With the enormity of becoming a mother, it’s natural to feel a range of emotions and feel them deeply! A woman’s emotional health is most at risk during pregnancy or following the birth of a baby than any other time in her life. In fact, 1 in 5 mothers experience postpartum depression making it the most common complication of childbirth. Fathers (www.postpartummen.com) and adoptive parents can experience it too. Here are a few symptoms that can be indications that it’s time to get help.

• Have trouble sleeping?

• Find you're exhausted most of the time?

• Notice a decrease in your appetite?

• Worry about little things that never used to bother you?

• Wonder if you'll ever have time to yourself again?

• Feel guilty, ashamed, and think you are not a good mother

• Think your children would be better off without you?

• Worry that your husband or partner will get tired of you feeling this way?

• Quick to anger and seem to snap at others over everything?

• Think everyone else is a better mother than you are?

• Cry over the slightest thing?

• No longer enjoy the things you used to enjoy?

• Isolate yourself from your friends and neighbours?

• Fear leaving the house or being alone?

• Have anxiety attacks?

• Have unexplained anger?

• Have difficulty concentrating?

• Have repeated, unwanted “scary thoughts” about your baby’s well being that seem to come out of nowhere?

• Think something else is wrong with you or your marriage?

• Feel like you will always feel this way and never get better?

• Do you feel this way much of the time? For longer than two weeks

You could be experiencing postpartum depression and/or anxiety. Book an appointment with a therapist to create a plan for your recovery. With support, you will feel better.

Generally speaking, appointments can be scheduled within a week of your initial call. Urgent appointments (same day or next day) may be available if needed. Daytime, evening, and weekend appointments are available.

In the initial session, the therapist will work with you to gain a full understanding of what you are experiencing and what you need to feel better. Together you will formulate a plan specific to your needs, what you would like to see change, and what resources are available to you. You may feel hopeful and a sense of relief because you have taken the first step in feeling better. Individuals and couples often report experiencing new awareness and insights from this initial session.

Together, you and your therapist will determine the frequency of appointments based on your needs and schedule, which may be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. According to research, individuals and couples that have the most positive outcomes from counselling attended on a regular basis.

Individuals and couples come to counselling for different reasons and at different points in their journey; therefore, the length of time individuals and couples engage in counselling really varies. The therapist’s first priority is making sure you get the results you want from your counselling experience; which for most, is to feel better as quickly as possible.

We sure do. Two of our therapists are trained in the Gottman Method - the evidenced-based gold standard of relationship counselling. Heather M. and Sarah K are happy to help couples better their communication, conflict resolution, and connection.

It is common for individuals to worry about the cost of counselling. Consider the benefits of this short term investment. Taking care of yourself and getting what you need is important. The cost of not getting help is much higher. Your health and well being is worth the investment. Most extended health care plans cover the cost of counselling services provided by a Registered Social Worker (RSW).

• 60-Minute In-Person Individual Counselling/Psychotherapy - $150

• 60-Minute Virtual Individual Counselling/Psychotherapy - $150

• 75-Minute Couples Counselling/Psychotherapy- $195

Sliding scale is available and depends on the therapist. Email or call us to request this pricing and we’d be happy to help you.

Absolutely. The office is a comfortable, baby-friendly space.

No. It means you are a good mom experiencing difficult circumstances. Admitting that something is wrong, especially at a time when everything is supposed to be so ‘right’ and ‘perfect’ is huge. It takes enormous courage. Your well being is worth it.

Since the scheduling of a counselling appointment involves the reservation of a time specifically for you, a minimum of 24 hours notice is required for rescheduling or cancelling an appointment. Unless we reach a different agreement, the 50% of the fee will be charged for appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notice.