West Vancouver Individual Counselling
Your Space to Figure Things Out
Everything looks fine from the outside. You've got the job, the house in West Van, maybe a family. But inside you're barely holding it together. The anxiety that won't shut off. The sadness you can't shake. The feeling like you're just going through the motions. Or maybe something specific happened - a loss, a betrayal, a trauma - and you can't process it alone anymore. West Vancouver individual counselling gives you a private space to work through whatever you're dealing with without judgment, without having to perform, without having to be okay when you're not.
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We work with people throughout West Vancouver - from Horseshoe Bay to British Properties - who need support for anxiety, depression, life changes, relationship issues, trauma, grief, or just feeling stuck and unhappy. Individual counselling is about you, your needs, your healing, at your pace.
Benefits of Individual Counselling
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This time is completely yours. No managing other people's feelings or reactions. No explaining yourself to family members who don't get it. Just honest space to talk about what's really going on without filters or performance. Individual counselling lets you be messy, angry, scared, confused - whatever you actually are instead of what everyone expects.
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Individual counselling addresses your specific struggles. Maybe you're dealing with anxiety that makes you overthink everything and avoid situations that trigger panic. Or depression that's made you numb and disconnected from people you used to care about. Grief after losing someone you loved. Trauma from things that happened recently or years ago that still affect you now. Life transitions like career changes, divorce, becoming a parent, retirement.
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We help with the pressures specific to West Vancouver life too. The expectation to succeed at everything - career, parenting, fitness, social life. Keeping up with neighbors who all seem perfect. Working constantly to afford living here but never actually enjoying life. Feeling isolated despite being surrounded by people. The comparison culture that makes you feel like you're never enough.
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Individual counselling gives you coping tools that actually work. Not just generic advice but specific strategies for YOUR anxiety, YOUR depression, YOUR situation. You learn how to manage difficult emotions, challenge unhelpful thought patterns, set boundaries, communicate needs, and take care of yourself without guilt.
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Therapy also helps you understand patterns you keep repeating. Why you choose the same kind of toxic partner over and over. Why you sabotage yourself right when things are going well. Why you can't say no even when you're overwhelmed. Making these patterns conscious gives you power to change them instead of just reacting on autopilot.
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For people dealing with trauma - abuse, accidents, assault, loss - individual counselling provides specialized approaches like EMDR that help you process experiences talk therapy alone can't fully address. Trauma lives in your body and nervous system, not just your thoughts, and we work with that reality.
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Individual counselling supports you through life changes nobody prepares you for. Empty nest when kids leave home. Career shifts when you realize you hate your job. Health diagnoses that change everything. Aging parents who now need you to parent them. These changes are hard and having support makes them manageable instead of overwhelming.
Creekside Counselling's Approach to Individual Counselling
First session is about understanding what brought you here and what you're hoping will change. We talk about your current struggles, relevant history, what you've tried before, and what approaches might work best for you. This isn't an interrogation - it's a conversation where you share what feels comfortable.
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We tailor the approach to what you need. Some people do well with cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses on thoughts and behaviors. Others need EMDR for trauma processing. Some benefit from exploring childhood patterns and attachment styles. Many people need a mix of approaches. We use what works for you specifically, not some one-size-fits-all method.
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Individual counselling sessions are conversational, not you lying on a couch while I take notes silently. We talk, I ask questions, we explore patterns, I teach skills, you practice new approaches. Some sessions are heavy emotional processing, others are practical problem-solving. It varies based on what you're dealing with each week.
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We address whatever's most pressing first. If you're having panic attacks that are interfering with work, we start there. If you're suicidal, safety comes first before anything else. If you're in crisis from a recent trauma or loss, we stabilize that before diving into deeper work. Your immediate needs matter more than some predetermined treatment plan.
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Between sessions, you might have homework - practicing coping skills, noticing thought patterns, trying new behaviors. This isn't like school homework you get graded on. It's optional practice that helps you make progress faster. Some people love homework, others don't do it and that's fine too.
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We review progress regularly. Is therapy helping? Are you noticing changes in how you feel or handle situations? Do we need to adjust our approach? Individual counselling should be making your life better, and if it's not, we talk about why and what needs to change.
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Confidentiality is absolute except in rare safety situations - if you're actively suicidal with a plan, if there's child abuse, or if you're planning to seriously harm someone. Otherwise, everything you say stays between us. Nobody - not your spouse, not your employer, not your family - gets information without your explicit consent.
Pricing Information
Individual counselling sessions are $165 per 50-minute session. Most people start with weekly sessions, then space out to biweekly or monthly as things improve. Some people need more frequent sessions during crisis, others prefer every other week from the start.
Length of treatment depends on what you're working on. Specific issues like situational anxiety or processing a recent loss might take 2-4 months. Deeper patterns, complex trauma, or long-standing depression could take 6-12 months or longer. We go at your pace, not some arbitrary timeline.
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We provide detailed receipts for insurance reimbursement. Most extended health plans in BC cover registered clinical counselors. Check your benefits - many West Vancouver employers offer good mental health coverage you might not even know you have.
Areas We Serve
We're located in West Vancouver and work with clients throughout the North Shore. Our individual counselling clients come from all West Van neighborhoods - Horseshoe Bay, Dundarave, Ambleside, Eagle Harbour, Caulfeild, Whitby Estates, British Properties, Cypress Village, Gleneagles, Bayridge, Chartwell.
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We also see individuals from North Vancouver, Lions Bay, Squamish, Whistler, and throughout Metro Vancouver who prefer West Vancouver for therapy or who specifically want someone in this community who understands the local culture and pressures.
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Virtual individual counselling available and works great for many people. Some clients prefer the convenience of online sessions, others like in-person better. We can also mix - do some sessions in office and some virtual based on your schedule and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Individual Counselling
How do I know if I need therapy or if I'm just being dramatic?
If you're asking this question, you probably need support. "Just being dramatic" isn't a thing - if something's bothering you enough to consider therapy, it's worth addressing. You don't have to be in crisis to deserve help. Struggling is enough of a reason.
What's the difference between talking to a therapist and talking to a friend?
Friends are great but they're not trained, they have their own biases and emotional reactions, and the relationship isn't boundaried the same way. Therapy gives you someone who's professionally trained to help, who won't judge you or share your business, and whose only agenda is your wellbeing. Plus therapists teach actual skills, not just sympathy.
How long does therapy take to work?
Some people feel better after a few sessions just from having support and learning coping skills. Deeper changes usually take months. Complex issues like trauma or lifelong patterns might take a year or more. That said, you should notice some improvements within the first month or two - if not, we talk about why.
What if I don't know what to talk about in sessions?
Totally normal, especially at first. I'll ask questions to help you explore. Sometimes we have specific topics, other times you just process whatever's happening that week. You don't need a prepared speech or agenda - we figure it out together.
Will you give me advice or just listen?
Both. Sometimes you need practical advice and I'll give it. Other times you need to process and figure things out yourself and I'll facilitate that. Therapy isn't me telling you what to do with your life - it's helping you make your own decisions from a healthier, clearer place.
Can I do therapy if I'm on medication?
Absolutely. Lots of people do both therapy and medication. They work on different aspects - medication helps with brain chemistry, therapy helps with thoughts, behaviors, and processing. We can coordinate with your psychiatrist or doctor if helpful, with your permission.
What if therapy brings up stuff that makes me feel worse?
Processing difficult emotions or memories can temporarily increase distress before things get better. That's normal. We go at a pace you can handle and make sure you have coping skills to manage between sessions. If therapy's consistently making you worse without improvement, we adjust our approach.
How do I know when I'm done with therapy?
When you're managing well on your own, the issues that brought you in are resolved or manageable, you've got skills to handle future challenges, and you don't need the support anymore. We taper off slowly - spacing sessions out before ending completely - so you can test your wings before flying solo.
You don't have to keep struggling alone. West Vancouver individual counselling gives you the support and tools to actually feel better instead of just surviving. Book your first session today and let's figure out how to help you feel like yourself again.