Counselling Services

There are various considerations when considering counselling. These include if the counselling services that the psychologist offers meets your needs and if the psychologist is available when you are able to meet. It is important to consider the benefits of counselling services with a psychologist near you.

Benefits of Counselling Services with a Psychologist Near You

Benefits of counselling services with a psychologist near you includes being able to meet in-person. Meeting at a psychologist office near you allows you to have personal and deep conversations face to face with your psychologist. As social beings, we tend to enjoy and seek connections with others which may be easier for some in-person. Some people find it easier to talk about the reasons they have sought counselling services in-person. In-person counselling services also allows for use of handouts, use of diagrams, or other items easier than virtually. 

Meeting in-person with a psychologist near you helps you to focus on your counselling session. If doing sessions virtually, it may be more difficult to focus on the session and not be distracted by who or what is around you. This is likely to result in more significant change, faster. 

Meeting at a psychologist office near you is practical as well. There are likely to be fewer practical obstacles getting in the way, such as backed-up traffic or poor road or weather conditions. One does not need to allow as much time to travel to a psychologist office near you, which may also be less stressful. As it does not take a lot of time to travel to a psychologist near you, it allows more time for other tasks, or simply to have some time for yourself. 

Another benefit of counselling services with a psychologist near you is that the psychologist is more likely to know about additional local resources you may want to utilize. If you travel a distance to get there, the psychologist may not be able to connect you with local services, which can compliment the counselling service the psychologist is providing. 

Benefits of Virtual Counselling

While there are many benefits of participating in counselling services with a psychologist near you, sometimes this may not be realistic.  Sometimes there is not a psychologist near you, because you live in a rural area. Or perhaps your live in a small town and know the psychologists near you, and you would prefer to go to someone you do not already know. Or, despite a psychologist office near you, you have physical or practical limitations to get there. Chilliwack Mountain View Counselling provides a range of counselling services, including virtual sessions, either by video or phone. There are many benefits of virtual sessions as well. In addition to the points already made, some find it overwhelming to start counselling in-person and it is easier and more likely for them to attend counselling if it is virtually. Also, it may be more difficult to attend in-person sessions, due to an inability to find a babysitter to watch the kids, etc. 

A benefit of virtual sessions is that you can meet with someone you would not be able to meet with in-person due to distance. This allows you to pick someone who is best suited to meet your needs and the reasons you sought out counseling services in the first place.

Combining Counselling Services with a Psychologist Near You and Virtual Sessions

Virtual sessions are also an option if you are travelling and want to continue your personal work. As psychologists are registered for specific locations (e.g., provinces), you may just need to check that the psychologist is able to practice where you are going. For example, if you are living within British Columbia and travelling within British Columbia, this is not a problem. Because I am registered in both British Columbia and Alberta, if we meet in British Columbia and you are visiting or working in Alberta, we can continue working together virtually while you are in Alberta. 

Best Fit for You

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide if the benefits of counselling services with a psychologist near you is best for you, or if you want to do virtual sessions. Of course, there is the flexibility to adapt your counselling services as best suits you. For example, you may want to start virtual sessions, and then move to in-person sessions if you are meeting with a psychologist near you. The decision is yours.