EXTENDED BENEFITS & EAP COUNSELLING · LANGLEY, BC

Counselling Through Extended Benefits & Employee Assistance Programs

Access counselling through extended health benefits and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) in Walnut Grove or online throughout British Columbia.

Using Your Benefits for Counselling

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. Many extended health plans in British Columbia include counselling provided by an RCC, although the amount of coverage, number of sessions and requirements vary between plans.

If you have extended health benefits through your employer, professional association or another organization, your plan may cover some or all of the cost of counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

How Counselling Benefits Work

There are several ways counselling can be covered through your extended benefits plans.

An important starting point is the professional designation of the counsellor you choose. Many extended benefit plans provide coverage only for specific professional designations, such as a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). Before beginning counselling, check that the counsellor you are working with holds a designation recognized by your plan and that their services are eligible for reimbursement.

Regular Extended Benefits

If you have regular extended health benefits through work, your plan likely includes an annual amount for counselling.

You attend your session, pay for your appointment and receive a receipt showing my RCC designation and registration number. You then submit that receipt to your benefit provider for reimbursement according to the terms of your plan. Some insurers also offer electronic claims or direct billing, depending on the provider and the particular plan.

Extended benefit plans in British Columbia are administered by a wide range of companies, including Pacific Blue Cross, Canada Life, Manulife, Sun Life, GreenShield, Desjardins, Beneva, Equitable Life, Empire Life and iA Financial Group, along with a number of group benefit administrators.

Employers purchase different levels of coverage from the same companies, so two people with the same insurer can have very different counselling benefits. Check your individual plan for counselling coverage, the amount available to you and any limits on individual sessions.

Registered Provider & Specialized Benefit Programs

Some forms of coverage require you to obtain counselling from a provider who is registered with or approved by the program.

I am already registered with a number of these programs providing counselling benefits to members of particular professions and organizations.

If your program requires provider registration and I am not already registered, the next step is simple: I can apply to join the program. All you need to do is reach out by email and I contact the program to join.

Employee Assistance Programs

An Employee Assistance Program, or EAP, is different from ordinary extended health benefits. Your employer contracts with an EAP provider to give employees—and often members of their immediate families—access to a defined amount of counselling and other support.

EAP providers maintain their own networks of counsellors. To see me through your EAP, I generally need to be registered with the company administering your program and your sessions need to be authorized through that program.

I am registered with a number of EAP networks. If your EAP provider is not currently one of them, contact me. Where the network is accepting qualified counsellors, I can apply for registration so that you may be able to access counselling with me through your program.

EAP’s and Privacy

What Does My Employer Know?

Using counselling provided through your workplace does not turn your counselling sessions into conversations with your employer. Your counselling remains subject to the professional and legal requirements that govern confidentiality.

EAPs and other funded programs may require certain administrative information to authorize or pay for services. What information is required depends on the particular program and the circumstances under which counselling is being provided.

Before counselling begins, I will explain the confidentiality requirements that apply to your particular arrangement, including what information, if any, must be provided to the organization funding your sessions.

Other Ways Counselling May Be Funded

Extended benefits and EAPs aren't the only ways counselling may be funded. I also work with clients whose counselling is covered through programs related to crime or motor vehicle accidents.

Crime Victim Assistance Program →

British Columbia's Crime Victim Assistance Program provides financial assistance to eligible victims of violent crime, certain immediate family members and some witnesses. Counselling is one of the services that may be funded for eligible participants.

ICBC →

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle crash, counselling may form part of your recovery. I work with ICBC clients experiencing psychological and emotional effects associated with their accident and recovery.

Eligibility, authorization and the number of funded sessions depend on the requirements of the particular program.

Using More Than One Program

You may have access to counselling through more than one source. For example, you might begin counselling through an Employee Assistance Program and also have extended health benefits available through your partners workplace. Depending on your circumstances, you may also qualify for counselling funded through another program.

When one source of funding ends, it may be possible to continue counselling using another source of coverage or to continue privately. We can look at the options available to you so that a change in funding does not unnecessarily interrupt the work we are doing together.

Each program has its own eligibility, authorization and billing requirements, so we will confirm what applies before moving from one form of coverage to another.

Counselling in Walnut Grove or Online Across BC

I offer counselling from my private office in Walnut Grove, as well as virtual appointments throughout British Columbia.

Depending on the requirements of your benefit provider or funding program, sessions may be available in person, virtually or through either format. If your counselling is being funded by a third party, we can confirm any requirements that apply before your first session.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my extended health plan cover a Registered Clinical Counsellor?

Many extended health plans provide coverage for counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor, but coverage varies by plan. Check your benefit booklet or contact your insurer and ask specifically whether services provided by an RCC are eligible.

Do you direct bill?

I can direct bill through participating providers and programs where I am registered and direct billing is available. If direct billing is not available, I can provide you with a receipt to submit to your benefit provider.

How do I find out how much counselling my plan covers?

Your insurer or benefit administrator can tell you the amount available under your plan, whether there is a maximum amount per session or per year and whether there are any requirements you need to meet before counselling begins.

What if you aren't registered with my benefits provider?

Contact me with the name of your provider. If your plan covers Registered Clinical Counsellors, we can determine whether you can submit receipts yourself or whether I need to be registered with the provider before you can use your coverage.

Can you apply to my benefits provider?

Yes

What is the difference between extended benefits and an EAP?

Extended health benefits are part of an insurance or benefits plan and usually provide a financial amount that can be used toward eligible health services. An EAP is a workplace-sponsored program that typically provides access to a defined number of counselling sessions through an EAP provider or network.

Is EAP counselling confidential?

Counselling provided through an EAP remains subject to professional and legal confidentiality requirements. EAP providers may require administrative information related to authorization or billing. I will explain the requirements of your particular program before counselling begins.

Will my employer know I attended counselling?

The information available to an employer depends on the particular program and arrangement. Your employer does not ordinarily receive the content of your counselling sessions simply because counselling is funded through an EAP. I will explain any applicable reporting or administrative requirements before we begin.

What happens when my EAP sessions run out?

If you would like to continue counselling after your authorized EAP sessions have been used, we can look at other options available to you, including extended health benefits, another eligible funding program or private payment.

Can I continue seeing you privately?

In many circumstances, yes. If the program through which you began counselling ends, we can discuss whether continuing privately or through another source of coverage is appropriate and permitted under the program involved.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

You don't need to understand the insurance system before you begin. If you know you have counselling coverage but aren't sure whether you can use it to work with me, contact me with the information you have and we can determine what the next step is.

If you already know how you will be paying for counselling, you can go ahead and book a session.

Book a Counselling Session →Ask About Benefits or EAP Coverage →