Frequently Asked Questions

HEALthy MiND Centres have a number of therapists who work on different schedules to meet the needs of our clientele. Daytime, evening, and weekend appointments may be available.

Should you wish to cancel or reschedule an appointment, a telephone call a minimum of 24 hours before your scheduled appointment is required in order to allow for re-scheduling another client. Should this notice not occur, the regular fee will be charged for the missed appointment.

Yes, HEALthy MiND Centres can submit to some but not all health benefit plans you may hold. Please see a list of which insurance/benefit plans we can submit to here. Several of our psychologists are able to submit to FNIHB, IRS and MMIWG. HEALthy MiND Centres also provide services to some Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). If our clinic is unable to direct the bill to your benefit provider, you would pay for your counselling up front and submit your receipt and any other required paperwork to your benefit provider for reimbursement. We recommend you call your benefits provider to see what coverage is available to you and to find out their policies ahead of time.

Benefit plans do not typically cover 100% of a session and may limit the number of visits annually. Please check with your employer or directly with your benefit plan provider to confirm what is covered under your plan. 

Please see a list of which insurance/benefit plans HEALthy MiND Centres can submit to:

• Alberta Blue Cross
• Alberta Retired Teachers Association
• Alberta School Employees Benefit Plan
• Benefit and Pension Administration
• Canada Life (Formerly Great West Life)
• Canadian Construction Workers Union
• Chamber of Commerce Group Insurance
• CINUP
• Claim Secure
• Couglin Employee Benefits
• Cowan
• DA Townley
• Desjardins
• First Canadian
• GMS
• Green Shield (PC)
• Group HEALTH
• Group Source
• Industrial Alliance
• Johnson Inc.
• Johnston Group
• LaCapitale
• Manion
• Manulife Financial
• Maximum Benefit
• Medavie Blue Cross
• People Corporation
• RCMP Police
• RWAM Insurance Administrators
• Saskatchewan Blue Cross
• Sun Life Financial
• Union Benefits
• UV Insurance
• Veteran Affairs

HEALthy MiND Centres accept all major credit cards including American Express, MasterCard & Visa. Cheques will be accepted and Direct Deposit is available in most circumstances You may also pay in person by Debit or by eTransfer. We also offer the convenience of paying on-line through our secure payment portal on this site.

Yes, many of our HEALthy MiND Centres clinicians work with children and youth, and several provide play-based therapy. This is a special form of counselling designed specifically for working with children. Research shows that children are not usually able to discuss their problems in the same way that adults can. As such, play therapy for children is generally seen as equivalent to "talk therapy" for adults.

HEALthy MiND Centres clinicians are able to see you virtually (video/online) or in person.

No referral is required to see a clinician at HEALthy MiND Centres.

Many people benefit from the support of a therapist. You might consider seeing a therapist if your emotional or mental health is interfering with your daily life, relationships, or overall well-being, or if you're experiencing persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or other emotional challenges. HEALthy Mind Centres therapy can provide a safe space to explore these issues and develop coping strategies.

HEALthy MiND Centres have clinicians with a variety of expertise, special interests, and experience. Therapist biographies are available on Our Team page at About Us, and provide information that may help guide you to the best fit. You are also welcome to call our main number to speak with our administrative staff who can help support you in finding the right clinician.

Attending therapy virtually (online) or in-person is a personal choice, and largely depends on your preference. Virtual therapy, also known as online or telehealth therapy, is generally considered to be just as effective as traditional, in-person therapy. Studies have shown that it can be effective for various mental health conditions. HEALthy MiND Centres video therapy offers convenience and accessibility, making it a viable option for many individuals.

During your first HEALthy MiND Centres session, you and your therapist will discuss your needs and goals in therapy, their clinical style and orientation, as well as the Informed Consent process.

The main clinic for HEALthy MiND Centres is located in Edmonton, Alberta. Contact us to make an appointment at one of our centres in Edmonton, Edson, Calgary, Spruce Grove or Whitecourt, Alberta. Whether it be in-person or virtually, our therapists are available across Alberta to facilitate your therapeutic needs. Please see our locations page for directions here.

For individuals over the age of eighteen, unless under guardianship, confidentiality will be maintained, unless you provide written consent to share information with other individuals.

THERE ARE LIMITS TO CONFIDENTIALITY:

1. If your therapist makes the determination that you are at risk of harming yourself, confidentiality would be breached in an attempt to maintain your personal safety.
2. If you threaten to harm another individual, and your therapist considers the threat to be serious, they would have a duty to contact the Police. The Police may contact the vulnerable person. In cases where Children & Family Services is involved, oral and/or written reports may be given as required.
3. If it is determined that a child may be at risk, your clinician may have a duty to report to the relevant authorities, such as the police or Children & Family Services.
4. Should it be determined that your psychological condition was in whole or in part caused by something that happened at work, and if these symptoms have caused you to be off work for more than a day.

NOTE - In addition, there may be circumstances when your therapist’s records are requested by subpoena from the Courts. In this case, your therapist must submit the records. They will inform you of the situation and attempt to obtain your informed and written consent, however, they may still be required to provide this information.

The HEALthy MiND Centre team views confidentiality as vital to the therapeutic relationship. You can be assured that the information you share with the psychologist will be maintained in strictest confidence in accordance with ethical and legal requirements. There are specific situations in which a psychologist is legally mandated to share confidential information and these will be discussed with you in your first session. Please ask your psychologist if you have any unanswered questions regarding confidentiality.

Should you have concerns regarding your treatment, you are welcome to speak with the Director of HEALthy MiND Centres. You may also contact the College of Alberta Psychologists at 780-424-5070, if you have a concern about a clinician, provided the concern falls within CAP's regulatory authority.

HEALthy MiND Centres have two options for reduced rate counselling services:

For those without a health benefit plan, and where cost is a barrier to accessing services, HEALthy MiND offers an Intern Counselling program. From September through March and May through December, we have intern students who see clients at no cost. These are students who are nearing the completion of their Masters degree.

The second option is to book with a HEALthy MiND Mental Health Clinician who sees clients at a reduced rate of $60.00 an hour (please note that most benefit plans will not cover the cost for a student clinician). These clinicians have completed their internship but are still finishing up the final course work of their Master’s program.

Please complete a Student Services Request form here to inquire more about our options for reduced rate counselling and how HEALthy MiND Centres may be of service to you.

HEALthy MiND Centres have a number of therapists who work on different schedules to meet the needs of our clientele. Daytime, evening, and weekend appointments may be available. Complete a Request for Service form here and our office will respond promptly. Urgent appointments may be available as needed.

HEALthy MiND Centres offer counselling & therapy services with a sliding scale fee structure. This approach allows our therapists to adjust session fees based on a client's income or financial situation. The goal is to make mental health services more accessible, ensuring that individuals with lower incomes or facing financial hardship can afford the support they need. We generally use the Fee Schedule recommended by the Psychologists' Association of Alberta as a guideline for setting fees for services. You can access this fee schedule on the Psychologists' Association website at www.psychologistsassociation.ab.ca. HEALthy MiND Centres have some flexibility with this fee schedule and you could discuss your circumstances at the time of referral.

HEALthy MiND Centres provide a variety of services to adults, children, and adolescents. Our services include individual, couples, family, and group therapy. See our list of some of the people we help here.

We also provide a variety of assessment and consultation services. The HEALthy MiND team has a wide range of expertise, including working with people with depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, substance abuse, relationship issues, family issues, grief and loss, and trauma and abuse, among others. Please see our list of service offerings here.