COUNSELLING AND THERAPY BLOG
Journalling to Integrate COVID Challenges and Changes
Wondering how to deal with the grief, confusion, and interruption of life caused by the last year? Take a moment over the next 10 days to journal about COVID-19 and give compassionate, expressive space to your experience.
It’s been a tough year - now a year plus - for us all. I feel it. Your neighbour feels it. It’s even likely your pet feels it (even though they are likely pretty happy you’ve been around so much). It’s likely you’ve been inundated by news stories, drained by countless COVID conversations and are SICK of many things pandemic related.
BUT - perhaps while you’ve talked circles around what’s happening, perhaps you haven’t processed the emotions related to the place you’ve found yourself in. Perhaps you’ve talked about the fear and frustration but haven’t looked at some of the positive changes that may have occurred (even if it only feels like 1%). Perhaps you’ve just felt stuck and unable to sort the effects of the past 12 plus months and just don’t know where to start.
I would like to offer you a little glimmer of assistance as you trudge along this path - in the form of a 10 day Journalling quest to help put pen to paper to document, sort and process how you’re doing right now.
Why Journalling?
It’s so easy to get stuck in our own thought process, feelings, and anxiety as they arise but not actually process our emotions, make meaning out of our experience or slooow down enough to hold compassionate space for ourselves.
Journalling can help:
Know what to actually write about! While some of us are masters at free-writing, having journalling prompts can be so helpful in giving us a place to start
Slow down and give designated time to our emotions, thoughts and experiences that we just can’t get when we are multi-tasking, scrolling or worried about where we have to be in a half hour…
Expression of our internal world, which we often suppress or don’t give voice to!
Creativity: while you’re journalling, add a creative flair if you like… write a poem, describe your experience using the five senses (touch, image, sound, taste, smell)
Meaning making: you may not have really paused to realize why you’re experiencing what you are, how it makes sense or what lessons you’ve learned that you want to remember
A good dose of nostalgia for later… while right now the last thing we probably want to do is focus on the pandemic we are in, you may one day want to look back on your experience. This will be in the history books, after all!
Download your 10 day journal to explore your personal growth, express challenges, relationships with those around you, and how to move forward
If you’re like me, you might need a little accountability to keep journalling, and it may be helpful to have someone to debrief with!
If you’re in Vancouver, you can also book a session with one of our counsellors to talk further about what this has brought up for you, share with a friend, or comment below with what you’ve learned.
How to Find a Therapist or Counsellor in Vancouver: The Search for the Right Fit
Our counsellors do this for a living, and we still find the search for a new counsellor daunting. Here's what we'd want you to know before you start scrolling through profiles: what to ask, where to look, and how to tell when it's actually a fit.
Our counsellors do this for a living, and we still find the search for a new counsellor very daunting!
Looking for the short version?
Get clear on what you want help with, check your insurance coverage, then browse a few counsellor bios or a directory like BCACC (or from our counsellors’ page!) Book a free consultation call before you commit to anyone. Training and approach matters, but how someone actually feels to talk to matters just as much. That's the quick version.
Read on for the fuller version, complete with questions to ask during your intro calls.
From our team to you, wishing you luck!
We are aware that especially in Vancouver, there are SO many counsellors and therapists to choose from, and that the process of reaching out to find a counsellor can feel like a lot rather than a relief, which obviously is far from the goal. With that in mind, here are some questions, resources, and things to sit with as you look for someone to work with, whether this is your first time reaching out or your fifth.
You're definitely not alone in finding this part hard, but hopefully we can help!
Before You Begin
Before you start scrolling through profiles, here are a few things to think through to help you know what you want, and to help narrow things down.
Finances
How much can you realistically invest in counselling right now? If you know you can only afford five sessions this year, your process is going to look different than if you can commit to twice a month for the next year or two. Neither is necessarily better than the other, it's just good to know going in and might inform your decision to even see someone low cost or avoid someone with a higher price point per session, as - yes, you guessed it - prices vary widely as well within this field.
Insurance
Make sure to check your extended health coverage before you get too far into your search; it’s not quite as simple as insurance simply covering counsellors or not.
Different plans cover different types of counsellors and therapists (and not others), so it's important to confirm what's included, and we know they can all look kind of the same:
Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC): masters level counsellors registered with the BCACC in British Columbia (our counsellors at New Tides!)
Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC): masters level counsellors registered in Canada
Registered Social Workers (RSW)
Psychologists: typically have a phD (or master’s in Alberta)
Registered Psychotherapists (RP), depending on your plan: masters level counsellors in Ontario
It's also a great idea to consider checking your per-session reimbursement and whether there's a yearly cap so that you can know now, rather than partway through your fourth session.
You’ve gotten this far… need support start narrowing things down?
Spend a few minutes filling out a few questions about you, and we'll match you with a counsellor in Vancouver, or online anywhere in BC.
A Few More Questions For You to Ponder
How deep do you want to go?
Are you hoping to pick up a few skills, or dig into what's underneath things? If childhood trauma, attachment patterns, or complex trauma are part of what's bringing you in, look for someone trauma-informed and comfortable with attachment work or somatic (body-based) counselling. This kind of work can be slow and vulnerable, and finding someone you trust enough for it takes time. Some counsellors lean toward shorter-term, skills-based work, others toward deeper, longer-term process. These are good questions to ask (or what to look for as you’re browsing websites!)
Even if you don’t want to unpack everything, knowing that you want someone for years to come that you can pop in and out from, rather than just for one season alone, is also good to know, look for and name as you work your way through the process.
Personality Fit
This might be the most important piece here, and the hardest to search for. Notice who you feel pulled towards while reading through bios, or on a first call. Think about who you've naturally opened up to before. Someone quiet and patient? Someone with a big presence who gives you room to be your messy self? A warm, mothering kind of energy? That instinct can counts here too!
It can be a good idea to set up 2-3 consultation calls and see who most just genuinely just felt good talking to.
Values, beliefs and lived experience:
Are there any important anchors in your life such as spirituality, animals, religion? Or do you absolutely love Brené Brown? Just as in any other relationship in life, sharing values or beliefs can be a wonderful anchor in the therapeutic relationship. Having the same values, beliefs or lived experience as part of a community can be super important, particularly if you have strong political or relational beliefs, or ways of approaching life. This can be relevant if you have firm systemic or anti-oppressive values, are neurodivergent, or really want your counsellor to know what it’s like to be in your shoes (a certain cultural background, a parent of young kids, recently immigrated or going through a divorce, for example)
Your Schedule
This may seem obvious, but sometimes it’s easy to forget that availability rules people out fast. Check potential counsellors’ website booking links, mention your schedule in your first email or call can save everyone some back and forth.
Does "Therapist" and "Counsellor" Mean the Same Thing?
People use counsellor, therapist, psychotherapist, and psychologist a little differently depending on where they live and what they trained in.
In BC, Registered Clinical Counsellors are trained to provide counselling and “psychotherapy”, which essentially translates into counselling and therapy being interchangable. You'll see both words on our own site, since people search for both, and the work itself doesn't change depending which one you use. If you searched "therapist Vancouver" and landed on a counsellor's page, or vice versa, you haven't gone off track. We know it’s confusing and we wish it were simpler too.
Where and How to Actually Start Looking
A wonderful way to connect with a counsellor can be to ask around your network, particularly with friends who you know have been through similar life experiences, face similar challenges, and who you have personality traits or values in common with.
A Google or Google Maps is another good place to start if you already know what you want. The more specific you are, the better Google (or AI), will likely be able to help. For example, "Registered Clinical Counsellor for trauma and somatic therapy" beats "therapist Vancouver"). If there are a lot of counsellors in your area and being close matters, adding your neighbourhood helps too: Kitsilano, Fairview, Mount Pleasant, wherever's easiest for you to get to.
A Few Directories To Start With:
The BCACC
The BC Association of Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC) is the licensing body for Master's-level counsellors in BC, and a good place to confirm someone's credentials.
Psychology Today
One of the most widely used directories out there. While it is useful for filtering by modality (DBT, EMDR, Attachment Focused) or population, it doesn't list every counsellor or every specialty; you’ll also need to keep in mind that there are a lot of different credentials accepted, so you’ll need to double check your insurance. Some profiles aren’t always monitored or updated, so information may not always be updated and you may not always hear back. Going to someones website to learn more is usually a helpful part of the process!
Counselling BC
A pretty straightforward directory that also includes psychologists, art therapists, and music therapists. Less options than Psychology Today which of course can have pros and cons.
Of course you’re welcome to browse our team of counsellors.
We have a filters that allow you to search through our counsellors based on approach, language spoken, concerns you’re coming in with and more!
Decoding All Those Acronyms and Therapy Modality Names
Regardless of the directories you use, you'll come across a lot of letters and terms while you're searching, and none of them are self-explanatory unless you already work in this field. You don't need to really know what they all mean in detail, but knowing the rough categories can help you figure out what you're actually looking for. Many counsellors integrate several modalities but seeing a lot of skills based or “bottom up” (process oriented) modalities usually gives you a sense of how someone works overall, or understand why a modality that worked for a friend might land completely differently for you.
Short-term & skills-based: structured, goal-oriented, focused on tools you can start using quickly
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy)
Solution-focused therapy
Long-term & relational: slower, deeper, tends to look at patterns that started long before now
Psychodynamic therapy
Relational therapy
Top-down Therapy: works through the mind first: thoughts, insight, understanding the "why"
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Traditional talk therapy
Psychodynamic therapy
Bottom-up Therapy: works through the body first: nervous system, sensation, what's happening underneath the thoughts
Somatic Therapy
Parts work (IFS or TIST)
A few others you'll see often:
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT): works directly with emotion as the path to change, rather than thought or behaviour
Mindfulness-based: present-moment awareness woven into the work
Systemic & anti-oppressive: looks at how the world around you (not just your history) shapes what you're struggling with
Questions to Ask Your Potential Counsellor
These are great questions to ask a counsellor in the 15-20 minute consultation most of them offer, or even in a first session as you get to know each other.
How do you view how change or growth happens in therapy? This will help you get a sense of what they actually believe helps people, why they believe it works and what sessions might actually look like (i.e. cognitive work, mindfulness, compassion-focused, understanding your childhood etc.)
On a related note, you can ask what part(s) of the clients experience do they tend to focus most on? Emotions? The Body? Attachment history? Negative Beliefs?
How did you learn to work with challenge you’re bringing in? This might be surprising to know, but not all counsellors are trained equally, AND not every counsellor learned everything they know from formal training. Experience working with issues such as trauma, disordered eating, identity exploration and others often includes advanced training, experience with clients, lived experience as well as supervision.
What do sessions look like? Processing emotion, building compassion, learning skills, exploring body awareness, telling your story? This will quickly give you a sense of how they work, the speed they move and the general therapeutic process. While this may seem abstract at first, if you speak with a few counsellors or therapists, chances are you will begin to hear certain things that “click” for you personally more than others.
Is there homework between sessions? Are you expected to do “homework” or readings? How do sessions flow from one week (or month) to the next?
How do you handle rupture and repair? An important question, and a little awkward to ask! In longer-term work, you'll probably feel stuck, hurt, or frustrated with your counsellor at some point. These “ruptures” in the therapeutic relationship are not only a normal part of the therapeutic process, but a great opportunity for exploration, change and growth, as often this shows up in other parts of our lives as well, and having a counsellor who is comfortable and skilled with the “repair” and growth process when difficult moments come up in counselling is essential.
What if It’s Not a Fit After All?
We try to remind every client that it's okay to bring up whats not working, even if that means another therapist might be a better match, especially if you’re feeling like ghosting rather than letting us know. Why?
1. Therapists are humans too! We may be paid for our time, but we do care, and when a client drops off of our radar suddenly, it does matter to us.
2. Navigating what is working and not working can be an important part of the process in therapy. It supports working as a team, as well as navigating potential challenges that come up for you personally around asking and expressing what you need, which isn’t always as simple as it sounds.
If it does end, it’s helpful to know that similar to other relationships, finding a counsellor who is not a great fit, or having an unfortunate experience in counselling does not mean that finding a good counsellor for you is hopeless or that counselling isn’t for you. Of course it can be incredibly hurtful and exhausting to open up and be disappointed, but hopefully this does not mean missing out on the magic that occurs when you do find a counsellor you click with. Often this takes a few trial and error; several of our counsellors have actually seen several different counsellors for different pieces of “work” over the years; keep in mind that your needs and preferences as a client can expand and grow over time!
As much as possible, try to be patient with yourself and give yourself permission to go slowly, especially early on, or with someone you're not quite sure of yet. Even in a space that's supposed to feel safe, trust takes time to build, and usually needs to be earned.
Best of luck in your search. If you're not sure where to begin, you're welcome to browse our counsellors or tell us a bit about yourself to be matched with a counsellor in Vancouver for in person sessions, or online therapy anywhere in BC.
Warmly,
Morgan, and the team of counsellors at New Tides, who wish you luck in finding a counsellor who you feel at ease with.
FAQ About Finding a Counsellor Who is Right For You
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Mostly, yes. In BC, Registered Clinical Counsellors are trained to provide both counselling and psychotherapy, so the credential matters more than which word someone prefers.
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Pay attention to how you feel talking to them, not just their credentials, trainings or what they claim to be the benefits of working with them. A free consultation call is the easiest way to test that before booking a first session.
Also you can feel free to use the first couple sessions as a test drive, and go slow. It’s ok to not be totally bought in at ease or sure right away. Give it some time before really deciding they are the one! -
That's more common than you'd think. You don't need the right description or a tidy goal to start. "I don't know what's wrong, but I don't want to keep feeling like this" is enough. Helping you figure it out is actually a large part of our job!
Getting the Most Out of Online Counselling
Making the transition to online counselling can be tricky! Here are some tricks and tips to make video counselling work for you as you get into the swing of things.
With so many counsellors making the switch to online or video counselling recently, this switch can be jarring for clients (and for counsellors too!). Here are some quick tips to think about to make the most out of your sessions with your counsellor, especially if you initially wanted to stick to in person sessions but the wait became longer than expected!
Before Your Session
Setting Up Your Space
If you can, choose a space where you feel most comfortable in your home. If you have a calm pet nearby you can have them in the room as well!
Make sure you have what you need: Kleenex, a pad of paper and pen, headphones, your charging cord, any items that you find soothing (soft fabric, stress ball or smooth stones, essential oils etc.)
Focus: Focus can be tricky when you’re in your own space. Leave your phone off to the side, close all your other windows, turn off your e-mail/Facebook notifications and if ask to be disturbed as little as possible if you’re sharing space with others.
Internet: The higher quality the better! To improve your internet quality, you can restart your router before the session and turn off your phone or other devices connected to the internet while setting up as close to your router as possible, or plugging in with an ethernet cable. In my opinion this is the biggest determinant of online counselling working well for so many reasons!
Privacy and Confidentiality
If possible, find a private space in your home
if your space is less than soundproof, music, other sounds or fans in common areas can help maintain a sense of privacy
Transitioning In and Out of Sessions:
It can be so difficult to transition between so many different activities in a singular space!
My favourite way to start a session: either right before or at the beginning of your session, take a few moments to sit quietly, perhaps with your eyes closed, focusing on your breath or checking in on your internal world to see what’s happening in your body, emotions, thoughts etc.
Transitioning out of a session: set aside at least 15 minutes after a session to transition back into the rest of your day. This could look like journalling, taking a walk, a short yoga class, listening to music or having creative time etc.
Body Awareness & Movements
If your counsellor incorporates somatic work / body awareness into your counselling sessions, you may have to give your counsellor a bit of help communicating what’s happening in your body outside of the screen.
For example, you might notice that as you’re talking about your anxiety, or the day you had, that your foot starts to tap quickly. You might find it helpful to notice and mention this in passing to your counsellor as you’re continuing to chat.
Similarly, if your internet connection is on the slower side, you may have to make it more clear whats happening in your face and upper body as well! For example you might let your counsellor know when your breath starts to slow, or when you feel your face light up or when you feel yourself slowing down or getting ‘heavier’.
Becoming more aware and communicating what’s happening in your body is all great practice for you as well!
Getting Creative
If you’re having hard time making hour long online connections work, you may be able to explore other options with your counsellor. This may look like a ‘walk and talk’ session on the phone, a shorter 30 minute session to touch base and talk about coping, or even a video session in the car!
Permission
The transition to attending counselling online via video can be tough!
Let your counsellor know if you’re having a hard time, or if you have questions, or if you’re feeling anxious. All are totally normal things, but talking about it or doing some problem solving might be helpful.
Regulation Toolbox for Anxiety, Trauma and Overwhelming Emotions
This post will be regularly updated to include printable/saveable tools for managing activation! These tools can be used for regulating overwhelming emotions, anxiety, shame, trauma responses or triggers and more. Try them each when you are calm to see which ones you like!
Bookmark this page to find automatically updated links to printable/saveable tools on grounding and emotion regulation techniques for managing anxiety, trauma triggers, low mood and more.
As with all things, each tool may take some time to test out! Try using ONE tool at a time for about a week or so - practice it once a day when you are feeling mildly distressed (a 3-4 / 10) to allow yourself time to get the hang of a new technique when you aren’t feeling too distressed.
Remember - this is not about finding a TON of ways to calm yourself, but a few that really work for you. Be patient while exploring what works for you - chances are you may really not like some of them, and that’s okay!
Please chat about what is working, and what is challenging with your counsellor.
PS. Did you know that we also have an audio section with grounding and mindfulness tools? This includes:
A Calm Place Exercise (for those that love imagery and visualizations)
A 5 Minute Grounding Exercise with breath (one of Morgan’s favourites!)
A longer Body Scan Exercise to practice body awareness and relaxation
Resources for Coping with Anxiety, Trauma, Mood Swings and More During COVID-19
Resources for coping with anxiety, trauma, low mood and more during COVID-19 , as well as Vancouver companies offering free classes, activities and support.
Hello there!
We hope you’re doing okay in this extended time of isolation and anxiety. Just a reminder that it is perfectly normal to feel a bit (or a lot) off kilter right now, and many of us need all the support we can get.
Here is a list of some of our favourite resources for you to connect with during this time - please feel free to add your own in the comments.
COUNSELLING
We are still here to support you, but online! Just in case you weren't aware, if you are NOT in a place where finances or insurance can support counselling, many Vancouver counsellors are offering online counselling at the moment and some have reduced rates or sliding scales for clients affected loss of income related to COVID-19. You can check out our counsellors at www.newtides.ca - all are currently offering online counselling, or search an array of Registered Clinical Counsellors at https://bc-counsellors.org. Many insurance plans (including student plans) do cover Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs)
Mindfulness and Grounding Resources on our website:
If you didn't already know, we have a tiny resource library on our website with the following....
Calm Place Exercise: which you can use when you're feeling triggered, very anxious/stressed/depressed to break the cycle. This can be difficult for some of us... be patient and go easy on yourself!
Grounding Exercise: designed to get you out of your head and into your body
Body scan: great to build body awareness before sleep
Yoga:
We are hoping to share some trauma informed yoga videos in the weeks to come, however, at this time, I'm happy to recommend:
Yoga with Adriene - accessible, varied yoga and meditation practices for free on YouTube!
If you have a regular yoga practice already and are looking to keep in up, or are interested in jumping right into a more active yoga practice, the Hot Box Yoga (Vancouver) offers free classes on their instagram live every morning at 10am
Meditation and Mindfulness Apps:
Insight Timer: many free and guided meditations form around the world
Headspace: has a few free guided meditations in a very user friendly manner.
Sam Harris's Waking Up App: a great progressive meditation program where science and spirituality meet. The app has a free into section, meditations that progress over time, and fun fact - if you email them they are happy to provide free paid services to people in need!
Free apps that promote mental health:
Calm Harm app: not just for those that struggle with self harm, this app provides short and long activities based on what you need in the moment. This is an awesome place to start when we need something to lift our spirits/distract ourselves etc. and we don't know where to start!
Stop, Breathe, Think: An app that prompts you to breathe and name emotions (research shows this on it's own is helpful!) and how you’re feeling physically before suggesting an activity (breathing, meditation or guided activities). Some of the voices of the meditation aren't my favourite, but its a great place to start with self-awareness of how you are even if you don't use the meditations.
Mind Shift: A CBT based app that allows you to track how you're doing day to day, journal and explore behaviours that might help alleviate anxiety.
Calm: Mediation and Sleep app (some paid options)
Crisis Lines:
The Vancouver Crisis Centre is not just for those in crisis, but anyone who needs a friendly ear and a few words of support. We highly recommend connecting if you need some extra support, no matter what your situation. They offer:
a chat line open from 12pm to 1am in BC (http://youthinbc.com)
Distress Lines (Greater Vancouver: 604-872-3311)
Suicide Lines (1-800-SUICIDE: 1-800-784-2433)
Recommended on Instagram
@Kelseymech : a great Victoria based counsellor and coach that has great and simple posts on anxiety, compassion, trauma ad more. She has a free webinar she recorded a few weeks ago on tools for emotional well-being during times of crisis (What a champ!)
@traumaawarecare (Trauma Aware Care)Vancouver writers/trauma counsellors that do a beautiful job offering compassion, normalization and tools for trauma responses - so necessary in this time where uncertainty can bring up lots of old triggers and patterns!
Free online activities and feel goods (most are local!):
Movement108, an amazing, small community-oriented fitness studio that has amazingly knowledgable and alignment based trainers is offering free online workouts at 7am and 4pm at
Teachers of The Hot Box Yoga Vancouver are offering classes live at 10am every day
Luminesque Dance, an amazing local dance company who encourages women of all ages and abilities to shine on stage is offering 7pm dance parties on instagram with one of their amazing teachers
Audible.ca currently has more free titles available than usual to help us out!
If you have a Vancouver Public Library Card, you can borrow books online at https://vpl.overdrive.com!
What did I miss? Please let me know any amazing mental health resources, or free/accessible feel god classes or activities that can help us all out during this time of transition, change and uncertainty!
3-part grounding is one of my favourite grounding techniques for moments when we need to reset, or are experiencing anxiety, or a trauma tigger. This technique comes from training in somatic counselling and trauma-informed yoga.