Frequently Asked Questions

I offer a complimentary 15 minute phone or video consultation to see if you believe we will be a good fit. To set up a consult please call or text 778-835-9700.

The best way to book for an in office appointment is to give me a call at 778-835-9700 and if I’m not available please leave a message and I’ll get back to you asap.

For online video sessions you will need to create an account at NousTalk and then reach out to me via phone or text at 778-835-9700.

If you would like to learn more about our interns, you can read their profiles here

If you’re happy to speak with an intern you can fill out the form below:

The session that you book is time reserved exclusively for your benefit. Strong Counselling requires 48 hours notice for cancellations for any booked session in order to avoid full payment for the missed service.

We try to accommodate for emergencies by offering appointment times within the current week if there are any time slots available. If you are unable to attend any of the times offered and have not given 48 hours notice you will be charged in full for the missed session.

One way to avoid the need to cancel if you are feeling under the weather is to have an online video session. That way you still get to have the session but can stay in the comfort of your home while doing so.

The cancellation policy is really important to my practice. While a doctor or physiotherapist may see 20-30 clients a day, a counsellor generally sees 6 maximum per day. If a client cancels with less than 48 hours notice it is nearly impossible for me to fill that time slot therefore losing an hour of business as well as losing an hour of time another client needing therapy could have used.

I want you to know that my cancellation policy is not a penalty or a punishment in any way. I want to make sure that you don’t feel this way if someday you miss an appointment and I want you to know I am not upset. I understand that sometimes life gets in the way. My clients, in return, also understand that scheduling an appointment with me is like buying a ticket to an event. If you miss the event, it won’t upset me but you also can’t get a refund. If you have any questions about the cancellation policy please feel free to talk to me about it openly.

Usually at the beginning of our work together it is best if you come weekly for at least 4-6 sessions. Once we have completed those initial sessions there is definitely some flexibility of spacing appointment every other week or up to 3 weeks apart. Session spacing will vary for each individual and we can discuss what would work best for you given what has brought you into counselling.

If you are only available at prime times for counselling such as evenings only, you may want to book your weekly appointments in advance in order to maintain that time slot. Evening spots fill up quickly and will be offered to those who want to commit to our weekly work together.

It’s easy, once you’ve signed up to NousTalk we can book you an appointment.  Once booked you will receive a link to click at the time of the appointment. After clicking the link, you will be automatically entered into the video chat. When I join you, you will see a split screen where we will both be able to see and hear one another. The video chat works in a very similar way to programs you may be used to, such as Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp or Messenger.

I have many clients who travel for work, or have small children at home, or who just are a little under the weather but still want a session.  Being able to have a counselling session from the comfort of your home, hotel room, car, office… really allows flexibility to my clients to get counselling from wherever they are in the world.

No you absolutely do not need to be in Vancouver to have sessions with me.  You can be ANYWHERE in Canada where you have access to a strong internet connection and a phone/tablet/laptop/or desktop that has a video camera.

I have clients who are as close as North Vancouver and as far away as Newfoundland.

I try and recommend that you think of the online session just like you would think of an in office session. That means making sure you put that time aside just for yourself. That also means making sure you are in an environment that feels safe to share information with me and that feels free of distraction. Coffee shops, busy parks, or homes where someone can easily interrupt or overhear you generally don’t work best.

I recommend finding a special place in your home, and booking at times you know you won’t be interrupted. If you are travelling, please find a quiet space in the hotel/airbnb/hostel, in a car, or quiet park from which to have your session.

Try and think about how comfortable you would be if you shed a few tears or were talking about something private, if the location you have chosen feels safe to do those things then that will work.

My rates for counselling are as such:

Free 15 minute consultation

$150 + GST for a 50 minute individual session
$195 + GST for a 80 minute individual session

$65 + GST for a 50 minute individual session with an intern
$95 + GST for a 80 minute individual session with an intern

All fees will be processed by Stripe through your NousTalk profile on the day of your session.

Health benefit providers differ significantly from company to company and even plan to plan. To find out if your coverage will include counselling with me, contact them directly or through your HR and provide them with the following information:

• Jacqueline Strong holds a Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology.
• She is registered as a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA).
• Her CCC certification number is 4138.

*It is important to know that you will have to pay for your session at the time of the session and that you will be provided with an emailed receipt at that time which you can then submit to your benefits plan for reimbursement.

As a counsellor in private practice, my confidentiality policy is in line with the guidelines set forth by my governing body and industry standards. In general everything we talk about will stay confidential between you and I. The only reason I would need to break confidentiality is if:

• You were to tell me of a child or vulnerable adult being subjected to abuse or neglect.
• You were to disclose an immediate intention to end your life or the life of another person.
• If you’re involved in a legal matter and the court subpoenas your file.
• If you were to appear impaired and were about to put yourself at risk to harm yourself or others by operating a vehicle.

My passion lies in working with adult individual, first and foremost. While I do work with couples and adult families occasionally, I tend to spend the majority of my time with individual clients.

For people looking for couples therapy, I recommend finding a counsellor who is a Gottman Certified Couple’s Counsellor.