Frequently Asked Questions About Online Therapy — Six Provinces

The free consultation is a 15–20 minute call where we get to know each other. You can share a bit about what's bringing you to therapy, ask any questions you have, and get a sense of whether we'd be a good fit. There's no pressure to commit — it's simply a conversation. We won't push you to book, and you take as much time as you need to decide.

You don't need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. If something in your life is causing you distress, affecting your relationships, making it hard to function, or simply weighing on you — that's enough reason to reach out. Therapy isn't a last resort. Many people use it as a space to grow, understand themselves better, and build skills they'll carry for life.

You're welcome to read our therapists' profiles and go with your gut. Mohamad specializes in trauma, PTSD, EMDR, IFS, and first responder trauma, and offers therapy in English and Arabic. Alison brings psychoanalytic depth combined with modern approaches like DBT, EMDR, and inner child work. Rola offers crisis-informed counselling with particular depth in grief and loss. If you're unsure, mention it in your consultation and we'll help match you.

English, Arabic, Hindi, and Malayalam. Mohamad Shabib and Rola Shbib both work in English and Arabic. Alison Shaji works in English, Hindi, and Malayalam, and sees clients in British Columbia. If having therapy in your first language matters to you, say so when you book — the free consultation is the easiest place to sort out who fits.

Not at all. Some people come to therapy with a clear issue — trauma, anxiety, relationship struggles. Others come because something feels off but they can't quite name it. Both are completely valid starting points.

Yes. The research on virtual therapy consistently shows it is equally effective as in-person therapy for most concerns — including trauma, anxiety, depression, and couples counselling. For many clients, virtual therapy is actually preferable: no commute, more scheduling flexibility, and the option to be in your own comfortable environment.

Yes. EMDR is delivered over video routinely, following the same eight-phase protocol used in person, with the bilateral stimulation adapted for the screen — self-tapping, an on-screen moving target, or alternating tones. At TEO, Mohamad Shabib holds advanced EMDR training through an EMDRIA-approved program and works with clients in all six provinces we serve; Alison Shaji offers EMDR to clients in British Columbia. You can read how a session works on our EMDR therapy page.

British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland & Labrador. Sessions run seven days a week, noon to 9pm Pacific. Alison Shaji works with clients in British Columbia. Read more about online therapy across BC and video sessions for Nanaimo clients.

We offer sessions through the Jane platform, with Zoom or Google Meet as a backup. Those connections are encrypted by the platform that carries them. You'll receive a link before each session. You can join from your browser — no download is needed.

A device with a camera and microphone (phone, tablet, or computer), a stable internet connection, and a private space where you won't be interrupted. Headphones can help with both privacy and sound quality. That's it.

Yes. Everything discussed in therapy is confidential. There are limited legal exceptions — if there is an imminent risk of serious harm to you or someone else, or if required by law. These will be explained clearly in your intake paperwork. We take privacy extremely seriously.

Individual sessions are $150 per 60-minute session. Couples sessions are $175 per 60-minute session. The initial consultation is free. A limited number of reduced-fee spots are held. If cost is a barrier, mention it during the consultation.

Direct billing is available with Mohamad and Alison for Pacific Blue Cross, CVAP and plans on the TELUS eClaims network, such as Canada Life and Manulife. Where yours is not one of them, you pay for the session and receive an insurance-ready receipt to submit yourself. Coverage still depends on the designation your plan names — CCC, RCC, RSW, or Registered Psychotherapist — and for Mohamad ask whether the Qualifying category is included. Rola is not on the direct-bill line.

A limited number of reduced-fee spots are held. If cost is a barrier, mention it during the consultation.

We accept Interac/e-Transfer and credit card. Payment is typically arranged through our Jane platform before or after sessions.

Fees vary from practice to practice. At TEO Counselling, individual sessions are $150 per 60-minute session and couples sessions are $175 per 60-minute session, and the first step is a free 15–20 minute consultation — no referral needed. No provincial health plan in Canada — MSP, OHIP, AHCIP or any other — covers counselling or psychotherapy in private practice, so you pay for sessions yourself. Extended health plans often reimburse some or all of the fee, depending on which designation your plan covers.

Provincial health plans do not cover it, but extended health plans often do. Direct billing is available with Mohamad and Alison for Pacific Blue Cross, CVAP and TELUS eClaims plans; otherwise you pay per session and receive an insurance-ready receipt to submit yourself. Whether your plan reimburses depends on the designation it covers: look for Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Registered Social Worker (RSW), or Registered Psychotherapist. If you would be seeing Mohamad, ask your insurer specifically whether the Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) category is included — some plans treat it separately from full registration. Get the answer before your first paid session rather than after it.

Provincial health plans do not cover it, but extended health plans often do. Direct billing is available with Mohamad and Alison for Pacific Blue Cross, CVAP and TELUS eClaims plans; otherwise you pay per session and receive an insurance-ready receipt to submit yourself. Whether your plan reimburses depends on the designation it covers: look for Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Registered Social Worker (RSW), or Registered Psychotherapist.

If cost is the barrier, start with the genuinely free routes. For crisis support — free, 24/7 — call or text 9-8-8, call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 (or text CONNECT to 686868), or call the Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310; call 911 in an emergency. For ongoing counselling, your family doctor or provincial health authority can tell you what publicly funded options exist where you live. At TEO, we hold a limited number of reduced-fee spots — mention cost at the free consultation — and all 14 of our printable workbooks and tools are free to download on our free tools page.

It depends on what you're working on. Some people notice meaningful change in 8–12 sessions. Others work with a therapist for months or years. We'll discuss this together and check in regularly. There's no pressure to continue beyond what's useful, and you can pause or end therapy whenever you choose.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is one of the most research-supported treatments for trauma and PTSD. It helps your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer trigger distress. Contrary to what some people assume, EMDR doesn't require you to describe your trauma in detail — the process works at a neurological level. How many sessions it takes varies from person to person and is reviewed with you as you go.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a compassionate approach that views the mind as made up of different 'parts' — each with its own feelings, beliefs, and roles. Many of these parts developed in response to difficult experiences. IFS helps you connect with and heal these parts, restoring inner harmony and self-trust. It's particularly powerful for trauma, self-criticism, and emotional regulation.

Not necessarily. Some therapeutic approaches go deeper into early experiences, and others focus entirely on the present. We'll follow your lead. Some people find that understanding their earlier experiences is crucial to changing present patterns. Others prefer a more practical, present-focused approach. Both are valid — and we'll work with what's right for you.