Fees, Insurance, and FAQs
Counselling with Emilee is available for residents of BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Appointments are booked based on Alberta’s time zone.
When are you open?
Emails will be answered and phone calls will be returned Monday to Friday before 9 pm. Appointments are available on Fridays and some Saturdays more availability will be added soon. If you require a different day please contact us.
Fee & Payments
Our sessions are 50 minutes and the rate for a professional counsellor is $140.
Payments can be made with a credit card (including Visa Debit and Debit MasterCard) or e-transfer, a credit card (including Visa Debit and Debit MasterCard) is required to be stored on file to cover no-show and late cancellation fees.
Do you direct bill to insurance?
We do not direct bill at this time. Please check that your insurance company covers a professional counsellor if you plan to submit the receipt for reimbursement
Cancellation/No-Show Policy
We require 24-hour notice for cancellation without penalty. Cancellations may be made 24 hours a day via the online portal. If you are going to be late, please call or email the office as your counsellor may be gone after 15 minutes.
An $80 fee will be charged for last-minute cancellations or appointments that are not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance, and a $140 fee will be charged for no-show appointments.
Privacy & Confidentiality
The counsellors at Next Step Counselling are bound by standards of professional statutory, ethical conduct, and confidentiality at all times. No confidential information will be divulged to any person or agency outside of the client’s session without their written permission, except as outlined below.
There are limitations to professional confidentiality where the counsellor may be required to contact the appropriate authorities with the required information. These limits of confidentiality include:
- If a person is deemed by the counsellor to be at a serious/severe risk of harming himself/herself or others.
- If there is reasonable suspicion of child abuse.
- Our records can be subpoenaed by the Court of Law.
- Other legal limitations/requirements not set out herein.
How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions a person needs varies greatly, depending on the situation or problem, your willingness to work and change, the type of therapy, and other variables. Some people come once and others come every week, sometimes for years. We do not restrict how many times you can come. Many people come once a week or once a month.
What do I need for online counselling?
The minimum requirement is a phone/computer/tablet with a stable internet connection and a space without interruptions. If the internet is a challenge phone counselling is available as well.
Some other things that might be helpful are headphones, kleenex, something to write with, and water or a cozy (non-alcoholic) beverage. For kids, it might be helpful to have paper and something to draw with available, a teddy, or a fidget.
Locations
We are available every second Friday in Sexsmith Alberta for in-person sessions for kids and teens. Other locations in the surrounding area will be available soon.