Best Life Counselling bestlifecounselling.com
. . .    for those aspiring to live their best life   . . .

How to Choose a Counsellor

It may seem at first to be a challenging task to choose your Counsellor. However, you may begin to simplify your search by first identifying your personal priorities for a Counsellor that fits you. Perhaps, you may prefer to see a female or a male therapist. Perhaps, you want to see someone who is not too far away. Once you have identified such preferences, you can start to narrow your list.

Before you choose a Counsellor however, it is CRUCIAL that you understand that in Canada, anyone can call themselves a 'Counsellor' and be paid to provide their 'Counselling Services'. . . This means Buyer Beware.

It is therefore up to You, as a consumer, to make sure:

Your Counsellor has appropriate training, such as a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology, and that this degree was obtained from a legitimate source (such as SFU or UBC).

Or even better, make sure your Counsellor is a member of an accredited association of Counsellors. For instance they should be CCC, i.e. Certified with the Canadian Counselling Association. Please see http://www.ccacc.ca/home.html  for more information.

Alternately, or in addition, it is best that they hold the credentials of being a Registered Clinical Counsellor, or RCC, i.e. are they Registered with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors? Please visit http://www.bc-counsellors.org/ for more information.

When You Meet With a Counsellor, Make Sure You Have a Good Alliance:

The therapeutic alliance, the relationship between you and your Counsellor, is the largest single contributer to a successful and positive Counselling experience. You will know you have a good alliance when you feel comfortable with and trust your Counsellor. A good therapeutic alliance forms when a Counsellor is empathic, supportive, a great listener, non-judgemental and genuinely warm and respectful. You deserve no less!

Quotes from Lorraine McAteer's Clients about how Counselling with Lorraine has affected them:

"I can see things (about myself and my relationships) differently now that before I had no idea about . . . "

"She's good!"

"I had no one else to talk to who wouldn't have judged me. . . "

"Lorraine's warmth allowed me to be truly myself"

"She (Lorraine) could read my mind!"

 "I was assertive for the first time in my life!  I realize (now) how important it (speaking my nimd) is to my self-respect."

"She might be psychic."

“I have found (Lorraine’s) insights to be invaluable.”

"Thank-you Lorraine, for helping me get my life back!"

This Website is under continuous revision and is updated regularly.  Please check back soon for new information. 

If you have any questions or are curious about us please drop us a line at info@bestlifecounselling.com.