We offer therapy support through both in-person and secure virtual therapy sessions.
We offer therapy support through both in-person and secure virtual therapy sessions.
Questions You May Have Before Starting Therapy
Starting therapy can feel like a big step. You may have questions about what to expect, whether therapy is right for you, or even whether what you're experiencing is "enough" to seek help.
There is no right or wrong reason to come to therapy.
You don't have to wait until things become unbearable.
If something in your life isn't working, you're struggling to cope, or you simply feel that you want something to change, therapy can be a place to begin.
Below are some of the questions we hear most often.
Please reach us at burchcounselling@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
The cost of a counseling session at Burch Counselling and Consultation varies based on the type of service you require. Please contact our office for more information on pricing.
A typical counseling session at Burch Counselling and Consultation lasts for 50 minutes, although some sessions may be longer or shorter depending on your needs and booking preferences.
You don't have to be in crisis or have a diagnosis to benefit from therapy.
Therapy may be helpful if you're feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, stuck, emotionally exhausted, or unable to move forward. You may be struggling with relationships, boundaries, self-worth, trauma, grief, parenting, life transitions, or patterns that you keep repeating even though you want them to change.
Sometimes people come to therapy because they know exactly what they want to work on. Other times, they simply know:
"I don't feel like myself anymore."
That's enough.
You don't need to know exactly what kind of therapy you need before you reach out. We can work together to understand what's happening and determine what kind of support may be helpful.
Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know you and understand what brought you to therapy.
We'll talk about what you're experiencing, what has been happening in your life, and what you'd like support with. Depending on your circumstances, we may also discuss your history, relationships, current stressors, goals, and what you hope will be different as a result of therapy.
You don't need to have your story perfectly organized.
You don't have to tell us everything at once.
And you don't need to know exactly what you need.
The first session is also an opportunity for you to decide whether we feel like the right fit for you.
Therapy is a relationship, and feeling comfortable, respected, and understood matters.
There is no set number of sessions that is right for everyone.
The length of therapy depends on what you're working through, your goals, your circumstances, and the type of support you need.
Some people come for a few sessions to work through a specific concern or life transition. Others choose longer-term therapy to work through trauma, relationship patterns, anxiety, or deeper emotional concerns.
We regularly check in about your progress and goals so that therapy continues to be purposeful and meaningful.
The goal isn't to keep you in therapy indefinitely. The goal is to help you create meaningful change.
You're not alone.
Sometimes therapy doesn't work because the therapist wasn't the right fit. Sometimes the approach didn't match what you needed. Sometimes you weren't ready to work on certain things yet. And sometimes you may have been given tools without having the opportunity to understand what was happening underneath the problem.
A previous experience with therapy does not mean therapy can't help you.
At Burch Counselling & Consultation, we take time to understand what you've tried before, what was helpful, what wasn't, and what you're hoping will be different this time.
You don't have to start from scratch.
We can start exactly where you are now.
Yes.
Trauma isn't only something we remember in our minds. Difficult and overwhelming experiences can also affect the way our bodies respond to stress and perceived danger.
You may notice things such as:
These responses can be part of the body's protective response to stress and trauma.
This is one reason trauma-informed therapy may look at both the mind and the body.
At Burch Counselling & Consultation, we may incorporate somatic approaches, mindfulness, nervous system regulation, and other trauma-informed strategies to help you develop greater awareness and regulation.
Anxiety can develop for many different reasons.
Sometimes anxiety is connected to current stress. Sometimes it develops after difficult or traumatic experiences. It can also become a learned pattern where your brain and body become accustomed to looking for potential problems or danger.
You may find yourself constantly thinking:
"What if something goes wrong?"
"Did I say something wrong?"
"What if they are upset with me?"
"What if I can't handle this?"
When your nervous system is frequently activated, it can become difficult to relax even when you're objectively safe.
Therapy can help you understand what is contributing to your anxiety, recognize the thoughts and patterns that keep it going, develop regulation skills, and build greater confidence in your ability to manage difficult emotions and situations.
Freezing can be a protective response.
When your brain and nervous system perceive a situation as overwhelming, threatening, or unsafe, you may not always fight or run away. Sometimes the body responds by becoming still, shutting down, going blank, or feeling disconnected.
You may find that during conflict:
This doesn't mean you're weak or that you don't know how to communicate.
Your nervous system may be responding in a way that once helped you feel safer.
Therapy can help you understand these responses and develop greater awareness, regulation, communication, and confidence in difficult situations.
Nervous system regulation refers to developing the ability to recognize what is happening in your body and emotions and learning strategies that can help you move toward a greater sense of safety, stability, and balance.
Your nervous system is constantly responding to what is happening around you and within you.
When you've experienced chronic stress or trauma, you may spend more time feeling activated, anxious, hypervigilant, overwhelmed, shut down, or disconnected.
Therapy can help you learn to recognize your individual signs of activation and develop strategies that support regulation.
This may include breathing, grounding, mindfulness, movement, body awareness, sensory strategies, emotional awareness, and other individualized approaches.
The goal isn't to never feel stressed or anxious.
The goal is to develop greater flexibility in how you respond to stress and to feel more capable of returning to a regulated state.
Brainspotting is a trauma-focused therapeutic approach that uses a person's visual field and specific points of focus to help access and process experiences that may be difficult to reach through talking alone.
The approach is based on the idea that where we look and how we hold our attention can be connected to how we experience and process emotional and physiological responses.
Brainspotting may be used with people experiencing trauma, anxiety, emotional distress, and other difficult experiences.
At Burch Counselling & Consultation, Brainspotting may be incorporated into a broader, individualized treatment approach when it is appropriate for the client.
You do not need to understand Brainspotting before beginning therapy.
Your therapist will explain the process and help you determine whether it may be appropriate for your goals.
Yes.
Burch Counselling & Consultation offers both in-person and virtual counselling.
Virtual appointments are available throughout Ontario and worldwide, making it possible to access therapy from the comfort and privacy of your own space, no matter where you are located.
We also offer in-person counselling in Northumberland County, with our office located Port Hope.
If you're unsure whether virtual or in-person therapy would be the best fit for you, we can discuss your options.
Yes.
Burch Counselling and Consultation provides support for children and youth, depending on their individual needs and the therapist's area of practice.
Therapy with children may look different from adult therapy. Depending on the child's age and needs, therapy may incorporate conversation, play, creative activities, emotional education, coping strategies, mindfulness, and support for parents or caregivers.
Our goal is to create an environment where children and young people can feel safe, understood, and supported while developing the skills they need to navigate their emotions, relationships, and experiences.
When appropriate, we also work collaboratively with parents and caregivers.
Yes.
Couples counselling can help partners understand patterns that have developed within their relationship, improve communication, rebuild connection, and work through conflict.
You don't need to be on the verge of separation to come to couples therapy.
Some couples seek support because they keep having the same arguments. Others want to improve communication, strengthen their relationship, navigate a major transition, or simply maintain a healthy connection.
Our goal is to help couples understand the patterns between them and create healthier ways of communicating, responding, and connecting.
Yes. Confidentiality and privacy are important parts of the therapeutic relationship.
Information shared during therapy is treated confidentially in accordance with applicable professional, ethical, and legal requirements.
There are some legal and professional limits to confidentiality, which your therapist will review with you as part of the informed consent process.
If you have questions about privacy or confidentiality, we encourage you to ask your therapist at any time.
You should feel comfortable asking questions about how your information is handled.
Most extended health and group benefit plans provide coverage for psychotherapy or social work services.
Burch Counselling and Consultation does not direct bill insurance or group benefit providers.
You pay for your appointment directly and receive a receipt from us. You can then submit your receipt to your insurance or group benefits provider for reimbursement according to the terms of your individual plan.
Coverage varies between insurance companies and plans, so we recommend contacting your provider before your first appointment to confirm:
We are happy to provide the documentation you need to submit your claim.
Booking an appointment is simple.
You can use our online booking system to view available appointments and select the therapist and appointment time that works best for you.
If you're unsure which therapist is the right fit, you can contact us and we can help you determine which member of our team may best match your needs.
You don't need to know exactly what you need before reaching out.
You just need to take the first step.
It's completely normal to have questions before beginning therapy.
If you don't see your question answered here, please reach out to us.
We're happy to help you understand the process and determine whether Burch Counselling and Consultation may be the right fit for you.
You don't have to figure everything out before you contact us.
We're here to help you take the next step.
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