) you will need the Jane Online Appointments app which is available on the app store.

For a Step-by-step walkthrough – please click the link below to learn how to join a Video Session:

How To Join a Video Session

Yes! The Online Appointments feature was built exclusively within Jane and it is all provided within our secure infrastructure that meets our privacy standards. We are not white labeling a 3rd-party solution behind the scenes.

We are using a standard that provides peer-to-peer audiovisual communication in most cases. This means that all the traffic flows directly between each user’s web browser and completely bypasses our servers. The traffic is also encrypted in transit and none of the data is stored anywhere at any time.

This approach ensures our online appointments are PIPEDA and HIPAA and address the major privacy concerns clinics and patients have around telehealth.

Both! In light of recent events, our psychologists have adapted to providing effective group and individual services online but in-person appointments are also available. Your psychologist can discuss both options with you and your family and provide some direction for what might be good for your family.

It is highly recommended to book a complimentary consultation first when starting Family Counselling.  This can provide the psychologist with important information to help structure subsequent sessions and understand who should attend.  Your psychologist will consider factors such as the presenting concerns, current family dynamics, age of children, etc.  You may start as an entire family unit or be separated into small groups to start. Sometimes, it may be recommended that some individual work be done either before or in parallel to the family work.  But don’t worry - your psychologist will know how to provide the necessary guidance towards healing and resolution.

If you are concerned about your relationship, and you would both like to work with me, I would initially work with both of you together. After this work, if one of you would like to continue in individual sessions, I could work with only one of you. It is not helpful to move from individual into couple’s work with the same therapist because of potential trust issues.

Every couple’s journey to finding a connection and strengthening their relationship is unique. Generally, couples will attend sessions once per week, but your therapist understands that schedules can be difficult to coordinate. When you choose to pursue counselling to create change in your relationship, it is important to prioritize that effort. Your psychologist can help jcreate a schedule that works for you. And as for how long it will take? There is no definite answer, but you can discuss your goals with your counsellor, and they will work hard to help you get there as efficiently as possible.

Sometimes one partner may be resistant to therapy as a tool to improve your relationship. This can be frustrating and discouraging. But we would encourage you to seek counselling on your own if you are struggling with challenges affecting your relationship, even if your partner does not attend. Even if only one partner begins exploring obstacles to a healthy relationship and tools to help improve the connection, both people can benefit. And sometimes if the resistant partner sees the change and resilience developing in the partner in therapy, they may become more open to participating.

Sometimes the best way to introduce the idea of counselling to your child is just to simply ask them if they would like some help navigating the difficulties they are experiencing. If your child is fearful or resistant, you can support them with reassurance that they will be safe and that they will feel better for participating. Discuss more specific strategies for helping your child get the most out of their sessions with the psychologist at your Initial Parent Session.