Individual and Family Counselling
What is counselling?
The purpose of counselling (or psychotherapy) is to help people change their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in order to live more rewarding and resilient lives. Counselling provides a supportive environment to talk openly and confidentially about concerns and feelings. Our psychologists use a combination of narrative, cognitive-behavioural, solution-focused, and systemic theories to guide their practice.
Who are our counselling services meant to assist?
Due to the high demand for our services, we need to restrict our counselling to children, adolescents, adults, and families affected by Learning Disabilities and associated disorders (e.g., ADHD). No formal medical referral is required to begin counselling. Please note: If you are looking for services during the school year (September-June) and the prospective client is a student at Foothills Academy, do not submit this form unless you have already checked with the classroom teacher to see if your child qualifies for counselling through the school program. If so, there is a different form to submit that is available from the teacher. The application form at the bottom of this page would still be relevant for Foothills Academy School families who want to do counselling that is more family-focused.
Who offers the counselling?
We are pleased to have a team of Registered Provisional Psychologists led by Dr. Karen MacMillan working with us at Foothills Academy Community Services to provide counselling services to the Calgary community.
What are some of the concerns that can be addressed through our counselling services?
- An individual’s, or family’s, struggles with the acceptance, understanding, and/or management of diagnoses such as LD and/or ADHD
- Emotional dysregulation including the experience of Anxiety and/or Depression
- Parent-child conflict
- Lack of social connections
- Time Management and organization skills
Please note: We do not conduct parenting capacity, custody, and/or access assessments.
Intake Criteria
Children (age 8+), adolescents, adults, and families affected by Learning Disabilities and associated disorders (e.g., ADHD) are our target population. When clients are young, therapy typically involves some combination of work with the young person one-to-one, as well as work with parents/guardians. The way in which counselling unfolds will be informed by the presenting concerns, the young person's willingness to engage in therapy, and the approaches taken to increase capacity between sessions.
No formal medical referral is required to begin counselling.
What is the cost?
We currently offer counselling at a rate of $140 per 50-minute session.
Financial Accessibility
- Health Insurance Plans
Many private and employer benefit plans provide coverage for psychological services. It is recommended that parents/clients discuss their coverage with their insurer to determine whether our services will be covered. That is, it will be identified on the receipt who provided the service, including their position with us (e.g., Psychologist or Registered Provisional Psychologist). All Registered Provisional Psychologists are supervised by Dr. Karen MacMillan. - Medical Expense
Any costs for such services provided by our Psychological Services & Programs department that are not reimbursed through insurance may be claimed as a medical expense upon completing your income tax. - Fee Reduction
If you require financial assistance beyond this, you can apply for Fee Reduction through Foothills Academy Society.
How do I access counselling services?
If you are interested in counselling, please complete the online Counselling Intake Form. You will typically be contacted within 3 business days to set up an initial appointment or be added to the waitlist.