Question 1

Do I have to sign up for a Jane account?

Accepted Answer

Jane is a secure online booking system where you can book appointments, fill out forms, cancel upcoming appointments, pay for sessions and view your appointment history and receipts. The account also lets you create an account for family members.

You can create an account on your own by clicking "Book Consultation - Jane" on this website's homepage. If you just want to have a conversation and are unsure whether you will need an account for my services, you can also click "Book Consultation - Email" and I will e-mail you back with booking options as soon as possible.

If you find it tricky to figure out, send me an email and I can create an account for you and send a Welcome email.

Question 2

Do I need to book a consult call or can I book an appointment to start?

Accepted Answer

Some  people would like to have a short conversation ahead of booking an appointment. I recommend having a short phone or zoom call to make sure you feel comfortable with me and my approach. However, if you already know that you would like to get started or if you prefer to set-up your initial appointment to see if we are the right fit, you can create your Jane account and select "Book An Appointment" at the top of the page.

You can also go to the Home Page of this website and click on the Jane icon in the top right corner which will take you to all of the appointment options.

Question 3

Where do I park?

Accepted Answer

Luckily, Douglasdale Professional Building has free 90 minute surface parking and there is plenty of it.

You register your vehicle for free parking with the QR codes posted in the lot, in the Indigo parking app, or once you come up to the office I can assist you. If you need to park for longer than the complimentary 90 minutes, the cost will be covered by my office.

Question 4

Is your office easy to find?

Accepted Answer

Douglasdale Professional Building is very convenient to get to off of Deerfoot and easy to find. The building is directly across from Calgary Life Church. For directions in Google, you can type "Shanna Shepherd" ... and Shanna Shepherd Counselling should come up. It will bring you right to the parking lot.

My office is in the Elev8 suite (#201) on the second floor. There are two elevators in the building as well as stairs. Parking is free for the first 90 minutes. You still need to register your vehicle with the QR codes posted in the lot or through the Indigo Parking app.

You can also register your car once you are in my office and I can assist you. If you need to park for longer than the complimentary 90 minutes, the cost will be covered by my office.

An office tour video to help you know where to go when you arrive:
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k66kxsXjCdhpcNV3IQ5Fp525xKFVvBTE/view?usp=drive_link)

If you have trouble accessing or finding the office, you can email or call me at 403-698-3839.

In addition to the reception area inside of the office suite, there are two waiting areas that you are welcome to utilize while you wait for your/your child's appointment.

Question 5

How do I pay for my sessions?

Accepted Answer

Cash, e-transfer, and credit cards are accepted.
When you set-up your client account in Jane, you will be asked to enter a credit card number to hold the appointment for you. Your card is billed immediately following our session or after a late cancellation or missed session. If you would like to pay with e-transfer or cash, payment is due prior to the session.

I recognize that effective counselling is a commitment, often taking several sessions. I work from a depth psychology, attachment and developmental lens rather than a brief model. Because of this my fees are adjusted to be slightly lower than the recommended fee guide for clinical mental health care.

If you require a sliding scale please be in touch and we can discuss the options. 
​
Many insurance and benefit plans cover counselling services, but some plans remain very restrictive about who can provide a covered service. Please check with your provider ahead of booking sessions. I can provide my certification numbers with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (ACTA).

I do not direct bill insurance providers. You will be provided with a receipt through the Jane booking system which you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

Question 6

What can I expect in a first session?

Accepted Answer

The first session is a chance for us to get to know each other a little bit. You can expect a conversation about your rights as a client and my responsibilities as your counsellor. The first session is an opportunity for you to share about challenges you are navigating, changes in your life, alongside your hopes for our work together.

If you are bringing your child or teen for counselling, parents are required to attend an initial session to talk openly about their current concerns for their child and their hopes for counselling.

Typically, I use the first three sessions with a young person as assessment sessions. We get to know one another in a safe and fun environment. In addition, I get to hear about the things that weigh heavy on their mind and heart and how they believe counselling can support them.

I do not provide ongoing counselling for young people who do not want to attend counselling as that is rarely helpful. However, if you have a reluctant child or teen, I am willing to meet with them once or twice for them to see if they get a sense that I can help them with what is getting in their way.

Question 7

What is my involvement as a parent?

Accepted Answer

If you are a parent or caregiver bringing a young person to counselling, we will begin our work together with an initial parent consultation where I can get a sense of your concerns and hopes.

We will have an open conversation about privacy, confidentiality, communication and information sharing to ensure that the young person's right to confidentiality is being met alongside a parent/caregiver's hopes to be supportive and gain understanding.

Typically I require a parent check-in session every 6-8 sessions to ensure we remain on the same page with goals for your child's counselling. In parent check-in sessions, I will share observations, themes of sessions and recommendations for supporting your child. Depending on the goals set for counselling, you may be asked to be a part of sessions with your child to experience the effectiveness of counselling supports.

Question 8

How often should I/my child attend sessions?

Accepted Answer

At the start of counselling, establishing rapport and momentum is important. Everyone has different needs in counselling so this gets to be a discussion between us. Typically I recommend the first 3-4 sessions be weekly / bi-weekly. We can have a conversation about the benefits of spacing sessions. Often, after the first few sessions, people begin to space sessions on a bi-weekly or monthly basis.

Question 9

How many sessions are recommended?

Accepted Answer

This will vary from person to person as well as your goals but many people experience positive, long-lasting change within 10 sessions. We will check-in on your goals and needs throughout our work together. We can work together as long as you need and continue to benefit from counselling.

Question 10

Is my information kept confidential?

Accepted Answer

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the therapeutic relationship:

It allows you to feel safe and comfortable sharing sensitive information.
Therapists are bound by ethical and legal guidelines to protect your privacy.
This includes not sharing details of your sessions with others without your consent, except in specific circumstances.

Exceptions to confidentiality:

Risk of Harm:
If you or your child expresses a serious, immediate threat of harm to yourself or others, I may be required to take steps to prevent harm, which could involve disclosing information to the appropriate authorities. If your child discloses a serious, immediate threat of harm to themselves or others, I will contact you as soon as possible to ensure you are informed, able to keep them safe and/or ensure they are accessing immediate medical care.
Child Abuse or Neglect:
Therapists are legally obligated to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect.
Court Orders:
If a court orders a therapist to disclose information, they are legally required to comply. 
Consultation:
Therapists may sometimes consult with colleagues or supervisors to ensure they are providing the best possible care. They will typically do this while maintaining your confidentiality and privacy as much as possible, 
Client Consent:
If you give explicit consent to share certain information with another professional with whom you are accessing care, many therapists are able to do so at their own discretion. Like all things in therapy, let's have a conversation about how this will support you.

What to do if I have concerns about confidentiality?

Discuss it with your therapist
It's a good idea to talk to your therapist about your concerns and clarify their policies on confidentiality.

Question 11

Do you provide parent mediation or parent capacity assessments?

Accepted Answer

High conflict divorce and custody concerns, parent mediation, and parent capacity assessments are outside the scope of my work. If you are in need of counselling for your family or child while you are in the midst of a tense or high conflict separation or divorce, I am happy to provide a referral with a clinician who specializes in those services.

Question 12

What if I need support between sessions?

Accepted Answer

Therapists may have unique approaches in terms of their boundaries, expectations, and ultimately their responses.

I will provide you with a client service agreement at the start of our work together to review the process of counselling as well as the benfits, risks and limitations. While it may be tempting to breeze through such documents, dismissing them as just another example of fine print, you may unfortunately miss important information.

You have the right to ask me any questions about your care, including how you can access support between appointments. I am not available on-call or via text for client communications. However, if a difficult situation comes up between sessions, and you would like to book a session for support, please reach out via e-mail or phone to see if I have availabilty. I aim to respond to all client inquiries within 48 hours.

If you are in need of crisis counselling supports, there are a few options:

1) Contact the Distress Centre 24-7 by text or phone for crisis counselling support @ 403-266-4357.

2) If you or someone you care for is in significant distress and may be at immediate risk of harm, please go to the closest emergency room or call 911.

3)  Calgary's Mobile Response Team offers urgent mental health support, and / or consultation in crisis situations. They have the ability to arrange urgent psychiatry assessments and referrals as needed. MRT provides mobile and telephone mental health services. Wait times vary based on demand. Contact: Distress Centre - Request Mental Health Crisis Triage 403-266-4357

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