FAQ

The right counsellor for you will be someone you feel has the experience and expertise to help you with your current situation. That counsellor will be a professional you feel comfortable sharing personal information with. Below are questions you can ask without hesitation that any professional counsellor would be willing to answer. I have included my responses for your information.

I am a member of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) with the designation Registered Clinical Counsellor. The BCACC requires its members to meet strict academic guidelines as well as adhere to its Code of Ethical Conduct and Standards of Clinical Practice. For more information, please see http://bc-counsellors.org

I have completed the First Responder Health Level 2 Occupational Awareness Training and am a member of the Occupationally Aware Clinician Directory.

I am a mental health provider registered with the First Nations Health Authority. Contact me to complete a Prior Approval Form which I will submit to FNHA to start the process.

I am registered with the Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP) which assists victims, immediate family members and some witnesses in coping with the effects of violent crime. It provides financial benefits to help offset financial losses and assist in recovery. I am also a provider with ICBC If you have been in a motor vehicle accident and are approved for counselling you can contact me for assistance.

You do not need a referral from your doctor or anyone else to come and see me. You can contact me directly at 604-908-3665 or email me at roma@romapalmer.ca

In our sessions, everything is confidential unless there is a concern of imminent harm to you or another, if your file has been subpoenaed for a court case or if current child-abuse has been revealed.

This is a question that depends on the issue or issues you bring to Counselling. Often by the time you get in touch with me difficulties have been going on for a while. Often life has become unbearable. It takes time to get into a situation and it takes time to get out. Having said that, I find even coming for one session can be immensely helpful for someone who has been holding it together or keeping secrets for a long time.

The first session is often an information gathering session. You may be asked for your family history, what you have done to address the issue in the past and what you hope to achieve through counselling. You will be asked what your goals are for the counselling process and what your hopes are for your future. The first session sets the stage for future sessions. That is not to say that there is no therapy in the first session. Clients often describe a great sense of relief at sharing their story and having a direction to help them move forward.

I work with individual adults and teens using a variety of modalities, including Mindfulness, client-centred, trauma-informed, solution-focused, and clinical hypnosis. I am now also offering virtual sessions.

Please see my online booking site for my current rate.

Payment is due at the end of each session. I accept cash, cheques and I now accept Visa and MasterCard.

Counselling services may be covered under your extended health benefits plan through work.

Refer to your plan information or call the insurer to confirm. If you are covered for services you will still be required to pay after each session and then be reimbursed by your insurance company.

I have a 24-hour cancellation policy. Please give 24 hours notice if you need to reschedule an appointment to avoid being charged.

Sessions are all 55 minutes in length.