Expert Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Services in Canada

Taking Your First Step: Getting Started with CBT

Starting therapy takes courage. You've already shown incredible strength by considering this journey. At Bee Here Counselling, we make beginning CBT as comfortable and welcoming as possible.

What to Expect in Your First Contact

Your journey begins with a free 15-minute consultation. Think of this as a gentle introduction. No pressure. No commitment. Just a chance to meet Melissa Davies and share what's bringing you here today.

During this consultation, you'll discover how CBT might help with your specific concerns. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, or life transitions, this conversation helps determine if we're the right fit for your healing journey. You can choose to connect by phone, video call, or in person at our Nanaimo office.

Preparing for Your Consultation

You don't need to prepare extensively. Simply think about what's been weighing on your mind lately. What patterns do you notice? What would you like to feel different about your daily life?

Bring any questions you have about CBT, our approach, or what therapy might look like for you. Remember, this consultation is designed to help you feel informed and comfortable before making any decisions about ongoing therapy.

After Your Consultation

If you decide to move forward, we'll schedule your first full CBT session. This intake appointment lasts about 50 minutes and can happen in whatever format feels most comfortable for you. We'll discuss your goals, explore your current challenges, and begin mapping out how CBT techniques can support your unique situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I'm nervous about calling?Feeling nervous is completely normal. Many clients tell us their anxiety decreases significantly after that first conversation. Melissa's warm, non-judgmental approach helps you feel heard from the very beginning.

Do I need to know anything about CBT before we talk?Not at all. We'll explain everything in simple terms. CBT focuses on understanding the connections between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. We'll explore these patterns together at a pace that feels right for you.

What if I'm not sure therapy is right for me?That's exactly what the free consultation helps determine. There's no obligation to continue after our initial conversation. This time is specifically designed to help you make an informed decision about your mental health care.

Can I bring someone with me to the consultation?Absolutely. If having a support person present helps you feel more comfortable, they're welcome to join the consultation. We want you to feel as supported as possible during this important step.

What about insurance coverage?We accept many insurance providers and offer direct billing with several plans. During your consultation, we'll discuss coverage options and ensure you understand any costs involved before moving forward.

Ready to Begin?

Taking this first step shows remarkable courage. You deserve support, understanding, and effective tools for managing life's challenges. CBT offers practical strategies that can create lasting positive changes in your daily experience.

Book Your Free Consultation:

• Email: [email protected]
• Online Booking: Visit our website
• Phone: Contact us directly through our website

Your healing journey begins with a single conversation. We're here to support you every step of the way, providing compassionate, evidence-based care that honours your unique experience and goals.

Remember, seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness. You're taking an important step toward better mental health and overall well-being. We look forward to connecting with you soon.

Step 2: Assessment & Goal Setting

Your journey begins here. This comprehensive assessment creates the foundation for your healing path, helping us understand your unique story and what you hope to achieve through therapy.

What to Expect During Your Assessment

Your intake session lasts 50 minutes. We'll explore your concerns together. During this time, I'll ask about your current challenges, your personal history, and what brings you to therapy today. This isn't an interrogation. It's a conversation designed to help me understand how best to support you.

The assessment includes several components that work together to create a complete picture of your needs. We'll discuss your emotional well-being using simple questionnaires that measure things like mood patterns, anxiety levels, and stress responses. These tools help identify areas where you might benefit most from support. We'll also explore your cultural background, family dynamics, and any past experiences that might influence your healing journey.

Collaborative Goal Setting

Goals matter. They give direction to our work together and help measure your progress along the way.

We'll identify what you want to achieve through therapy. Perhaps you're seeking relief from anxiety. Maybe you want to process past trauma. Or you might be looking to develop better coping strategies for life's challenges. Whatever brings you here, we'll work together to create clear, achievable goals that reflect your values and priorities.

Your goals will be specific to you. We don't use cookie-cutter approaches here. Instead, we'll craft objectives that feel meaningful and attainable, adjusting them as needed throughout your therapeutic journey.

What to Bring and How to Prepare

Preparation Checklist

• Reflect on what you hope to gain from therapy
• Consider what has worked or hasn't worked for you in the past
• Think about your current coping strategies
• Prepare any questions you'd like to ask about the therapeutic process
• Arrive 10 minutes early to complete any remaining paperwork
• Bring a water bottle and tissues if needed

Assessment Tools We Use

We use evidence-based questionnaires to better understand your experience. These include brief surveys about mood and emotional patterns that help identify symptoms of depression. We also use anxiety screening tools that measure worry patterns and physical symptoms. Additionally, we may explore trauma responses through specialized questionnaires designed to assess how past experiences might be affecting you today.

These tools aren't about labelling you. They're about understanding you better so we can provide the most effective support possible.

Addressing Common Concerns

Will I be judged? Absolutely not. This is a safe space where your experiences are met with compassion and understanding. There's no judgment here, only support.

What if I don't know how to answer something? That's perfectly normal. We can explore questions together, and it's always okay to say "I don't know" or "I'm not sure."

Do I have to share everything in the first session? You control the pace. Share what feels comfortable, and know that trust builds over time. There's no pressure to reveal everything immediately.

What if I become emotional? Emotions are welcome here. This is a space where feelings can be expressed safely, and I'm trained to support you through whatever comes up.

Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusion

Your cultural background matters. It shapes your worldview, your experiences, and your healing journey. During our assessment, we'll explore how your cultural identity influences your mental health and what culturally responsive approaches might best serve you.

This includes understanding your spiritual beliefs, family traditions, community connections, and any experiences with discrimination or marginalization. We honour Indigenous ways of knowing and healing, and we recognize that wellness looks different for everyone.

Session Formats Available

Choose what works best for you:

• In-person sessions at our Nanaimo location
• Online video sessions through secure, confidential platforms
• Phone sessions for those who prefer voice-only connection

All formats provide the same quality of care and confidentiality. We'll discuss which option feels most comfortable for your ongoing sessions.

After Your Assessment

Following your intake session, we'll schedule your next appointment and begin developing your personalized treatment plan. This plan integrates various therapeutic approaches based on your specific needs and goals. You'll leave with a clear understanding of next steps and what to expect as we move forward together.

Remember, this assessment is the beginning of a collaborative partnership. Your voice matters throughout this process, and we'll adjust our approach based on your feedback and evolving needs.

Step 3: Active Treatment and Skill Building

Now the real work begins. You'll engage in regular sessions where we explore, practice, and build the skills that will transform your relationship with thoughts and feelings.

Your Weekly Sessions

Each 50-minute session follows a gentle rhythm designed around your needs. We start with connection. How are you feeling today? What's been happening since we last met? This isn't just small talk—it's essential information that guides our work together.

The heart of each session focuses on cognitive behavioural techniques tailored specifically for you. We might examine thought patterns that keep you stuck. Challenge beliefs that no longer serve you. Practice new ways of responding to difficult emotions. Sometimes we'll use worksheets to track your thinking. Other times, we'll engage in role-playing exercises that build confidence for real-world situations.

Every session ends with integration. We'll summarize what you've discovered and plan how to practice these insights between our meetings. You're never left wondering what comes next.

Therapeutic Techniques We'll Use

• Thought Record Keeping: Learn to catch negative thinking patterns as they happen and examine the evidence for and against these thoughts
• Behavioural Experiments: Test out new behaviours in safe, planned ways to challenge limiting beliefs about yourself and your capabilities
• Mindfulness Integration: Combine present-moment awareness with cognitive techniques to create space between you and your thoughts
• Problem-Solving Skills: Break down overwhelming challenges into manageable steps you can actually take
• Emotional Regulation Strategies: Develop practical tools for managing intense feelings without being overwhelmed by them
• Grounding Techniques: Learn body-based methods to stay present when anxiety or distressing thoughts arise

Between-Session Practice

Growth happens between our meetings. That's where life unfolds, after all.

You'll receive personalized homework assignments that reinforce what we explore together. These aren't busy work—they're carefully chosen activities that accelerate your progress. One week you might keep a mood and thought journal. Another week, you might practice a specific breathing technique when you notice anxiety building.

Tracking Your Progress

We measure progress together. Not through cold, clinical assessments, but through meaningful conversations about what's shifting in your daily life.

You'll complete brief questionnaires that help us understand how your mood, anxiety levels, and overall functioning change over time. These simple tools—measuring things like sleep quality, energy levels, and social connection—give us valuable information about your healing journey. More importantly, we'll regularly discuss what you're noticing about yourself. Are you sleeping better? Feeling more confident in social situations? Catching negative thoughts sooner?

Progress isn't always linear. Some weeks feel like breakthroughs. Others feel like setbacks. We'll normalize this natural rhythm of growth and use both the challenging and successful moments as learning opportunities.

Your Role in the Process

You're not a passive recipient of treatment. You're the expert on your own experience, and I'm here to provide tools and guidance as you navigate toward wellness.

This collaborative approach means you'll help shape each session's focus. If a particular technique isn't resonating, we'll explore alternatives. If you're struggling with homework assignments, we'll modify them to better fit your life. Your feedback guides everything we do together.

Between sessions, you have support. While I maintain professional boundaries around after-hours contact, you'll know exactly how to reach me if you're in crisis. You'll also have access to resources and coping strategies we've developed together for managing difficult moments on your own.

Building Lasting Change

The goal isn't just symptom relief—though that matters enormously. We're building a new relationship with your thoughts and emotions that will serve you long after our work together ends.

Each session builds on the last, creating a foundation of skills and insights that become second nature over time. You'll develop your own internal therapist, able to apply cognitive behavioural principles to new challenges as they arise. This is how lasting transformation happens—not through dependence on therapy, but through your own growing capacity for self-awareness and skillful response to life's inevitable difficulties.

Step 4: Celebrating Progress & Planning Your Future

You've reached an incredible milestone. This final step celebrates your growth and ensures you feel confident moving forward with the tools and insights you've developed through our CBT journey together.

Recognizing Your Transformation

Progress looks different for everyone. Some clients notice dramatic shifts in their daily mood and energy levels. Others discover subtle but profound changes in how they respond to stress or connect with loved ones. Your unique journey matters, and we'll take time to acknowledge every step forward you've made.

Together, we'll review where you started and celebrate where you are now. This isn't just about feeling better in the moment. It's about recognizing the lasting skills you've built and the resilience you've developed that will serve you for years to come.

Signs You're Ready for Completion

Several indicators suggest you're prepared to continue your journey with greater independence:

• You consistently use coping strategies without prompting or reminder
• Challenging situations feel more manageable, and you recover more quickly from setbacks
• You can identify unhelpful thought patterns and redirect them effectively
• Your relationships have improved, and you communicate your needs more clearly
• You feel confident handling situations that previously felt overwhelming
• You've achieved the specific goals we set together at the beginning of therapy

Measuring Your Success

We'll use the same gentle assessment tools we've been working with throughout your therapy. These questionnaires about mood, anxiety levels, and daily functioning help us see your progress clearly. Think of them as a snapshot of your emotional well being, not a test to pass or fail.

We'll also reflect on your personal goals. Remember those hopes and dreams you shared in our early sessions? Now we get to see how many you've achieved and celebrate the growth that made it possible.

Your Maintenance Toolkit

Completing therapy doesn't mean you're on your own. We'll create a personalized maintenance plan that keeps your progress strong and helps you continue growing.

Your toolkit might include weekly mood check ins using simple rating scales. Perhaps you'll schedule monthly "mental health dates" with yourself to practice the mindfulness techniques we've explored. We'll identify your early warning signs and create specific action plans for challenging times.

Many clients find it helpful to keep a simplified version of the thought records we've been using. Others prefer setting reminders to practice breathing exercises or scheduling regular activities that boost their mood and energy.

Staying Connected and Supported

Your relationship with Bee Here Counselling doesn't end when regular sessions do. We offer several ways to maintain connection and support as you continue your journey.

Booster sessions provide an opportunity to check in, refresh your skills, and address any new challenges that arise. Many clients schedule these quarterly or during particularly stressful life transitions. Think of them as tune ups for your mental health.

We also offer brief phone consultations if you need guidance between sessions. Sometimes a quick conversation can help you apply your tools to a new situation or regain confidence in your abilities.

When Life Brings New Challenges

Life continues to evolve after therapy ends. New stressors, transitions, and opportunities will arise. This is normal and expected, not a sign that therapy didn't work.

You now have a foundation of skills and self awareness that will help you navigate whatever comes next. And you know that support is available if you need it. Returning to therapy for additional sessions isn't a step backward. It's a wise choice that many people make when facing major life changes or wanting to work on new areas of growth.

Celebrating Your Courage

Taking the step to begin therapy requires tremendous courage. Staying committed to the process, even when it felt difficult, shows incredible strength. The insights you've gained and the changes you've made are testament to your resilience and commitment to your well being.

As we complete this chapter of your journey, remember that growth continues beyond our sessions. You carry with you not just the specific techniques we've practiced, but a deeper understanding of yourself and confidence in your ability to handle life's challenges.

Whether you're in Nanaimo, Vancouver, Victoria, or anywhere across British Columbia, Ontario, or Saskatchewan, our support remains available through online sessions, phone consultations, and in person appointments when you need them.

Your story of healing and growth continues. We're honoured to have been part of this chapter and excited to see where your journey leads next.