Collaborative, client-centred counselling in Edmonton, St. Albert, and online across Alberta, for people living with schizophrenia-related experiences and the people who support them. Registered Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Registered Provisional Psychologists practising under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. In-person sessions at five Edmonton and St. Albert locations, and virtual sessions anywhere in Alberta. 50-minute sessions, with weekday, evening, and weekend hours available as well.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Schizophrenia Counselling Is Right for You

You may not be sure whether counselling is even meant for someone with a schizophrenia diagnosis. Perhaps you already see a doctor or psychiatrist and wonder what talking with a therapist could add. Or you might carry a quieter worry: that a counsellor will hear the word "schizophrenia" and stop seeing the person in front of them.

If you are reading this for someone you love, the doubt may sound different. You might be asking whether there is room for your own stress when someone else is the one with the diagnosis. You might wonder whether reaching out means you are not coping well enough. Some people notice that ordinary days take more effort than they used to. Some turn down invitations because explaining what has been happening feels like too much.

Others feel worn down by appointments, changes in plans, and other people's opinions about what should happen next. These reactions make sense. Living with experiences that are hard to put into words, or adjusting to a diagnosis, asks a great deal of a person. Feeling tired, guarded, or unsure is a common human response to that kind of strain.

It is not a sign of weakness or a lack of effort. If you are weighing whether talking with someone could help, you may wish to read on. This page explains what this kind of support looks like, and what it does not include.

Who We Help

This counselling service may be a good fit for:

• Adults who have received a schizophrenia diagnosis and want a place to talk about daily life, relationships, stress, or personal goals
• People adjusting after a diagnosis, a hospital stay, or a change in their care
• People having experiences they find confusing or hard to explain. Counselling works best here alongside a family doctor or other medical provider.
• People who already work with a psychiatrist, case manager, or community service and want counselling as one part of their broader care
• Family members, partners, and friends who want space for their own stress and questions while supporting someone. Our page on family caregiver stress counselling may also be useful.

This service may not be the right fit for:

• Crisis or immediate safety concerns. Please use the crisis resources listed below.
• Diagnosis or formal assessment. Counselling does not diagnose schizophrenia. Psychological assessments are a separate service and are not part of this counselling service. Our admin team can help clarify what is available.
• Medication or psychiatric treatment. Questions about medication belong with a physician, psychiatrist, or other prescribing provider.
• Forensic or legal needs. Court reports, legal opinions, and other forensic work are outside this therapy service.
• A specific, named psychosis treatment. If you are looking for a particular structured approach, please ask our admin team whether a clinician currently offers it before you book.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling appointments are scheduled in advance and are not designed for emergencies. Our website, email, phone line, and booking system are not monitored for crisis situations. If you or someone else needs help now, please contact one of these services:

• 911 for immediate danger or a medical emergency, or go to the nearest emergency department
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)
• Kids Help Phone (for young people): call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 (24/7)

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Schizophrenia Counselling Is, and What It Is Not

Schizophrenia counselling at Wholesome Psychology is talk-based, collaborative support. Sessions may give you space to discuss routines, relationships, stress, communication, and goals that matter to you. The focus is set by you, not by a diagnosis.

Counselling can be one part of broader care. Many people also work with a family doctor, psychiatrist, case manager, or community support. With your consent, and within each provider's scope of practice, your therapist can coordinate with those supports.

There are also clear limits to what this service includes:

• It is not a substitute for emergency, medical, or psychiatric care.
• It is not a crisis service, a legal service, or an investigative process.
• It does not include diagnosis, psychological assessment, or medication management.
• Your therapist works within their professional scope of practice and will tell you if a concern is better handled by another provider.

You set the pace. You decide what to talk about and when. What you share is kept confidential, with some legal limits that your therapist will explain at the start. The confidentiality section below has more detail.

Signs Schizophrenia-Related Experiences May Be Affecting Your Life

Schizophrenia is grouped with other primary psychotic disorders in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) (World Health Organization [WHO], n.d.). Only a qualified health professional can make a diagnosis. This list is not a way to tell whether a diagnosis applies to you. It describes ways that these experiences, or the stress around them, can show up in everyday life.

• Ordinary tasks, like getting out the door or keeping up with meals and sleep, take more energy than they used to
• You have thoughts or perceptions that people around you do not seem to share, and you are not sure who you can talk to about them
• Focusing at work or school feels harder, or plans are difficult to follow through on
• You pull back from friends because explaining yourself feels exhausting
• You feel flat, worried, or on edge, sometimes without a clear reason
• You worry about how people will react if they learn about a diagnosis
• There is tension at home about treatment, routines, or what "getting better" should look like
• Your sense of who you are, or where your life is headed, feels like it has shifted
• As a family member, you feel tired, scared, or unsure how to help without overstepping

Noticing some of these patterns does not mean something is wrong with who you are. They are common responses to experiences that can be disorienting, and to the pressure that often comes with them. Collaborative support may make some of that pressure easier to talk about and plan around.

If you would like plain-language background reading, two Canadian organizations publish public information about schizophrenia (Public Health Agency of Canada [PHAC], n.d.; Canadian Psychological Association [CPA], n.d.). You may also find our pages on schizophreniform disorder counselling and delusional disorder counselling relevant.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a Therapist tool or read our therapists' profiles. If you would rather talk it through, our admin team can help at 780-904-4880.
• Book your first session. You can book online through our booking system. In the first session, your therapist reviews informed consent, confidentiality, and its limits. You will talk about what brings you in, what you hope for, and whether the fit feels right.
• Build your plan together. Your therapist works with you to shape a plan that fits your goals, your circumstances, and any care you already receive. If you want, this can include coordinating with other providers or involving a support person, always with your consent.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes. Most people meet weekly or every two weeks, and the schedule can change as your needs change.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews with you, regularly, how things are going. The plan adapts when something is not working or when your priorities shift.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is a shared process, and your voice matters at every stage. You can read more on our Getting Started with Therapy page.

Evidence and Approaches

The research reviewed for this page is limited, so this section is deliberately cautious. It does not list therapies the available evidence cannot support. It describes two areas the sources address, and what they do and do not show.

Psychological Support as Part of Coordinated Care

What it helps with: Connecting counselling for daily life and stress with the medical, psychiatric, and community care a person may already receive.

Evidence summary: A clinical guideline on psychosis and schizophrenia in adults addresses coordinated, evidence-informed care, including psychological support (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], n.d.). Guidelines like this frame psychological support as one part of a wider care plan rather than a replacement for medical care.

Limitations: This guideline was developed outside Canada, and its detailed recommendations were not reviewed for this page. No specific treatment or outcome claim is made from it.

Psychological Treatments Focused on Day-to-Day Functioning

What it helps with: Day-to-day functioning, such as managing routines, work or school, and relationships.

Evidence summary: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examined the effects of psychological treatments on functioning in people with schizophrenia ("Effects of Psychological Treatments," n.d.). The review's results were not available in the evidence assessed for this page. For that reason, no claim is made here about how much these treatments help.

Limitations: Without the review's findings, the size and consistency of any benefit cannot be described. Individual responses to psychological treatment vary.

Some clinicians may have training in specific approaches used with psychosis. If that matters to you, our admin team can help you ask about it before booking.

What Results to Expect

Progress in counselling is rarely a straight line. Some weeks may feel steadier than others. Setbacks are a normal part of the process, not a sign that counselling has failed.

Some people notice changes within a few months, such as feeling more prepared for a difficult conversation or more settled in a daily routine. Others find that longer-term support fits better. Outcomes vary from person to person.

Several things can influence how counselling goes:

• The nature of your experiences and how long you have been living with them
• Your current circumstances, including housing, work, and relationships
• The other care and support you have in place
• The fit between you and your therapist

No therapy can guarantee a particular result. Counselling does not replace medical or psychiatric care, and it does not promise a change in symptoms. If the fit with your therapist does not feel right, changing therapists or approaches is always an option.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential. Our psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Code of Ethics. These standards set clear expectations for how your information is protected.

Two Alberta privacy laws are relevant to counselling. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) generally governs how private clinics collect, use, and disclose personal information. The Health Information Act (HIA) covers health information held by custodians, such as Alberta Health Services and hospitals. It also applies when a clinician works on behalf of one of those custodians.

There are some legal exceptions to confidentiality. A therapist may need to share information without your consent when:

• There is a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else
• There is suspected abuse or neglect of a child (mandatory reporting under Alberta law)
• A court orders the release of records

Your therapist will explain these limits clearly in your first session. Information is shared with your doctor, psychiatrist, or family only with your consent, unless one of these exceptions applies. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to talk about my diagnosis or my experiences in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Many people start with present-day concerns, such as sleep, routines, or a stressful relationship, and never go into more detail than feels right. Saying "I am not ready to talk about that" is always acceptable.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within legal limits. Those limits include a risk of serious harm to you or others, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and a court order. Your therapist will explain these at the start. The confidentiality section above covers this in more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a few sessions to work on one specific concern. Others prefer ongoing support over a longer period. You and your therapist will review progress regularly and adjust the plan together.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is reasonable to want a different therapist. You do not need to give a long explanation. Our admin team can help you find another clinician whose approach suits you better. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I access counselling online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available anywhere in Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply as for in-person sessions. Availability varies by therapist, so the matching tool or our admin team can help you find someone who offers virtual appointments.

Can counselling diagnose schizophrenia or change my medication?

No. This counselling service does not provide a diagnosis, and therapists do not prescribe or change medication. Questions about diagnosis or medication are best taken to a physician, psychiatrist, or other prescribing provider. Our admin team can help clarify which services may fit your needs.

Can a family member or support person come to sessions?

This is something to discuss with your therapist. Involving a support person depends on your consent, the purpose of the session, and whether that format suits the service. Family members can also book their own sessions to talk about how they are coping.

Will my therapist talk with my psychiatrist or doctor?

Only with your consent. If you would like your counselling to connect with other parts of your care, your therapist can discuss what that might look like. Each provider works within their own scope of practice.

Meet Your Clinicians

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 senior registered psychologist.

Clinicians bring different training backgrounds, and experience with psychosis-related concerns varies from person to person. You can read individual profiles on our Our Therapists page or use the Match with a Therapist tool. If you would like guidance choosing, our admin team can help at 780-904-4880.

Children and Youth

Schizophrenia-related experiences can affect a whole family. A child or teen may be affected when a parent or sibling has a diagnosis. A young person may also be having experiences of their own that feel confusing or frightening to talk about.

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children and youth and adolescent mental health counselling. Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches. They also work with parents and caregivers to support the young person's environment at home.

If a young person is having new or confusing experiences, a family doctor or other medical provider is an important early contact. Counselling can sit alongside that care.

When You Are Ready to Learn More

If you would like to learn more, you can take the next step in whichever way feels most manageable:

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

Starting the conversation is enough.

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

References

• Canadian Psychological Association. (n.d.). Schizophrenia [Fact sheet].
• Effects of psychological treatments on functioning in people with schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. (n.d.). European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults: Prevention and management.
• Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). Schizophrenia in Canada.
• World Health Organization. (n.d.). ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics: Schizophrenia or other primary psychotic disorders.