Frequently
Asked Questions 

The Mindful Maple is located on the 3rd floor of 22420 Dewdney Trunk Road, directly above Club16 Trevor Linden Fitness. The entrance to the office is located inside the Regus office tower, off of Fraser Street (under the stairwell beside Club16). Continue to the 3rd floor of the building and check-in with reception. The office is conveniently located on a major bus route and is wheelchair accessible. Parking: 1-hour free street parking is available in front of the office tower at 22420 Dewdney Trunk Rd. Paid parking is located at the back of the office tower. The door to enter the building is to right of the parking metre. Once inside, proceed to the 3rd floor of the building.

Regular office hours are Monday to Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Although I do not provide counselling in the evening or on weekends, we can discuss any challenges that you may have with regard to scheduling during regular office hours and find a time that can work best for the both of us.

Appointments can be made through email info@themindfulmaple.com, by phone 778.987.8544, or, for existing clients, through an online booking system to make scheduling easier.

No, your child does not need a referral to receive counselling services through The Mindful Maple. You are very welcome to contact me to make an appointment for your child. After a brief, complimentary phone consultation, if my services feel appropriate to meet your child's needs, we can book an appointment to begin your child's counselling journey.

A Canadian Certified Counsellor, or CCC, is a designation provided to members by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and requires counselling professionals to hold a minimum Master's degree in counselling from a recognized university. In addition, registered counsellors are required to meet specific eligibility criteria, including supervision and clinical practice hours. This is a common counselling designation among counselling professionals across Canada. A Registered Clinical Counsellor, or RCC, is a designation provided by the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) and requires its members to have similar requirements and guidelines as Canadian Certified Counsellors. This is a common counselling designation in British Columbia. Although both the CCPA and BCACC are the same in their designations, the title of CCC is recognized Canada-wide, whereas the title of RCC is specific to British Columbia.

For more information about fees for services, please visit the Services page.

I require 48-hours to cancel a session without charge. In the event that you cancel a session with less than 48-hours’ notice, you may be charged a cancellation fee of one half of your regular session fee. Missed appointments or cancellations with less than 12-hours’ notice may be subject to the full cost of your regular session fee. Exceptions to the above are unavoidable medical emergencies.

The following sick policy is designed to ensure your child’s health, as well as the health of your child's counsellor and other children who attend counselling sessions. Our sick policy at The Mindful Maple is as follows: A counselling session should be cancelled if your child has exhibited ONE or more of the following symptoms within the last 24-hours: A fever (37.8°C oral or 37.2°C underarm); Thick, yellow/green nasal discharge; Vomiting or diarrhea; Contagious conjunctivitis (pink eye); Parasitic infestation (lice, scabies, etc.); Suspected or known communicable disease (i.e. strep throat, whooping cough, chicken pox, measles or any other undiagnosed rash). It is important that your child be free from the above symptoms for 24-hours before participating in counselling. Please use your best judgment as to whether to bring your child for counselling. In the event of illness, cancellation fees will be waived, as long as you contact me immediately upon learning that your child is sick. Similarly, if I become ill, I will notify you as soon as possible to cancel your child's session and arrange for a make-up session.

You can send a message directly by visiting the Contact Us page, sending an email to info@themindfulmaple.com, or calling the office at 778.987.8544 to inquire further or to arrange for a complimentary 30-minute consultation.

There are many reasons for why parents may seek help from a mental health professional for their children. Children may benefit from talking with someone outside of their support circle to learn new tools necessary to cope with different social and emotional challenges and conflicts in their everyday lives. The following are guidelines to help you determine if counselling may be beneficial for your child: If your child has recently experienced major life transitions, such as divorce, moving homes and/or schools, and loss of a loved one or pet; If your child is experiencing problems that are negatively impacting family relationships, friendships, academic success, or engagement in extra-curricular activities; If your child appears irritable or angry more frequently and/or displays an increase in difficult behaviour; If your child is expressing negative self-talk and/or appears to exhibit lowered self-esteem or a lack of confidence in his/her self and abilities; If your child is experiencing noticeable changes in his/her sleep or eating habits; If your child frequently appears worried and/or stressed or does not seem to be simply "enjoying life". It is important to note, the earlier you seek treatment for your child, the more quickly his/her challenges will resolve. If you are unsure of whether to seek counselling support for your child, please don't hesitate to contact me with any and all questions and concerns. Serious signs that may require you to speak to your family doctor or paediatrician for immediate support: If your child is becoming more depressed or withdrawn, spending more time alone; If your child engages in dangerous behaviours, such as drugs or alcohol; If your child expresses feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness; If your child has talked about or engages in self-harming behaviours (i.e., purposeful physical harm to oneself), such as pulling at their hair, scratching or biting their skin, and cutting themselves; If your child has talked about suicide or if you witness signs of suicidal ideation, such as written letters or internet searches pertaining to suicide, death or dying; If you hear your child utter remarks, such as “I’d be better off dead”, "you'd be better off without me", “no one would miss me”, and “I just wish I wasn’t here anymore”. If you are worried or unsure, it is important to seek professional assistance immediately. If you have serious or immediate concerns, please be advised that I do not provide immediate care. Please contact your family doctor or paediatrician, call a local crisis line, visit your nearest hospital emergency department, or call 9-1-1. Children can also get free, confidential, and anonymous support by contacting Kid’s Help Phone (kidshelpphone.ca or call 1-800-668-6868) 24-hours a day.

It is difficult to give a direct answer to this question. Each child's treatment plan is dependent on a number of variables, including his/her particular emotional and mental health concerns and severity, treatment goals, and the treatment approach that will be most appropriate for overcoming his/her presenting challenges. No one child is the same. Some children may need only 4 to 6 sessions, while others may require significantly more. Improvements are often gradual and occur over a period of weeks or even months. Counselling treatment is not a "quick fix" and requires hard work and commitment from both the child and his/her family. I recommend that children commit to at least 6 to 8 sessions in order to see improvement.

It can be! Research conducted on the effectiveness of online therapy (also known as e-therapy, e-counselling, teletherapy, or cyber-counselling, etc.) has demonstrated that online cognitive behavioral therapy with children can be as effective as in-person counselling. Of course, this is dependent on the child and his or her therapeutic goals. To learn more about the similarities, differences, advantages, and disadvantages, a great resource can be found here.

Preparing your child for their first counselling sessions is dependent on his or her age and temperament. As younger children, ages 6 and under, are often concerned about being separated from their parents, a more detailed explanation can help alleviate any hesitancies their child may be having. Offer your child reassurance, by telling them that a counsellor can help them talk about times when they feel sad, mad, or scared. For children 7 years of age and older, the concern becomes more about the fear of any professionals, such as doctors, dentists, etc., and less about parent separation. Provide general statements while using age-appropriate language, such as “we’re going to go talk to a counsellor about how you are feeling so that we can help you feel better”. It is important that you not only allow time for your child to ask questions, but also encourage questions if they seem unsure about the process. Regardless of age, allow an appropriate amount of time before your child's first visit to discuss seeing a counsellor. This will help to reduce any anxiety that your child may be having. Lina Lowestein, a clinical social worker and certified play therapist, offers some fantastic advice for how to explain to your child about attending their first counselling session. This article can be found here.

I want all parents and caregivers to feel supported when I am working with their child. As caregivers are an imperative influence in a child’s life, I want to promote this bond whenever I can. Similar to how I provide caregivers with a sense of security knowing that what is shared during our communications is confidential, your child is deserving of the same security and respect. Children benefit the most from counselling when they are able to secure a trusting relationship with their counsellor, someone who will not share sensitive information with their parents about what they say and how they are feeling without their consent. To ensure such a relationship is established, your child must feel a sense of control and privacy with the information that he or she chooses to share during counselling sessions. It is my utmost priority to honour your child’s confidentiality. I am very open and willing to talk to you about your thoughts and concerns regarding your child and to discuss key themes, session components, and counselling progress, either directly after the session, over the phone, or through email. I will always encourage your child to share his or her feelings and thoughts with caregivers, in order to promote open communication. I understand that there may be important information for you to know and I will share this information with you when it is in the best interest of your child to do so. I promise to let you know if I have serious concerns about your child’s safety. In these circumstances, I will ensure that your child is informed that this communication with you will occur.

The Mindful Maple's primary focus is to provide counselling and support to children experiencing difficulties associated with anxiety-related disorders and general anxious thoughts and feelings that arise as a result of worry and anxiety in their daily lives. If you are unsure whether my services are a right fit for your child, please feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns and I will happily talk through them with you. I am always happy to try to guide families in the right direction, regardless of whether my services may or may not be suitable at the present time.

I provide counselling services for children 5 to 12 years of age.

During your child’s first session, I am simply interested in getting to know your child as we begin working toward building and strengthening our therapeutic relationship. The first couple of sessions are often a “warm-up” period for your child to feel comfortable working with me. I always allow a child to lead their own sessions, exploring the room and engaging in the many games and activities that I have available. I will begin exploring your child’s concerns and prospective goals and use this gathered information to create a comprehensive plan for subsequent sessions. It is not unusual for a child to be anxious about being separated from a parent, especially during their first counselling session with someone they have never met. In this case, it is ok for a child's parent(s) to join in on the first session or part of the first session. This can provide your child with the knowledge and comfort that they are safe to spend time with another trusted adult when their parent is not around.

It is always exciting when improvement in your child’s functioning is observed soon after the beginning of counselling. But it is also important to note that improvement followed by periods of setback or regression are very normal and expected in a client's therapeutic journey. Understanding that progress is almost never straightforward and that setbacks are a normal part of any effort to change can help to provide a sense of trust and ease in your child's treatment progress.

Depending on the plan your employer or company has purchased, counselling services can be covered by many extended health benefit plans from insurance companies, such as Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life, Green Shield, Great-West Life, Equitable Life, and Manulife. Please verify with your insurance provider if you have coverage for a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC; Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association), for a master’s level counsellor (Master of Counselling), or if you have a health spending account. It will be in your best interest to contact your insurance company, in advance of commencing counselling services, in order to determine your annual coverage and whether you need a referral from a medical professional, as each extended health insurance plan is different.

Cash, credit card, or e-transfer are all accepted forms of payment.

At this time, I do not direct bill. After I collect your payment directly, I will be happy to provide you with an invoice containing the necessary information required for reimbursement from your insurance provider. Please check with your provider for details of your coverage.

Yes! Convenient and affordable payment plans can be customized to suit your personal circumstances. Plans can be discussed during an our initial intake meeting.

The following policies and guidelines have been put into place to protect against the transmission of Covid-19: Clients will be spaced out by 15-minute intervals to ensure proper cleaning of the therapy room and any shared equipment; I will frequently wash my hands at the beginning and end of each in-office counselling session; all cleaning procedures follow the guidelines set out in BCCDC’s Environmental Cleaning and Disinfectants for Public Settings document. I kindly ask that clients and their families abide by the following guidelines prior to attending in-office sessions or meetings: Anyone entering the counselling practice must wash their hands with soap and water upon entry and exit of the office and/or use the complimentary hand sanitizer that is provided; please stay home if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with anyone experiencing symptoms. Although I am taking precautions and adhering to all professionally advised health guidelines, I cannot guarantee that the office is completely virus-free. If you are uncomfortable with bringing your child to therapy, please feel free to share your concerns and we will schedule accordingly. As we all do our best to keep our community and ourselves safe, The Mindful Maple continues to review and make appropriate changes according to Fraser Health and the province of British Columbia's health standards and regulations. If you have further questions and/or concerns, please contact me. Updated October 30th, 2023