GETTING STARTED WITH THERAPY
Being a parent isn’t exactly what you thought it would be, is it?
Maybe your head is spinning with worries. Maybe you surprise yourself with how angry you can feel (sometimes out of nowhere). And maybe you’re just not enjoying this stage like you thought you would.
You’re overwhelmed. You’re on edge. You feel stuck, guilty, not good enough, and constantly underwater. Maybe you’re feeling lost, disconnected from yourself or your partner, and aren’t sure why you’re feeling this way.
No, you’re not just bad at this. You’re also not alone. And with support, you can get through it all.
Therapy can be helpful for you at any stage you’re in.
Whether you’re struggling more than ever, or simply want to maintain self-care or brush up on things like communication, we meet you exactly where you're at.
Therapy is tailored to each unique person, but here are some things everyone can expect to get from their sessions:
1. Someone To Talk To
It might sound simple, but we know how lonely life can feel, especially in the early days with kids. Meeting with a therapist will help you feel understood, validated and like you've got someone on your side.
2. Self-Understanding
Self-criticism runs high in parenthood! We know that you want to be the best parent you can be, and you have high expectations. We won't ask you to give those up, but we'll help you understand yourself, your struggles, and find self-compassion along the way.
3. Skills & Strategies
Real change happens outside of the therapy session. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to keep improving your mental health, well being, and relationships with tangible and realistic tools.
find a therapist
1. Someone To Talk To
It might sound simple, but we know how lonely life can feel, especially in the early days with kids. Meeting with a therapist will help you feel understood, validated and like you've got someone on your side.
2. Self-Understanding & Appreciation
We see it all the time - self-criticism runs high in parenthood! We know that you want to be the best parent you can be, and you have high expectations. We won't ask you to give those up, but we'll help you understand yourself, your struggles, and find self-compassion along the way.
3. Skills & Strategies
Real change happens outside the therapy session. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to keep improving your mental health, well being, and relationships. You can expect to learn tangible tools to continue making meaningful changes in your life.
Here's who our counselling services are for:
Our work includes conversations around deciding to have children or not, navigating relationships as families grow, parenting conversations, intimacy and sex, identity shifts, career considerations and everything else that arises during this major life transition.
We welcome clients with older kids too, because we know that postpartum doesn't end after a year, and many challenges are still present many years into parenting. We're here for it all.
We also warmly welcome folks in any and all roles relating to the family including birthing and non birthing partners, non-binary or gender non-conforming clients, as well as dads. We welcome unpartnered clients navigating the dating world or forming new relationships. We support folks who identity as LGBTQ+, non-monogamous, polyamorous, or who are part of other non-traditional relationship structures.
we support any person in CANADA who is navigating the transition to and through parenthood.
COMMON COUNSELLING TOPICS
- Fertility challenges
- Pregnancy loss and stillbirth
- Making decisions regarding family planning
- Not feeling prepared for life changes
- Managing changing roles
- New family dynamics
- Grief and loss
- Postpartum and pregnancy anxiety
- Depression and mood challenges
- Intrusive or scary thoughts
- Relationship changes or difficulties
- Rebuilding intimacy and sex
- Not feeling like yourself anymore
- Birth trauma or difficult birth experiences
- Feeling blue, low, or uninspired
- Returning to work
1 in 10 dads with babies suffer from mental health challenges.
We're here for you, too.
1 in 10 dads with babies suffer from mental health challenges. We're here for you, too.
Therapy FAQs
Online counselling is the same as in-person counselling, except that we meet online. Just click the button below to book your first session. Once your account is set up, you can easily book your appointments and pay for your video sessions. You don’t need to download anything. All you need is an up-to-date browser (Chrome works best) and a good internet connection.
Absolutely! You can use whichever device is most convenient for you. That said, it’s nice to have a screen that’s big enough to see your therapist. A smartphone or tablet will however work in a pinch.
We offer 50 minute sessions, ranging between $135 - $170 (CAD) (depending on the therapist) plus applicable taxes. Video sessions are similar to in-person appointments, where we meet for the 50 minute session. Your therapist will then spend additional time planning your treatment and keeping progress notes.
We use software that takes care of most of the booking and payment details. When you register as a client, you’ll be asked to enter a credit card to book your first session. After each session, your payment will be processed automatically, and a receipt will be emailed to you so that you can submit to any extended benefit plan (if you have that option). All payment information is kept for you in your online account (which you can access from our website).
We do not take care of direct billing, however most extended health benefit plans cover counselling. This can vary from province to province across Canada so make sure you check with your provider directly and understand your coverage before booking.
It’s absolutely confusing! You’re not alone with that. There are different terms for professionals who offer counselling. These terms are based on the province the therapist lives in, as well as their education. Every therapist on our team has a masters degree in either counselling or social work (which both set a professional up to be an excellent counsellor!). Depending on the province, different titles are used. For example, in BC we use “Registered Clinical Counsellor” or “Registered Social Worker” and in Ontario, we use “Registered Psychotherapist” and “Registered Social Worker.” We recommend using the therapist filter to better understand who you can book in with in your province. And if you have extended benefits, make sure to check which title they offer coverage for. As always, ask us for help with this if you get confused!
All of the therapists on our team have extra (and in-depth) training in perinatal mental health, which means we truly understand the different challenges that you’re going through. Most education programs for therapists and social workings do not address the challenges that arise when people bring children into this world. We want to make sure you feel completely understood and in good hands from the get go.
Generally speaking, yes, although there are some exceptions. The therapy profession is regulated in some provinces in Canada, but not others which means that sometimes you can see a therapist outside your province, but that depends on where you live. The easiest way to understand who you are allowed to book in with is by using the filters on the therapist page.
This really depends on what challenges you’d like support with. Some clients will come for just a few sessions, whereas others are looking for longer support. Your counsellor will discuss the timeline with you once you get started. We also know that finances play a major role in how much support a person can access, so don’t hesitate to share any limitations with your counsellor.
Yes, you have the right to end therapy at any time. If you're not comfortable or satisfied with your therapist, that’s totally okay! We know how important it is to find a great fit. We can help you find another team member who is a better fit, so just reach out and let us know (you can email our support team anytime).
A Note About Going To Therapy
We know that spending your time with a therapist may not be what you had planned (or budgeted) for. You might be feeling disappointed in yourself that you’re having a hard time, or frustrated that you’re not enjoying this time like you thought you would.
We want you to know that reaching out for support is a sign of incredible strength, courage, and a it's clear sign that you are a very good parent.
Good parents also struggle. Good parents get overwhelmed. Good parents run out of patience. Good parents have awful thoughts run through their minds at times. Good parents question their decisions. And good parents go to therapy if they need support.
We also want you to know that all symptoms and concerns are treatable, no matter how bad they feel at this moment. Because our therapists are specialists in perinatal mental health and have been supporting moms and dads for years, there’s nothing we haven't heard, and you are certainly not alone.
