A private, practical place to talk through what you have been carrying, at a pace you set. Registered Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), along with counsellors certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), social workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and supervised provisional psychologists. In-person sessions at five locations in Edmonton and St. Albert. Virtual sessions for clients located anywhere in Alberta.
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Maybe nothing dramatic has happened. You still get up for work, pay the bills, and show up for the people who count on you. So it can be hard to justify talking to someone. You may be asking yourself whether this is a real problem, or just stress you should be able to handle on your own.
Maybe you have been getting short with people over small things and feeling bad about it later. Maybe you lie awake running through the same problems. Or you feel flat, like you are going through the motions without really being there.
These patterns usually make sense once you look at what a person has been carrying. Pressure at work, strain at home, a loss, or a big change can all show up this way. They are understandable human responses. They are not a sign that you are weak, or that something is permanently wrong with you.
You do not need a clear explanation or a diagnosis to start a conversation. If you are trying to work out whether talking with someone could be useful, the sections below explain what this counselling involves, what it does not cover, and what to expect from a first session.
People approach counselling in different ways, and men are not one group with one set of needs. This service may be a good fit if you:
If you are reading this for a partner, son, father, brother, or friend, you are welcome to share this page with them. The decision to book is theirs. Our admin team can answer practical questions from either of you at 780-904-4880.
This service may not be the right fit if:
Counselling is not set up to respond to emergencies. If you or someone else is in danger, or you are thinking about suicide, these services are available now:
Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.
Men's mental health counselling is talk-based support with a trained clinician. Sessions give you a private setting to discuss what is on your mind, whether that is a specific problem or a general sense that things are not right. Wholesome Psychology describes its care as collaborative and client-centred. In practice, that means your goals and preferences shape the work.
You set the pace. You decide what to talk about and when, and you can say so if something feels like too much. Some people want practical, goal-focused sessions. Others want room to think out loud. Both are fine, and you can discuss your preferences openly with your clinician.
You do not need a diagnosis to book. Formal classification systems, such as the World Health Organization's ICD-11, include a chapter on mental, behavioural or neurodevelopmental disorders (World Health Organization [WHO], 2025). This counselling service does not include a formal psychological assessment or diagnosis. Psychological assessments are a separate service, and a clinician can talk with you about whether one may be worth considering.
This service is not:
What you share is confidential, with some legal limits that your clinician will explain at the start. The full details are in the confidentiality and privacy section below. If a clinician thinks another type of support may suit your concern better, they can talk with you about the scope of care and possible next steps.
Men's counselling often overlaps with other areas. You may also want to read about stress management counselling, relationship counselling, fatherhood support, divorce and separation counselling, grief and loss counselling, or workplace stress counselling.
This is not a checklist or a screening tool, and none of these experiences means you have a particular condition. They are patterns people describe when life has been asking a lot of them.
Having some of these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong with you. They are understandable responses to pressure, loss, and change. Counselling may give you space to reflect on these patterns and think through your next steps.
There is no fixed number of sessions. You have a say at every stage, including when to slow down, change focus, or stop. You can read more about the process on our Getting Started with Therapy page.
We only describe an approach on this page when we can point to evidence for it. The research reviewed for this page does not include studies testing specific therapies for men's counselling, so specific therapy types are not listed here. Your clinician can explain the approaches they use, and you can ask how those approaches fit your goals.
What it helps with: Shaping counselling around your goals, preferences, and the way you like to talk, rather than assuming one style suits every man.
Evidence summary: A 2024 scoping review examined approaches to engaging men during primary healthcare encounters (Seidler et al., 2024). We use it only as general context for keeping our approach practical, respectful, collaborative, and responsive to individual preferences.
Limitations: The review focused on primary healthcare rather than counselling, so it cannot tell us whether any particular counselling approach improves outcomes. Men's needs and preferences vary widely.
Counselling rarely follows a straight line. Some weeks may feel like progress, and others may feel stuck or harder. That is part of the process, not a sign that it is failing.
Some people notice changes within a few months. Others find longer-term work more useful. How things go depends on many factors, including what you are dealing with, what is happening in your life right now, and how well you and your clinician work together.
No counselling service can guarantee a particular result, and outcomes vary from person to person. Fit with your therapist matters. If the match does not feel right, you can change therapists or ask to try a different approach.
What you talk about in counselling is confidential. Your information is not shared without your consent, except in a small number of situations where the law requires or permits it.
Our psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). They follow CAP's Standards of Practice and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Other clinicians on our team follow the privacy and ethics standards of their own professional bodies.
Two Alberta privacy laws matter in health care. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) sets rules for how private organizations, including private clinics like ours, collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information. It also gives you the right to request access to your own information. The Health Information Act (HIA) governs health information held by custodians in the health system, such as Alberta Health Services and hospitals. Psychologists in private practice are not currently designated custodians under the HIA, so PIPA is generally the law that applies in a private clinic setting.
The limits to confidentiality include:
Your clinician will explain these limits in your first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal. The same standards apply to virtual sessions.
Sessions are 50 minutes. You can meet your therapist in person at our Edmonton or St. Albert locations, or virtually from anywhere in Alberta.
We ask for 24 hours notice to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations or missed appointments incur a fee.
Hours: Monday to Friday 8 AM to 9 PM, Saturday and Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM. Virtual counselling is available across Alberta.
Phone: 780-904-4880. Email: info@wholesomepsychology.ca.
No. You decide what to share and when. You can start with what is happening now, such as stress at work or tension at home, without going back over the past. Your clinician will follow your lead and check in about pace. You can say "I'm not ready to talk about that" at any point.
Yes, with some limits. Your information is not shared without your consent, except where there is a risk of serious harm, a concern that a child is being abused or neglected, or a court order or other legal requirement. Your clinician explains these limits in your first session. The confidentiality and privacy section above explains how Alberta's PIPA and HIA apply.
There is no set number. Some people prefer shorter-term work focused on one situation, while others prefer ongoing support over a longer period. Your clinician will review progress with you regularly. Together, you decide whether to continue, change focus, or stop.
Fit matters, and it is fine to say a match is not working. You can raise it with your clinician directly or contact our admin team, who can help you look for a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.
Yes. Virtual sessions are available for clients located anywhere in Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply. Availability varies by clinician, so mention your preference when you book or call.
You can share this page or the Match with a Therapist tool with them. The choice to start counselling is theirs. If supporting them is taking a toll on you, you can book sessions for yourself too. If you are worried about their safety, use the crisis resources above, including 911 or 988.
You do not need a diagnosis to book. You can start with a concern, a question, or a life change you want to talk through. If you plan to claim sessions through insurance, check your plan, since some plans have their own requirements.
You can bring that to counselling. Talking about anger, conflict, and how you respond under pressure is within the scope of this service, and our anger management counselling page has more detail. If anyone at home is being hurt or is at risk, safety comes first. Call 911 in an emergency, or contact the Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818 to ask questions and learn about programs and services.
Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All of our psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Provisional psychologists practise under the supervision of a fully registered psychologist while they complete the requirements for full registration.
Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). Student Therapists are master's level practicum students who offer reduced-rate counselling under supervision.
Training and areas of focus differ from one clinician to the next. Each profile on our Our Therapists page describes that clinician's background, and the Match Tool can help you narrow your options. You can also call 780-904-4880 to talk it through with our admin team.
Men's mental health can be closely tied to family life, including parenting and how kids are doing at home. Wholesome Psychology also offers counselling for children and youth and for adolescents. Therapists who work with younger clients adapt their approach to the child's age and stage. They also work with parents and caregivers to support what is happening at home.
If you are a father with concerns about your child, our fatherhood support page and admin team are good places to start.
If you would like to learn more or take a next step, you can:
Starting the conversation is enough.
New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.
