Virtual counselling sessions with regulated therapists, offered for people located in Alberta. Psychologists registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), Canadian Certified Counsellors certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. Virtual sessions across Alberta, 50-minute sessions, seven days a week.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Online Counselling Is Right for You

You may be unsure whether talking to a therapist through a screen would feel real enough to help. You might also be wondering whether what you are dealing with is serious enough to reach out about at all. Both questions are reasonable. For many people, they show up together. Maybe you have booked an appointment before and cancelled because the drive across the city after work felt like one more thing. You might find it easier to talk from your own kitchen table than from an unfamiliar waiting room. Or you have been holding it together for a long time, getting through the day and then lying awake replaying it. Hesitating like this is common. People often weigh time, travel, cost, and privacy before they speak with anyone, and doubting whether you "qualify" for support is part of that. It does not mean you are not ready, and it does not mean something is wrong with you. If you are considering whether speaking with someone online could help, this page explains what virtual counselling looks like here, what it can and cannot offer, and how to find out whether it suits your situation.

Who We Help

Online counselling at Wholesome Psychology may be a good fit if you:

• are located in Alberta at the time of your sessions
• find travel, parking, or commuting hard to fit around work, school, or caregiving
• live with a health condition, mobility limits, or low energy that makes getting to an office difficult
• feel more at ease talking from your own space
• have a private, quiet place where you can speak without being overheard
• want to try counselling and decide later whether virtual or in-person sessions suit you better

If you are reading this for someone else, such as a partner, an adult child, or a friend, you are welcome to share this page or call the admin team with general questions. An adult seeking counselling usually needs to make contact and consent to services themselves. For a child or teen, a parent or guardian is usually part of getting started. The Children and Youth section below has more detail.

Online counselling may not be the right fit if:

• You are in crisis or your safety is at immediate risk. Please use the crisis resources below.
• You need a forensic, legal, or court-related service. These needs are outside this counselling service. Psychological assessments are a separate service and are not part of online counselling.
• You will be outside Alberta during sessions. Rules for virtual care depend on where you are located, so please ask before booking.
• You do not have a private or safe place to talk right now. In-person sessions at one of our locations may work better, and this can be discussed.
• You and your therapist decide that in-person care would serve you better. This can be revisited at any point.

If You Need Help Right Now

Online counselling is booked in advance and is not monitored between sessions. If you need immediate support, please contact one of these services:

• 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free), if someone at home is hurting, threatening, or controlling you
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8 (24/7), listed among national crisis supports by the Public Health Agency of Canada (Public Health Agency of Canada [PHAC], n.d.)

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Online Counselling Is

Online counselling means meeting with your therapist in scheduled virtual sessions instead of in the same room. Sessions follow the same 50-minute format as in-person appointments. Wholesome Psychology offers virtual sessions alongside in-person care at its Edmonton and St. Albert locations. Not every clinician offers both formats, so availability is confirmed when you book.

Online counselling is not a legal service, an investigation, or crisis intervention. It also does not include psychological assessment. Assessments are offered as a separate service.

You set the pace. You decide what to talk about and when, and your therapist checks in with you rather than pushing ahead. What you share is kept confidential within legal and ethical limits. Those limits are explained in the Confidentiality and Privacy section below and again in your first session.

Each clinician works within the scope of their registration, training, and experience. If your needs fall outside what a clinician can offer, or if in-person care seems more suitable, they can talk with you about other options or a referral. This page offers general information only. It does not diagnose any condition or give personalized medical advice.

Signs Stress or Emotional Strain May Be Affecting You

People often think about counselling when something has been weighing on them for a while. You do not need a diagnosis or a crisis to reach out. Some patterns people describe include:

• feeling on edge, worried, or low more days than not
• replaying conversations or worries late at night
• snapping at people you care about, then feeling bad about it
• pulling back from friends or family, or feeling alone even when others are around
• finding it harder to focus at work or school
• changes in sleep, appetite, or energy that do not seem to settle
• headaches, a tight chest, or muscle tension that shows up when you are stressed
• putting off support because getting to an appointment feels like one more hurdle

These are common human responses to pressure, loss, change, or hard experiences. They do not mean something is permanently wrong with you. Talking them through with a trained professional may help you understand what is happening and what you would like to change, whether you meet online or in person. If physical changes are new or worrying, checking in with a family doctor is also worthwhile.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a Therapist tool to explore options, or read individual profiles on the Our Therapists page. If you would rather talk it through, the admin team can help at 780-904-4880, including checking who currently offers virtual sessions.
• Book your first session. You can book through the online booking system. Your first session includes a conversation about confidentiality, consent, and your goals. For virtual sessions, your therapist can also go over where you will be during sessions, how to keep the conversation private, what happens if the connection drops, and how an emergency would be handled.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist shape a plan around your priorities and preferences. The clinic's approach is collaborative and client-centred, so your input guides what you work on. You can read more about our unique approach.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes and usually happen weekly or every two weeks. The schedule can change as your needs change.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews how things are going with you along the way. Your plan can change, and so can the format, if virtual sessions stop feeling like the right fit.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is a shared process, and your voice matters at every stage. More detail is on the Getting Started with Therapy page.

Evidence and Approaches

Online counselling is a way of receiving counselling, not a specific therapy method. Your therapist may draw on different approaches depending on what you bring and on their training. The research material reviewed for this page is limited, so we describe what it supports and are clear about what it does not. We do not claim that online counselling helps with every concern, or that it works the same as in-person counselling for everyone.

Virtual Counselling Sessions

What it helps with: Virtual sessions can allow you to meet with a therapist remotely when getting to an office is difficult or not your preference.

Evidence summary: Statistics Canada has published national findings on mental disorders and access to mental health care, which reflects the ongoing public health relevance of how people in Canada reach support (Statistics Canada, 2023). The material reviewed for this page does not include study results comparing online counselling outcomes with in-person care.

Limitations: This source looks at access to care across Canada and does not evaluate online counselling itself. Whether virtual sessions suit you depends on your needs, your setting, and your technology, and is considered individually.

Crisis and Support Planning Alongside Virtual Care

What it helps with: Knowing where to turn between sessions, since online counselling is scheduled and is not an emergency service.

Evidence summary: The Public Health Agency of Canada directs people in crisis or needing emotional support to resources, including provincial services and the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (PHAC, n.d.). The crisis guidance on this page pairs that national line with Alberta services.

Limitations: The PHAC page lists resources but does not evaluate them or describe how virtual services should handle emergencies. Your therapist can plan this with you.

If you are looking for information about a specific concern, you can read about related services such as counselling for anxiety, counselling for depression, or adult counselling.

What Results to Expect

Counselling rarely moves in a straight line. Some weeks may feel like clear progress and others may feel stuck, and both are part of the process. Some people notice changes over a shorter stretch of sessions, while others find longer-term work more useful.

Many things can shape how counselling goes, including:

• what brings you to counselling and how long it has been going on
• what is happening in your life right now, including stress, support, and health
• how well you and your therapist work together
• for online sessions, practical factors such as privacy at home and a reliable connection

No form of counselling can guarantee a particular result, online or in person. Fit matters, and changing therapists, approaches, or formats is always an option. If virtual sessions are not working for you, you can say so. You and your therapist can then look at alternatives, including in-person sessions where available.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential. Psychologists at the clinic are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the CAP Standards of Practice and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). Each clinician can tell you which professional body they are accountable to.

Two Alberta privacy laws are relevant. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) generally applies to private clinics in Alberta. It sets rules for how personal information is collected, used, disclosed, and kept. The Health Information Act (HIA) applies to health custodians such as Alberta Health Services. Psychologists are not currently designated as custodians under the HIA, but it can apply when a clinician works for or with a custodian.

Confidentiality has legal and ethical limits. Your therapist may need to share information without your consent in certain situations, including:

• a risk of serious harm to you or someone else
• suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which must be reported under Alberta law
• a court order

This is not a complete list. Your therapist will explain these limits clearly in your first session. You are welcome to ask questions before you share anything personal.

Privacy in Virtual Sessions

Online sessions add a few practical privacy questions. Information sent over the internet can never be guaranteed to be fully secure, so your therapist can explain how sessions are set up and what steps help protect your privacy. Choosing a private room, using headphones, and avoiding shared or public devices can help. You can also ask the admin team about the clinic's privacy practices before booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to describe what happened in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Some people start with what feels hard day to day, such as sleep, relationships, or stress at work, rather than going back over past events. Your therapist follows your pace, and you can say "not yet" at any point. Meeting online does not change that.

Is what I share in online sessions kept private?

Yes, within legal and ethical limits. Exceptions include a risk of serious harm, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and a court order. Alberta's PIPA and HIA, along with professional standards, shape how your information is handled. Your therapist will go over this in your first session, along with privacy steps for virtual sessions. More detail is in the Confidentiality and Privacy section above.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no fixed answer. Some people come for a short, focused stretch of sessions, while others prefer longer-term support. It depends on what you want to work on and how things change along the way. Your therapist reviews progress with you regularly, and the plan can be adjusted at any time.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is okay to say a match is not working. The admin team can help you find a different clinician, and you do not have to give a long explanation. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit. You can also go back to the Match Tool or browse Our Therapists.

Can I access therapy online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are offered for people located in Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply as for in-person sessions. Not every clinician offers virtual appointments, so the admin team can tell you who is currently available.

What if I do not have a private place to talk, or home does not feel safe?

This is worth raising before your first session. Some people use a parked car, a private room at work, or a trusted friend's home. In-person sessions at one of our five locations may be another option.

If someone at home is hurting, threatening, or controlling you, an online session may not be private enough to speak freely. The Family Violence Info Line (310-1818, 24/7) can help you think through safety options. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

What happens if the internet connection drops during a session?

Technology problems happen. At the start, your therapist will talk with you about what to do if a session is interrupted, including how you will reconnect or be contacted.

Can I switch between online and in-person sessions?

This may be possible, depending on your therapist's locations and availability. Some people start online and later prefer to meet in person, or the other way around. You can talk with your therapist or the admin team about what is possible for you.

Meet Your Clinicians

The clinic's team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students who offer a reduced-rate option.

Clinicians bring different training and experience, and virtual availability varies from one clinician to the next. You can read individual profiles on the Our Therapists page or use the Match Tool for help choosing. The admin team can also guide you at 780-904-4880.

Children and Youth

The clinic offers counselling for children and youth as well as adults. Clinicians who work with younger clients aim to use age-appropriate approaches, and they work with parents and caregivers to support the young person at home.

Whether virtual sessions suit a child or teen is considered individually. In some cases, in-person sessions may work better. A parent or guardian is usually involved in consent for younger clients, and your clinician can explain how that works. You can also read about support for teens' mental health.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to learn more or get started, you can:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call the admin team at 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy

You can also call with questions about virtual sessions before deciding anything. Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). Mental health support: get help. Government of Canada.
• Statistics Canada. (2023, September 22). Mental disorders and access to mental health care.