Counselling/therapy can help those who have been struggling with long term personal or relationship problems. It provides the emotional safety, professional guidance and support to work through those situations, resolve issues and find the solutions you need and bring about the changes you desire. It also helps to increase awareness of thoughts, feelings and behaviour patterns so you are better equipped to make choices that will empower and help you to live up to your personal and relationship potential. This can include exploring and resolving underlying relationship or personal issues. It can bring a fresh perspective to an ongoing problem and point you in the direction of a new solution. It can also help you discover new ways to cope with stress and anxiety and improve your self-esteem and boost self-confidence.

Knowing what to look for in a couples counsellor could mean the difference between staying happily married, and staying together at all…Learn what to look for.

A couples specialist. Make sure your therapist has specific training, experience and continued focus on working with couples.

Couples counselling demands a very different set of skills than individual therapy. Individual therapists generally help people identify and process feelings so they can achieve personal goals. Couples therapists, on the other hand need to be skilled at helping people overcome the differences that naturally arise in intimate relationships. They need to know what makes a relationship work and how to get it back on track.

Working with couples also has a different dynamic than individual therapy. With individual therapy, for example, a therapist can often quietly draw out an individual by saying, “Tell me more about that.” In couples therapy, the exchanges can be volatile and emotionally intense and the stakes can be much higher.

The couples therapist needs to be able to see both sides and navigate an angry party of two and establish boundaries and guidelines to make the counselling experience a safe and successful one.

A therapist who is committed to helping you work through the difficulties to come out the other side.

You need a therapist who is committed to your well-being and to your success, even when the way forward isn’t clear to you.

There is an important practical consideration, here, too. For many reasons, not the least of which are the dramatic emotional and financial costs that would be imposed on the couple and on other family members by a divorce, your couples counsellor should be the last one in the room to encourage divorce.

Feel free to ask about the point at which a therapist sees divorce to be a viable alternative. You need a therapist committed to helping you find solutions to your problems rather than helping you leave your relationship when things get rocky.

A counsellor who helps you focus, set goals and make progress.

You need a therapist who will help you to set specific goals, to you a focus over time and to serve as a benchmark for your progress. If you don’t begin to see and feel some progress within three or four sessions, you should address your concerns with your therapist.

A counsellor who puts the power of your relationship back in your own hands.

The first step for couples is to make progress in overcoming their immediate issues.

At the same time, you want a therapist who helps you put the power of your relationship back in your hands. This happens by learning skills of communication, how to look at problems from both points of view, how to fight constructively and how to negotiate a path that is agreeable to both of you.

With this, couples gain confidence and deepen their ability to experience a more fulfilling ongoing relationship together.

Expect to participate in a working session, not just an information gathering meeting meeting.

We will spend time getting to know each other, discuss why you are here, start to explore what prompted the session and what you want to gain from counselling.

From there Dr. Ottawa will begin to work together with you to gain a clear understanding of what is happening in the relationship, the various issues that are being presented and some of the factors that have led to the development of the issues.

Depending on what information is given and what is needed, and the time left in the session, Dr. Ottawa sometimes is able to give a specific skill that will help to stabilize the situation.

The first session is about getting started. 75 minutes does not allow all the history of the relationship to be discussed or does it allow time for specific resolutions or closure to the issues described. It is about getting started to move forward towards a happier relationship.

The session ends with an assessment of your situation, and a discussion of your options and recommendations for moving forward. Specific homework questions to your situation will be given after the session. At times, we may agree that it is necessary to take certain actions outside of regular sessions, and/or read a book or to seek one on one individual to expedite the couples counselling process.

Dr. Ottawa endeavors to work together with couples to finding the solutions to their problems.

We provide both individual and couples counselling. It’s almost always best by far when couples come to sessions together and this is our strong recommendation. If you have a concern for your relationship and your partner is reluctant or unwilling to come, it is possible to make changes on your own. A systemic approach recognizes that changes in one part of the system will affect the rest of the system.

In order to bring the most success out of your session with Dr. Ottawa we have a minimum booking of 50 minutes for individuals and a 75 minute minimum for couple. We recommend 90 minute minimum or more time when we are dealing with 3 or more family members. It takes time to hear each other’s side of the story to clarify some of the concerns that each wants to address. There is lots to talk about and lots of progress to be made. We want to make sure you have the proper time with Dr. Ottawa to do that, so longer extended sessions are available upon request as well.

If you do not show up for your appointment, and you have not notified our office 48 hours in advance, you will be expected to pay for the cost of the missed session.

Individual, Couples, and Family Sessions are available on a fee-for-service basis and paid at the time of each session either by e-transfer or by credit card.

Individual Sessions – Online and In-Office
50 minutes – $160 (In-Office & Online)
75 minutes – $240 (In-Office & Online)

A traditional 50-minute session.

Couples’ Sessions – Online and In-Office
75 minutes – $240 (In-Office & Online)
90 minutes – $288 (In-Office & Online)
2 Hours – $384 (In-Office & Online)

For maximum impact, we recommend 75 minutes or longer for Couples Sessions.

Extended Makeover Relationship Couple’s Sessions
Longer Sessions
2.5 Hours – $480 (In-Office & Online)
3 Hours – $576 (In-Office & Online)

These sessions are to POWER THROUGH and RESOLVE. An opportunity to break the gridlock and work on those concerns with a longer set time focusing on those concerns.

EXTREME MAKEOVER Relationship Couples Therapy (1 – 1.5 days)
1 Day (two 2.5 Hours) – $960.00 (In-Office, Online)
1.5 Days (three 2.5 Hours) – $1,440.00 (In-Office, Online)

These sessions can be from 1 to 1.5 days in length. Please call 780-991-5117 or contact info@newstartcounsellingservices.com to book your Extreme Makeover. A 50% deposit is required to hold the appointment at the time of booking, with the remainder collected when attending the sessions.

Family Therapy Sessions – (for 3 people or more)
90 minutes – $288 (In-Office, Online)
2 Hours – $384 (In-Office, Online)
2.5 Hours – $480 (In-Office, Online)

For family counselling we recommend a longer session, as with three or more people it takes longer for everyone to say what they need to say and begin negotiating solutions that work for the family and its members. Please call 780-991-5117 to book.

Special Classes For:
Pre-Marriage; Court Relationship Classes and/or Anger Management Classes;
are available for individuals or couples. Please call our office at 780-991-5117 to schedule these sessions. These sessions can be given as 6 – 50 min. individual classes or (2) 2.5 HR. segments. When you call, the costs will also be given to you. These classes will be offered online at a lower rate.

You will be provided with class notes and, upon completion, may receive a certificate of completion if requested.

ASSESSMENTS, LETTERS, LEGAL ENQUIRIES, COURT

• Any extra assessments or letters for medical doctors, lawyers, or court will be an additional cost of $160.00 each.
• Subpoenas to go to court to release files, enquiries to be a witness for court, waiting time for court appearances, or any professional time required on the client file will incur fees charged to the lawyer and/or client(s) of the case file.

In-Office, Online, or Phone Rates
Hourly rate (1 Hour) – $240
1/2 Day (2.5 Hours) – $600
1 Day (5 Hours) – $1200

What we need to know about Insurance Coverage for Individual/Couples Counselling/Therapy.

You might think that insurance coverage for individuals and couples counselling therapy is like medical insurance, but its’ different, With the combination of public health care coverage in Alberta and a typical private company plan such as Blue Cross for example, most of us expect to have very complete and comprehensive coverage for the bulk of our medical needs. However, when it comes to having complete insurance coverage for individual and couples counselling therapy that may not be the case.

Please reach out to us and we can provide you with more information on what type of insurance cover, personal taxes as health care expense and HSA as you could be eligible for coverage. • Plans vary widely but on a typical private plan “core” insurance plans might cover as little as 25% or more of the cost of counselling depending on the plan. It can also be less if there is a cap on the number of sessions covered. (which is often the case)

• So, Rule #1 save yourself disappointment and do not assume. Check your coverage in advance. Dr. Ottawa Easingwood is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Psychotherapist @ New Start Counselling Services, #211 12907 97 Street, Edmonton, AB, T5E 4C2, 780-991-5117

• Please note that full payments to your counsellor is at the time of the session unless you have requested and agreed to a pre-determination of your insurance provider to verify coverage. Otherwise your reimbursement comes upon submitting your receipts to your insurance provider.

• You could also be eligible for more coverage through your Health Spending Account, or “Wellness Spending Account” if you have one.

Direct Billing
At this time New Start Counselling Services is able to offer direct billing, at their discretion. Please call 780-991-5117 to enquire. In Summary
We recognize that, too often for many couples, and/or individuals, counselling could be their last good shot at changing the course of their relationship or personal lives. It helps to get administrative matters like insurance, right. However, we should never allow a focus on administration matters to detract from what is most important getting the individual and couples counselling therapy help you need when you need it.

This varies with each individual, couple and situation. Your therapist will give you an assessment and discuss your options with you in your initial appointment.

How do you know when it’s time to end treatment? A simple answer is, when your goals have been met. We will make recommendation to you as to what’s required, options for achieving your goals and an assessment of progress as we go along. And you decide

Appointments are available Monday through Thursday including evenings. Call the New Start Counselling Services Office @ 780-991-5117 or book an appointment online.

Fridays, and Saturdays can be available on select days. Please call to schedule your appointment. We usually recommend longer sessions on those days, as Dr. Ottawa is coming in on her days off. You may be asked for a deposit to hold the session.