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Counselling
What is Counselling?
Counselling is a process that allows you to explore and discuss your feelings and various aspects of your life in an open and free manner that is not always possible with friends and family. Counselling is not the same as friendships as it is a focused, goal oriented process that is guided by a professional counsellor.
Counselling sessions are schedule appointments, they occur in a private and confidential setting, and what you discuss in your sessions with your counsellor is protected by the professional standards of the counsellor and the agency.
Counselling is a process in which you have the opportunity to explore the difficulties that you are experiencing, gain a better understanding of yourself, your relationships and your life, and work towards making the changes that are most important to you.
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Individual, Couple or Family Counselling
Our counselling services can help support you in your search to find your own way forward. Counselling can be offered to a person individually, to a couple or to a family. Counselling can be related to a recent crisis or to an ongoing unresolved problem. The aim is not only to help you cope with the issue at hand but also to provide learning and development so that you feel more in charge of your life in the future.
Receiving Services
You may contact us directly to obtain information, arrange an appointment or access support services.
Contact Options
If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-668-9920 Or dial 911 if you are in physical danger or need assistance to access medical services.
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How can I get the most out of counselling?
There are steps you can take that will help make counselling more beneficial to you, such as:
- Clearly identify the concerns that have led you to seek counselling
- Be prepared to establish specific goals
- Be willing to explore new behaviours and view points
- Thank about what you would like to discuss at your next session
- Attend and arrive on time for your sessions
- Complete recommended tasks and readings
- Discuss your concerns with your counsellor when the process is not helpful to you
How Long do I need to attend counselling?
Although most companies have a limit to the number of hours of counselling they will pay for, we use a counselling model that can typically help you resolve your concerns within that time frame. There is no specific timeline at which issues should be resolved. Everyone's needs and resources are different and so everyone resolves their problems at their own pace. Once you have met with your counsellor, they will be able to work together with you to identify what might be reasonable goals and the amount of time that you agree to work together towards those goals. What is most important is that steps are being taken to make positive changes and choices in your life and that you are moving towards your goals.
Is there a cost for this service?
All services provided by the Family Services Employee Assistance Program, are paid for by your employer.
If long term or specialized counselling is required, the counsellors will assist you with a referral to another resource in the community. This referral may involve a fee.
Types of Counselling
There are a variety of issues that can be dealt with in counselling:
Stress
Relationships
Anxiety
Depression
Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
Separation and loss
Self esteem
Difficulty making a decision
Difficulty making a change or coping with a situation
Harassment
Substance abuse
Parenting
These are just examples. If something is troubling you, please feel welcome to contact us to discuss whether our services might be helpful to you.
Do I need a referral?
You or your family member can call us directly, as most EAPs do not require a referral to obtain counselling.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is the foundation of our service. To ensure this:
All client files are the sole property of Family Services Ottawa;
Clients are specifically asked for authorization before our counsellors can contact them at work or at home;
We make every effort to ensure that employees from the same organization are not booked at the same time;
Only aggregate, non-identifying statistical data is provided to the employer;
All counsellors sign confidentiality agreements and are bound by our Code of Ethics;
Information concerning attendance for counselling or client case records cannot be released to employers, family members or others without the client’s consent or by court order, unless there is risk of harm to self or others.
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Specialized Services
Credit Counselling
FSEAP clients experiencing financial difficulties may receive professional guidance from an accredited member of the Credit Counselling Agencies of Ontario. This includes key issues such as debt and credit difficulties.
Legal Advisory Services
This service includes telephone access to experienced lawyers and provides information on issues such as consumer law, family law, estates and wills, motor vehicle law and general legal services.
The service also provides referrals to local lawyers, some of whom offer preferred rates.
Family Connexions
This program provides
- Personalized searches, referrals, resources, coaching and consultation by telephone on child and elder care resources, support for care givers, education and schooling options and balancing work and family.
- Specialized resource kits on a variety of topics may be available for concerns such as expecting a baby, your growing toddler, parenting preschoolers, parenting your 5 to 8 year old, parenting pre-teens and teens, and healthy living for seniors.
Elder Care Services
Eldercare counselling resources finding and providing information on:
- home support services
- long term care and seniors housing
- day programs
- health services
- social and education programs
Child Care Services
Childcare counselling and resource finding provides information on:
- day care centres and nursery schools
- nanny agencies
- private home care agencies
- school-age childcare programs (after school, summer, holidays)
- care for children with special needs
- temporary and emergency care agencies
Other Specialized Services
Please refer to your Region’s web site section, as some local offices offer additional specialized services.
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Our Staff
Our counselling staff holds a minimum of a Masters level education and at least 5 years of clinical experience. All staff are directly supervised by a senior clinician. If you have any questions or concerns about the services you have received, please contact us.
Locations
As a National organization with a local presence, we are able to offer counselling in most communities, or within a short commuting distance. Please refer to your region’s site for specific office locations.
If you do not see a location that meets your needs, please contact us to discuss what arrangements we can offer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If my employer is paying for this service, won't you need to give the information about the services I used when you bill them?
Can seeing a counsellor, or something that I say during a counselling session be used by my employer as a reason to fire me?
Can my employer force me to see a counsellor?
Can Family Services assure me that my co-workers will not find out that I'm seeing a counsellor?
Will my spouse be able to find out that I've called the EAP or that I'm seeing a counsellor?
I don't know if my employer has an EAP
What is the difference between a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a social worker?
If my employer is paying for this service, won't you need to give the information about the services I used when you bill them?
Only collective statistical data on employee groups is released to your employer. These statistical reports tell your employer the types of service used during the billing period, and the amount of service provided. Family Services does not include the names of employees who have used the EAP or any identifying information about individual cases.
Can seeing a counsellor, or something that I say during a counselling session be used by my employer as a reason to fire me?
Your employer cannot use the EAP as a means of collecting information to support your dismissal. Employers do not have access to client files and they cannot find out what you discussed with your counsellor. In fact, employers cannot even find out that you used the EAP without your written permission.
Can my employer force me to see a counsellor?
Participation in the EAP is always voluntary. Your employer, a co-worker or family member may suggest that you see a counsellor, but it is always your choice.
Can Family Services assure me that my co-workers will not find out that I'm seeing a counsellor?
Family Services' confidentiality practices include measures to ensure that the people you work with don't find out that you have used the EAP. These practices include:
- A choice of counselling appointments. If you don't feel comfortable seeing a counsellor at the location suggest, alternate arrangements can be made.
- Extended hours of service. Family Services is able to schedule appointments before and after work.
- No back-to-back appointments. Every effort is made to avoid booking appointments for employees of the same company at the same time at the same office.
Will my spouse be able to find out that I've called the EAP or that I'm seeing a counsellor?
No information, including that you have accessed the service is released to anyone, including your spouse, without your permission except in cases where there is a risk of harm to self or others or if information is court ordered.
I don't know if my employer has an EAP
If you don't know if your employer has an EAP, you can contact your human resource or benefits department to ask for information on the employee benefits package or employee assistance program.
What is the difference between a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a social worker?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that has specialized in psychiatry. Therefore, their focus, training and treatment approaches are generally medically based. They specialize in diagnosing and treating mental illness; they may also provide counselling. Because they are medical doctors, they are able to prescribe psychotropic medications. In order to access a psychiatrist, you need a referral from your family doctor. If you are referred to a psychiatrist, it will be covered by OHIP.
In Ontario, a psychologist has obtained a doctorate in psychology. Psychologists cannot prescribe psychotropic medication as their training is not in medicine. They are able to administer diagnostic testing and provide assessments for identifying various disorders. They also provide counselling services. Many psychologists work in private practice and you can access them through your local directory. However, note that psychologists are not covered by OHIP nor do they provide assessment or diagnostic testing. Psychologist’s fees may be covered through insurance.
Social workers have a Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate degree in social work. They provide the majority of counselling services in Ontario. Many social work positions are funded by the government and by voluntary donations. Social workers also work in private practice and can be accessed through your local directory. Social workers do not prescribe psychotropic medication and are not covered by OHIP. Social worker’s services may be covered through insurance, depending on the specific policy.
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