FAQ

Fees for counselling provided by a psychologist are not covered by Alberta Health Care. Partial coverage may be provided by Blue Cross Insurance and by most extended health benefit plans. It is advisable to check with your employer to see if you have such coverage.

Cornerstone Counselling has arrangements for Employee Family Assistance Plans (EAP) with the following organizations:

• Hope Mission
• Spruceland Millworks
• Veteran’s Affairs
• RCMP
• Several churches in the Edmonton Area
• Christian Credit Union
• The Family Center
• HERR Design

Counsellors are assigned to clients based on their areas of expertise, availability for appointments, and other factors identified as important by the client (age, gender, etc). We also consider each client’s insurance benefits.

At Cornerstone, we recognize it is important to feel comfortable with your counsellor. If you do not feel that an appropriate counsellor has been assigned to you, we encourage you to discuss your concerns with the counsellor or one of our intake workers. We will do all we can to ensure that an appropriate match is made.

This is something that your counsellor will discuss with you during your first counselling session. However, while there may be exceptions, it is generally advisable to plan on scheduling sessions weekly or every second week. Duration of treatment is dependent on a number of factors, including the severity of the concern for which help is being sought.

Conversations with the counsellor are kept in strict confidence. This includes the handling of files that contain case notes, records, and psychological test results. If there is a need or desire to disclose information from files with another professional such as a medical doctor, lawyer, pastor, or third party billing source, the client will be consulted first and asked to sign a release of information document.

Legal Limitations to Confidentiality:

• Counsellors are required by law to report to the appropriate authorities if there is physical or sexual abuse of a child under the age of 18 or if there is reason to believe a person’s life is in jeopardy.
• If a judge subpoenas a counsellor to testify in court or to release the contents of a file, the counsellor is required to do so.

Appointments are generally 50 minutes long, allowing your counsellor 10 minutes between appointments to attend to the file.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have a specialization in psychiatry. They are able to prescribe medication, which is generally an integral part of their treatment regimen. A referral from your family physician is needed in order to see a psychiatrist.

Psychologists receive training in counselling and psychology through a variety of programs. In Alberta, psychologists must meet the educational and clinical requirements of the College of Alberta Psychologists. Psychologists are not qualified to prescribe medication. If the psychologist suspects that medication would be helpful in treatment, a referral is generally made to the client’s family physician or psychiatrist. Appointments with psychologists can be made directly by the individual seeking assistance and do not require a medical referral.

The term Counsellor may apply to a number of occupations so it can sometimes be confusing to know what a counsellor’s qualifications may be. However, a Certificated Canadian Counsellor is a highly qualified mental health professional whose credentials have been evaluated and approved by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA).

The CCPA was founded in 1965 and is dedicated to the enhancement of the counselling profession in Canada. The Association’s services include a nationally recognized certification process for professional counsellors that enable them to obtain the trademarked designation of Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC). CCPA is the largest national non-statutory, self-regulatory body for the counselling profession in Canada. They have over 5,500 members across the country who may be working in education, employment and career development, social work, business, industry, mental health, public service agencies, government and private practice.

Yes, there is a free lot behind the building and free parking along the street beside the building.

Cornerstone welcomes and accepts individuals, families, couples, and children from all backgrounds regardless of their faith affiliation or religious status. While Cornerstone does offer pastoral counselling and courses with Christian content for those of the Christian faith, our trained counsellors also offer sound secular counselling for those who are of other faiths or do not have any faith affiliation. Clients are always given the choice of incorporating faith into their counselling and clients who do not chose faith-based counselling are not discriminated against in any way.

Yes, you must be located in the province of Alberta at the time of your phone or online appointment.