FAQs

General Inquiries

What is South Island Counselling?

South Island Counselling is a counselling facility which offers pay by the scale services. SICCT is a non-profit charity.

Where are you located?

We are located in Victoria, BC between St. Luke’s Church and Lakehill preschool. The exact address is 3821A Cedar Hill Cross Road. It is close to the intersection of Cedar Hill and Cedar Hill X.
For more information, check our Contact us page.

Is parking available for clients?

Yes, we have parking avaible at the front of the building. Out parking is free of charge.

Why choose South Island Counselling?

All of our counsellors are Master Level with designation or

How much does it cost?

Anywhere from $50 to $120 per hour session. If an individual cannot afford to pay our minimum of $50 they can apply for a subsidy.

How do I pay my sessions?

South Island Counselling uses the Jane App system to process credit card and visa/mastercard debits. You will need one of these to enter into your account so your counsellor can process payments at the end of every session. We do accept cheques as prepayments as well.

Is South Island Counselling right for me?

South Island Counselling may be right for you if you're looking to improve the quality of your life. Whenever there is anything that interferes with your happiness or prevents you from achieving your goals, we may be able to help. We have counselors who are specialized in specific issues, such as stress, anxiety, relationships, parenting, depression, addictions, eating, sleeping, trauma, anger, family conflicts, LGBTQ matters, grief, religion, self esteem and more.

Am I allowed to choose my own therapist?

Sometimes. Once your online intake form is filled out from our website, our clinical director will set you up with a counsellor he feels can best meet your needs. If you really would like a certain counsellor you can request it and wait for he/she to have an opening.

What do you consider when you are matching us with a therapist?

Do you offer any alternative to face-to-face therapy?

South Island Counselling offers virtual tele-health/video counselling through Jane App. We also offer phone counselling if face-to-face and video cannot work for you.

What kind of therapies do you offer?

South Island Counselling counsellors are trained and experienced in all types of therapy such as Trauma Informed DBT, CBT, EMDR, Grief and Loss, Family Systems Therapy, Play Therapy for Children/Teens, Art Therapy and Spiritual Direction. Moreover, our counsellors offer individual therapy, couple therapy, child and teen counselling, and, in some cases family counselling if required.

How do phone sessions work?

Your counsellor will call you when it's time to meet for your appointment. Please ensure you are located in a quiet and private area with clear reception. Your counsellor will call you using the number in your profile page on our Jane App system.

How do video sessions work?

Video counselling will be setup by your counsellor when he/she books your appointment. Our counsellors use Jane App.

How is my privacy protected?

Confidentiality & Your Rights

Privacy

We respect your right to privacy and will ask only for information that is relevant to the work you want to do. We require your consent to obtain this information. Our policies and procedures for the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information, conform to the Personal Information & Privacy Act. If you choose to not provide information we will inform you of how that choice will/will not affect the services we provide. If you have any questions regarding your personal information please contact South Island Centre.

Limits of Confidentiality

It is important that you understand the confidential nature of your relationship with your counsellor. Everything that you disclose about yourself will be treated as confidential. No one at South Island Centre will release your name, or information about you, or your counselling, to anyone outside of South Island Centre without your informed, voluntary, and written consent, except as outlined below:

If we obtain information which leads us to suspect that a child (18 and under) is at risk for, or has been, physically abused, sexually abused, emotionally abused, or neglected, we are legally obliged to make a report to the Ministry for Children & Family Development. We are also obliged to cooperate in providing information to the Ministry for Children & Family Development if the Ministry is conducting an investigation about the safety of a child. This is about protecting children from harm.
If you inform us about any intent to commit an act which could result in the injury or death of another/others, we are legally obliged to contact the police. This is about protecting others from harm.
If a counsellor has concerns that you are a danger to yourself, she/he will discuss with you any plan that they may need to take on your behalf (e.g. call a family member or family physician). However, in situations where your counsellor is unable to discuss this with you, they may need to proceed without your consent in order to fulfill their obligation to ensure your safety.
We are ordered by court subpoena to release information to a third party, such as a lawyer.
In order to ensure accountable, ethical, and effective clinical service your counsellor regularly consults with a clinical Supervisor, and or clinical colleagues, to obtain clinical consultation. Identifying information will be kept to an absolute minimum during any such clinical consultation.

Whenever it is safe and possible to do so, we will notify you of any situation where we are obliged to report. Our preference is to support you in making the actual report.

Furthermore, when working with couples, if one should attend an individual session it is understood that the content of the individual session will be confidential from your partner.

Release of Information

If you need your counsellor to release information to a third party, such as a Probation Officer, doctor, or lawyer, you must provide us with informed, written, and voluntary consent. We will provide you with an appropriate form. Discuss any need for this with your counsellor.

Once I submitted the intake form, how long does it take to process?

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending how long our waitlist is. When the clinical director responds to your online intake he will let you know the wait time.

My therapist may not have been a good match. What should I do?

You can email the clinical director at richard@southislandcentre.ca and he will help you find a better match. Keep in mind it could take time for a counsellor to have an opening.

Subsidy Inquiries

How does the subsidy work?

You will need to fill out our subsidy application online here. Please note proof of income will be required.

Can everyone apply to the subsidy?

You can apply to the subsidy if you cannot afford to pay the minimum of $50 per session and you make less than $45,000 per year gross.

How do I know if I am elegible for the subsidy?

You are eligible for the subsidy if you make under $45,000 per year and have no extra income gifted to you, such as help from family or friends, student or government loans, third-party loans etc.

How long does the subsidy application take to process?

It can take up to 7 days. There is a waitlist for subsidy counselling and it is also dependent on funding available to the Centre.

Can I use some thrid-party to cover part my fees?

South Island Counselling does not accept third party billing. If you have insurance, you will be billed at a rate of $100/hour and once your deductible is used up you can then go on the fee scale. It will be up to you to get reimbursed from your insurance company. South Island Counselling will provide you a receipt with the Counsellor’s license number, amount paid, and date and time of the appointment.

What information do you require to verify my subsidy application?

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can provide you with a proof of income statement, which is a simple generic version of your tax assessment. This document summarizes your income and deductions for a specific tax year and we would require the latest one. You can get a proof of income statement right away in your online CRA account or you can order a copy of a proof of income statement. It can take up to 10 days to get to you. For more information please click here. We will also accept pay stubs, letter from employer, disability insurance documents, and unemployment documents.

To be part of South Island Centre

I am a licensed counsellor. How can I provide services at South Island Counselling?

If you would like to volunteer please contact richard@southislandcentre.ca. Otherwise we will list paid contract opportunities in our join our team area. Please click here.

I am a graduate level student. How can I get a practicum experience at South Island Counselling?

If you would like to have an internship with us, please contact richard@southislandcentre.ca. For more information, check our Practicum Experience.

JaneApp Inquiries

What is JaneApp?

Jane App is a practice management software for health organizations, providing clinic management software capabilities such as online booking, charting, scheduling, secure video and invoicing in one easy-to-use platform. Jane is a web-based program that is available on any device, letting our clinic connect with clients and patients who need our help the most.

How does JaneApp work?

All new clients will receive a welcome email from their counsellor. Follow the link in the email to set up your account with a username and password.

Once that is done you will have a My Account portal area where you can view your upcoming appointments, and cancel or reschedule visits. In the billing area you can add your credit card, to pay for all counselling sessions through the Jane App portal. You can also fill out our intake form once inside the portal or have your counsellor email it to you.