One-on-One COUNSELLING
People reach out to me when they’re ready to make real change in their lives.
Does this sound like you?
✓ You’ve applied skills and strategies towards working on your mental health, but have reached a standstill working on your own.
✓ You’re worried that your past history and trauma are ‘too much’ and that you’ll burden someone else with what you’ve been through.
✓ You have a dynamic set of lived experiences and want to work with someone who can really get it.
Here’s what’s possible…
As much as I wish therapists were given a magic wand when we graduated, that’s not the case. This is challenging work; but it’s a path we can walk together, and you’re willing to do the work, real change is possible. When challenges and triggers come up, what if you could respond rather than react? When anxiety arises, what if you had effective tools to regulate your nervous system, even just 50%? What would it be like to feel balanced in your relationships, like everyone’s needs were important, including you own? Most people who reach out to me are ready to invest in a real change in their life.
CONNECT WITH ME FOR
INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING
With any therapist worth their salt, you’ll get healing, compassionate space holding, and trauma processing. That’s what therapy is.
The work for you at this point is to choose someone you vibe with. People often choose to work with me because on top of the training that I’ve done, I have a unique set of lived experiences including trauma, sex work. sexual and gender identity, neurodivergence, and non-monogamy. This means that I’m really comfortable talking about this stuff, and you won’t need to spend several sessions educating me about your outside-the-box life. It also takes a lot to phase me. If you’re worried that you’re too much, your trauma is too big, or you’re too intense; I’m your girl.
If you’re not worried about all that, great! I might still be a good fit. The best way to find out is by booking a free consultation with me to see.
here’s what’s inside
01
tailored
treatment
My muti-modal approach allows me to choose the most effective therapeutic modalities to best support you. Always referring to your unique goals for therapy, we can work together
02
skills
building
Both in session, and through exercises between sessions, I support you to build your toolkit with skills and strategies for managing triggers, regulating emotions, processing trauma, and coping with stress. OR something about to have ongoing support, not needing me, etc.
03
radical
acceptance
All walks of life are welcome here. This is a space where you are accepted and celebrated for exactly who you are, regardless of your lived experiences and past choices.
here’s how it works
step 1
goal setting
We begin by getting really clear on your goals for therapy. So if we were to fast forward and you had gotten every thing you want out of our therapeutic relationship, what would that look like, and how would that feel.
step 2
the work
Based on your goals, we begin exploring your world, both past and present, to address what’s not working and attend to the parts of you that need healing and care. We can start each session wherever feels relevant for you, and I always find that we end up where we need to go.
step 3
anchoring
the good
When you are starting to feel more grounded, peaceful, and stable; we anchor that in your mind and body so that the state of regulation becomes a resource you can access whenever you need.
Are you ready to begin?
Let me help you navigate your inner world, you don’t need to do this alone.
options for location of sessions
01
in person
We will meet at my office at 3701 E Hastings Street for in person sessions.
50 min - $145
02
online
Similar to an in office session, but you can be in a space of your own choosing and we will have our session on a video call platform.
50 min - $145
03
in nature
For those who are more comfortable meeting outdoors, walking sessions are conducted in nature. We will choose an agreed upon location, this could be an under utilized hiking trail or park setting, and have our counselling session while walking together.
50 min - $145
FAQ’s
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$145
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You have the option to pay by e-transfer at the end of your session, or charge to your credit card on file.
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Sessions could be covered by extended medical insurance. Pacific Blue Cross, Equitable Life of Canada, Greenshield Canada, SSQ Financial Group and ClaimSecure have added members of my professional association, ACCT, to the approved list for reimbursement. Manulife reviews each counsellor on a case by case basis. Check with your policy administrator to confirm if you would qualify. More coverage with additional insurers may be coming soon. Insurance reimbursement is the client’s responsibility and I do not direct bill insurance providers.
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All of the information that we share together is strictly confidential unless one of the following should occur:
When you may be a danger to yourself or others
When there is suspicion or disclosure of abuse of vulnerable persons, such as a child or elderly person, which has not been previously reported.
When records are subpoenaed by court order
If one of these should occur, every reasonable effort will be made to discuss the circumstances with you prior to the involvement of other professionals.
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We have a 24 hour cancellation policy. If you need to cancel or change your appointment please e-mail or text to let us know within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment. Sessions cancelled or changed in less than 24 hours are billed the full rate.
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If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at alicia@sidebysidecounselling.ca
Meet Alicia
WELCOME, I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE HERE!
I'm Alicia Graham, RTC and I'm passionate about supporting people through their struggles with a compassionate, and client-centered approach. I believe no struggle is too big or too small — we are all deserving of respect, support, and acceptance.
I would describe my therapy style as trauma informed, somatic, and anti-oppressive. Therapy starts with building trust and setting our course for your unique goals in therapy. Together, we’ll take steps towards those goals at a pace that works best for you. Every client is unique, and I’ll draw from various modalities, informed by your needs and lived experience, to best support you on your therapeutic journey.