Fee FAQs

What is the fee for an individual session?

Individual sessions are $170/50 minutes or $255/80 minutes

What is the fee for a meet and greet session?

Meet and greet sessions are free!

What do you charge for corporate wellness talks?

Corporate wellness fees depend on the specifics of your event, including the number of attendees, the length of the presentation, and travel time to the venue. Fees are based on Kristeen’s hourly rate of $250/hour, but preparation time, travel time, and other factors impact cost. You can call or email us for a more specific quote.

Are you covered by insurance?

Great question! I am covered by many insurance benefit plans, but not all. It’s best to check with your insurance provider about your specific plan.

Services FAQs

What services do you offer?

Kristeen sees individual adults for in person therapy sessions or online therapy sessions. You can also book a meet and greet initially to see if she’s the right therapist for you. She also offers wellness talks and events for corporations looking to support the mental health of their employees. 

What is a meet and greet?

A meet and greet is a 15 minute online session where you’ll get a chance to speak with Kristeen, ask her any questions you have about her, or about counselling. She will also have some questions for you. You’ll discuss what you need and what she can offer, and find out if it’s a good fit. 

What is an individual counselling session?

An individual counselling session is a counselling session for one adult. You can meet in person or online to discuss your individual needs and challenges.

Do you offer online counselling?

Yes, Kristeen sees clients for both in person and online counselling. 

Which is better – online counselling or in person counselling?

Everyone is different and there are benefits to each type of therapy. In person therapy means we can share space, a cup of tea, and you get a chance to leave your house. It’s a great option if you live in the Edmonton area. Online therapy means you can avoid driving and stay in the comfort of your home. It’s also great if you live in Alberta but it’s too far to drive to see Kristeen in person.

Anxiety FAQs

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling that is very similar to fear. You might notice racing thoughts or sensations in your body like a rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath. Anxiety is often associated with something that is not happening immediately. There are many forms of anxiety, including phobias and panic attacks.

Do you work with anxious people?

Yes! I love working with anxious clients! Anxious clients are some of my favourite to work with because I love helping people change their relationships with anxiety.

What if I’m anxious about therapy?

A lot of people are nervous before their therapy sessions. I do everything I can to help you feel comfortable, including sending out driving instructions if you’re coming for in person therapy, and offering comfort items. You can also check out the video on our home page, which is designed to help you see the space and understand what it will look like.

Depression FAQs

What is depression?

Depression is a state of long lasting sadness. You might notice a change in your desire to do things you used to enjoy, or a lack of interest in spending time with others. 

How does depression counselling work?

When I work with clients dealing with depression, we look at many aspects of your life including sleep, nutrition, and social connections, as well as your thoughts and feelings about yourself and your world. I believe in a wholistic approach to depression counselling. We’ll discuss support and coping strategies. 

Do you believe in medication for depression?

Medication is one tool to help with depression, but there are many others. I am not in the business of telling clients what to do – therapy is a collaborative process where you are part of the goal setting and problem solving.

Relationship FAQs

What kinds of relationships do you help with?

Parent-child relationships, relationships with challenging coworkers, the relationship you have with your spouse, partner or family members, friendships. Any relationship you have with another person can be a topic for therapy!

Do you do couples counselling?

I no longer work with couples, but if you get in touch, I’ll be happy to refer you to some wonderful therapists that do couples therapy and pre-marital counselling, 

What kinds of relationship problems do you help with?

Managing conflict is a big topic for therapy. We can also work on improving your communication skills, increasing connection with friends or loved ones, and healthy boundary setting

Stress FAQs

What is stress?

Stress is tension associated with difficult events  and it can show up physically, mentally, or emotionally. Stress is not inherently bad – it’s actually a very normal part of our lives and low levels of stress can help with motivation and change. Long term stress and tension can be problematic, though. 

How can therapy help with stress?

We will work together to determine if any sources of stress can be altered or eliminated. Most of our work will be to build coping strategies for dealing with stress and build your skills in emotionally regulating when in stressful situations. 

Trauma & PTSD FAQs

What is trauma?

Trauma is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days, but in psychological terms, trauma is both a very distressing or upsetting event, and the reaction we have to those events. For example, a motor vehicle accident is a traumatic event, and after an event like that, some people experience the emotional and physical response we call trauma. 

What are some examples of traumatic events?

A traumatic event can be anything from a bad breakup to long term childhood abuse or neglect. Other examples include accidents, severe injury, domestic abuse, war, and violent crime. 

Can you experience trauma just from seeing something happen to someone else?

Yes, witnessing a traumatic event can be very upsetting and feel traumatic even if you yourself were not hurt or in danger. 

What is PTSD?

PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and it is a psychological disorder that can develop after a traumatic event. PTSD often involves intrusive thoughts of the event and nightmares. It can also include avoidance of certain things that trigger fear or flashbacks. 

What are some symptoms of PTSD?

Symptoms of PTSD include intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, broken memories of the traumatic event(s), a heightened sense of vigilance or awareness of your surroundings, increases in reactivity to typical things, and changes in emotion, behaviours, and beliefs. 

How do you help people with trauma?

I am trained in EMDR, and this is often a technique we use in therapy for those struggling with response to trauma or PTSD. I also have training in helping you learn to regulate and calm your physical body in response to trauma.

Grief & Loss FAQs

What is grief?

Grief is the emotional response we have to loss. We can experience grief as a result of many types of loss. Grief often involves deep sadness, but can also include guilt, anxiety, and questions about life and its meaning.

What are some different types of loss?

We can experience many types of loss, including the death of loved ones, the loss of a job, the end of a relationship, or a change in your health.

What happens in grief counselling?

When you’ve experienced a loss, your journey is unique. I’ll help you identify what you’re experiencing mentally, emotionally and physically, and together we’ll work on moving you forward. This might include helping you manage sadness, exploring your questions about the future, or finding ways to make meaning out of your loss.

Body Image FAQs

What is body image?

Body image is the thoughts, beliefs, and feelings you have about your body.

I really hate my body. Can you help?

I believe so! I love helping people learn to love and care for their bodies. I believe all bodies are good bodies and that we all deserve to feel content and at peace with ourselves.
 

What if I really want to change my body?

Many people have a desire to change the way their body looks and feels. My approach is rooted in a belief that loving your body doesn’t mean loving how every part of it looks – it means being loving toward it. We will investigate WHY you want to change your body and whether that’s coming from place of love or a place of self hatred. 

Will you just tell me to lose weight?

No! I believe you can be healthy and happy at any size. We will spend time investigating your beliefs about your body, food, and movement, and we will come up with goals together. Remember, I’m a therapist, not a personal trainer! My job is to help you mentally, emotionally, and physically come to a place of peace and freedom with your body. 

Personal Growth FAQs

What is personal growth?

In therapy, we evaluate where you are in your life and where you want to go. Personal growth is helping you move from the person you are today to the person you want to be in healthy ways. Maybe you want to quit smoking or become a better communicator. Maybe you want to get better at managing your emotions or reactions. This is all personal growth!

Personal Growth FAQs

What is a caregiver?

A caregiver is someone who cares for someone else. Caregiving can be personal, like caring for your own children or elderly parents, or professional, like being a nurse or teacher. 

How do you help caregivers?

I LOVE helping those who care for others! After all, in my role as a psychotherapist, I’m a caregiver, so I know the importance of taking care of myself as I care for others. In therapy, we will work on your self care and the management of any stress, sadness, guilt, and other implications of caring for others. 

Why are you so passionate about caregivers?

Well, I’m a caregiver myself, in my role as a Canadian Certified Counsellor. I’m also a mother to three kids, one of whom has a severe disability, so I know first hand the important role that caregivers provide, and the unique burdens of caring for others. Parents of kids with disabilities have a special place in my heart and I love providing them with support.

Highly Sensitive People FAQs

What is a highly sensitive person?

Highly sensitive people are those who are very sensitive to things like stress, tension, and the world around them. I call these clients “big feelers” because they often feel everything deeply. If you experience extreme sadness, happiness, and are easily overwhelmed, you might be an HSP. Many of these big feelers have been labeled emotional or sensitive by their friends and family members.

How do you help sensitive people?

When you’re very sensitive, it’s often hard to manage your emotions. I can help you learn to identify and express your emotions in a healthy way. We can also work on coping strategies for big feelings.