Counselling FAQ

You can book one appointment at a time. The number of sessions needed will vary for each situation; you and your counsellor will discuss how many sessions you may need.

You’ll begin your meeting with a review of our Information and Consent to Counsel Form, and you’ll be able to ask any questions you have about the counselling process. Then, you’ll be invited to share what brings you in and begin exploring  it with your counsellor. At the end, you’ll discuss counselling goals for moving forward. Your counsellor can also help you book your next appointment if further sessions would be beneficial for you. 

No! Counselling can be extremely helpful for dealing with everyday concerns that you might need support with, from stress about juggling your course load to struggles in a relationship.

Absolutely! Counselling is available to all registered Douglas College students residing in B.C. International students may face unique challenges that could benefit from counselling support. Please note that counselling support is limited for students studying virtually from their home countries. If you are studying from your home country, you are eligible to attend any of the virtual counselling workshops or drop-in groups. You can also request one-on-one counselling support for Douglas College-specific academic concerns, such as appeals, probation, exception requests and complaints. Check out our resources page for external counselling support services that you may be eligible to access.

Counselling is available to registered students in Douglas College credit courses only. Please check with your program coordinator/administrator for built in support options that may be tailored for your program. You may also consider our list of community resources for organizations that can provide 24/7 crisis assistance and/or support for specific mental health-related concerns.

Review the statements below to determine who would be best able to assist you.  

Counselling appointments are typically booked one to two weeks ahead, and certain times of the semester are busier than others. If you are in crisis or concerned for your safety, please explain your situation to reception when you phone and request a “same-day urgent appointment.” We have a few time slots set aside each day for urgent situations. We do not maintain a cancellation list; if you have a time-sensitive matter that is not eligible for an urgent appointment, we invite you to sit in the department’s waiting area or check back with reception in the event that another student cancels their appointment.

No, you do not need to prepare anything. However, we advise you to read the Information and Consent to Counsel Form prior to your session. Your counsellor will go over this when you arrive, so it will speed up the process if you are already familiar with it.

Yes. However, if you do decide to bring someone, we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of the session as that individual is not legally bound in the same way your counsellor is.

We encourage you to keep meeting with the same counsellor to allow for better continuity of care. The more familiar your counsellor is with your situation, the more equipped they are to respond to your needs and achieve results. However, the counselling relationship is also important, so if you aren’t connecting well with someone, you are welcome to ask reception to schedule an appointment with another counsellor. Review our team’s bios and see if someone stands out to you as a possible better fit.

You need to be a current Douglas College student registered in courses and residing in B.C. to book an appointment for personal or career counselling. If your program has a scheduled break (e.g. you are taking the Summer Semester off, but returning for Fall), then you remain eligible to book a counselling session during that break period.  

Please note: if you need support related to academic probation, which has prevented you from registering for classes, please contact us (regardless of whether you are studying locally or remotely) to review how we may be able to serve you.

You are welcome to bring up any topic of concern, and in some cases seemingly unrelated topics may be intertwined. Your counsellor will let you know if something is beyond their scope of practice and support you in finding resources elsewhere.

Your name, student number, the type of counselling – personal, career or academic – you are seeking support for and a brief explanation of your concerns. Refer to the list of statements on our counselling home page for examples of counselling topics. If you have concerns for your safety or the matter is time-sensitive, please let reception know.

All our counsellors are experienced in working with students from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Please review our counsellor bios and advise reception if you would like to meet with a specific counsellor.

All three are mental health professionals. Psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication. Psychologists typically have doctoral degrees in clinical or counseling psychology; they tend to see individuals with serious mental health concerns and are trained to provide psychological assessments. Douglas College counsellors have master's degrees in counselling psychology and work from a perspective of supporting students with overall wellness. We do not provide mental health assessments or prescribe medication.

We do not provide mental health or psychoeducational assessments. Our counsellors can, however, assist with assessing your interests, values, skills and personality for the purposes of career/educational decision-making. Career assessments are typically done in a group format using standardized tools, but a less formal individual assessment is possible.

The receptionist who sets up the appointment and checks you in will be aware you have sought counselling. Counsellors adhere to a code of ethics that includes confidentiality. We will not discuss your attendance or the content of our meetings with anyone else without your permission unless required to do so by law. If you have any concerns, please discuss them with your counsellor in the first session. More details on our confidentiality policy can be found on the counselling home page.