Registered psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), Certified Canadian Counsellors (CCCs) are regulated by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), and Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). In-person sessions in Edmonton and St. Albert. Virtual sessions across Alberta. Guided by applicable professional codes of ethics.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Counselling for This Is Right for You

You may be unsure whether the patterns you have been noticing in your life are serious enough to talk to someone about. Maybe you have heard this term used in a way that felt harsh or final, and you are not sure it applies to you. Maybe someone else suggested you look into it and you are still deciding whether that makes sense.

Some people arrive at this page after years of conflict in relationships they did not fully understand. Others notice a pattern of decisions that lead to consequences they did not intend, or a feeling of being out of step with the expectations of the people around them. You might recognize things like saying what people want to hear rather than what is true, losing patience faster than seems fair, or finding that people pull away without a clear reason.

These patterns do not mean something is permanently broken. They often reflect deeply learned ways of responding to the world, shaped by experiences, environment, and circumstance. Many people who recognize these patterns in themselves find it useful to explore them in a structured, private setting with a clinician who does not judge and does not rush.

This page explains what outpatient counselling at Wholesome Psychology may look like for someone exploring these concerns. You may wish to read on and see whether it feels like a useful starting point.

A Note on Terminology

This page uses the phrase "antisocial personality disorder" because it is a common public-facing search term. In clinical practice, terminology and formulation can vary. The ICD-11, used internationally, describes personality-related presentations using dimensional trait language rather than fixed categories (World Health Organization [WHO], 2025). A webpage or intake form cannot determine whether any diagnosis applies. This page is informational only and is not a substitute for a formal assessment when one is needed.

Who We Help

This service may be a good fit for:

• Adults who notice recurring patterns of conflict, impulsivity, or difficulty with trust and follow-through in relationships
• Adults who want to explore how their behaviour affects their work, family, or daily life
• Adults seeking structured support for emotional regulation, boundaries, and communication
• Adults who are uncertain whether counselling, assessment, or another form of support would be the better next step
• People gathering information for a loved one who may benefit from counselling

This service may not be the right fit for:

• People in immediate crisis or danger (see crisis resources below)
• People seeking forensic assessments, court-ordered evaluations, or risk opinions. Psychological assessments are a separate service at Wholesome Psychology
• People seeking a mandated perpetrator intervention programme. Referral to a specialized programme may be more appropriate
• People whose primary concern requires urgent psychiatric or medical care

Crisis Guidance

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or experiencing an urgent safety concern, please contact emergency services. Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

• 911 for immediate danger
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free)
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What This Service Is

This is outpatient counselling for adults who want to explore recurring behavioural and interpersonal patterns in a structured, collaborative setting. It is not a legal service, an investigative process, a forensic risk assessment, or a crisis intervention. Psychological assessments are a separate service and are not included in standard counselling sessions.

The pace of therapy is set by you, not the therapist. Early sessions typically focus on understanding what brought you in, reviewing confidentiality and consent, and clarifying what you want to work on. Counselling may focus on recurring interpersonal patterns, communication, emotional regulation, decision-making, accountability, or follow-through. Together with your therapist, you decide what stays on the table and what does not.

Confidentiality applies to everything shared in sessions, with specific legal and ethical exceptions that your therapist will explain clearly before you begin. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before sharing anything personal.

Signs These Patterns May Be Affecting You

The experiences below are described in everyday language to help you recognize patterns you may be living with. They are not diagnostic criteria and do not require a label to be worth exploring in therapy.

• Repeated conflicts with partners, family members, or coworkers that follow a similar pattern
• Difficulty keeping commitments or following through on plans, even when you intend to
• Making decisions quickly and regretting them later, sometimes repeatedly
• Feeling easily bored or restless, especially in situations that require patience
• Noticing that people seem to pull away from you or stop trusting you without a conversation about why
• Saying things you do not fully mean in order to manage a situation or avoid consequences
• Frustration or anger that arrives fast and feels larger than the situation calls for
• Trouble seeing a situation from someone else's point of view, even when you want to

Having these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong with you. Many of these patterns reflect learned responses that developed over time. Structured support can help you understand where these patterns come from and explore whether different responses are possible.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. Use the Match with a Therapist tool, review clinician profiles, or call 780-904-4880 for guidance from the admin team.
• Book your first session. Your first appointment covers confidentiality, consent, and a conversation about what you would like to work on. There is no requirement to share detailed personal history in the first session.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist co-create a therapeutic plan based on your goals, scope, and what feels realistic within outpatient care.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are typically 50 minutes, scheduled weekly or bi-weekly. Frequency can be adjusted as your needs change.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews progress regularly with you. Plans adapt as circumstances shift. If the current approach is not helping, that is important information, not a failure.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is collaborative, and your voice matters at every stage. If at any point coordinated care or referral to another service would be more appropriate, your therapist will discuss that with you openly.

Evidence and Approaches

The evidence base for psychological treatment of antisocial personality disorder is limited, and no single therapy has been established as a definitive standard of care (Gibbon et al., 2020). The approaches described below reflect what current guidelines and systematic reviews suggest may be helpful. Wholesome Psychology selects approaches based on individual fit and clinical judgement, not on a one-size-fits-all protocol.

Group-Based Cognitive and Behavioural Interventions

What it helps with: Recurring patterns of impulsivity, interpersonal difficulty, and antisocial behaviour.

Evidence summary: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2009) recommends considering group-based cognitive and behavioural interventions for adults with antisocial personality disorder in community settings. NICE notes that the evidence base for treatment is limited but that positive, reinforcing approaches are more likely to be effective than punitive ones (NICE, 2009). A Cochrane systematic review found no clear difference between cognitive behaviour therapy plus treatment as usual and treatment as usual alone for physical aggression or social functioning, though evidence certainty was low (Gibbon et al., 2020).

Limitations: Most available research has been conducted in forensic or criminal justice settings, and findings may not translate directly to outpatient community care. Evidence certainty ranges from low to very low across studies.

Contingency Management

What it helps with: Social functioning and substance misuse patterns that co-occur with personality-related difficulties.

Evidence summary: NICE (2009) recommends contingency management for people with antisocial personality disorder who also misuse substances, particularly opioids or stimulants. One trial included in the Cochrane review found that contingency management combined with standard maintenance may slightly improve social functioning compared to standard maintenance alone (Gibbon et al., 2020).

Limitations: Evidence is drawn from a single study with a small sample size. Results may not generalize to all outpatient populations or to people without substance use concerns.

Structured Outpatient Counselling

What it helps with: Identifying and exploring recurring behavioural patterns, improving communication, and setting collaborative goals for change.

Evidence summary: NICE (2009) notes that treatment for comorbid conditions such as depression and anxiety should proceed alongside any work on personality-related difficulties. Clinical guidelines emphasize the importance of structured, collaborative approaches with clear expectations and regular review (NICE, 2009). NICE also highlights that positive and reinforcing therapeutic approaches are more likely to be effective than those that are negative or punitive.

Limitations: Evidence for structured outpatient counselling for antisocial personality disorder specifically, outside of group-based or forensic settings, remains limited. Outcomes vary based on individual circumstances, therapeutic fit, and engagement.

What Results to Expect

Recovery and change are not linear. Some people notice meaningful shifts within a few months of regular sessions. Others benefit from longer-term work, especially when the patterns being explored have been present for many years.

Factors that influence outcomes include the nature and depth of the patterns involved, current life circumstances, whether other concerns (such as substance use or depression) are also present, and the quality of the therapeutic relationship. No therapy guarantees outcomes, and progress looks different for each person.

If the therapeutic approach or the therapist is not the right fit, that is worth discussing openly. Changing therapist or approach is always an option and is a normal part of finding what works.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in therapy is confidential. Registered psychologists at Wholesome Psychology follow the ethical standards set by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Code of Ethics. Certified Canadian Counsellors (CCCs) are regulated by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), and Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). Your information is protected under the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), both Alberta legislation.

There are legal exceptions to confidentiality. Your therapist is required to act or disclose information in the following circumstances:

• Serious risk of harm to yourself or someone else
• Suspected abuse or neglect of a child (mandatory reporting under Alberta law)
• A court order requiring disclosure

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly during your first session, before you share anything personal. You are welcome to ask questions about confidentiality at any point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to describe what happened in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Some people find it helpful to explore past experiences in detail; others prefer to work with present-day patterns and current goals. Your therapist will not push you to disclose more than you are ready to discuss. The pace is yours.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes. Counselling is confidential within legal, ethical, and professional limits. Those limits include situations involving serious risk of harm, suspected child abuse or neglect, or a court order. Your therapist will review these limits clearly during your first session. For more detail, see the Confidentiality and Privacy section above.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no fixed answer. Some people benefit from shorter-term work focused on a specific goal. Others find that longer-term engagement helps them address deeper patterns. Progress is reviewed regularly, and the plan adapts as your needs change. Your therapist will discuss expectations honestly, including what outpatient counselling can and cannot address.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Therapeutic fit matters, and not every client-therapist pairing works well. If you feel the relationship is not right, you can raise it with your therapist or contact the admin team at 780-904-4880 to explore other options. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit. You can also start with the Match with a Therapist tool or review clinician profiles before booking.

Can I access therapy online?

Yes. Wholesome Psychology offers virtual sessions for clients located anywhere in Alberta. Virtual sessions use the same confidentiality standards as in-person appointments. Many clients find virtual sessions convenient, particularly those in rural areas or with scheduling constraints.

Is this page a diagnosis?

No. This page is educational and service-focused. A website cannot diagnose, and booking a counselling appointment does not confirm that any diagnosis applies. If you are uncertain whether counselling, assessment, or another service is the right next step, you are welcome to call 780-904-4880 to talk it through before booking.

What if I am still in an unsafe situation?

If you are currently experiencing violence or are in immediate danger, please contact 911 or the Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free). Outpatient counselling is not designed for crisis response. Once you are safe, counselling can be part of a longer-term support plan.

Meet Your Clinicians

Wholesome Psychology's team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Certified Canadian Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and Certified Canadian Counsellors (CCCs) are regulated by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Provisional psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist.

Many clinicians at the practice have experience working with interpersonal patterns, emotional regulation, boundary-setting, and the kinds of concerns that bring people to this page. You can browse individual profiles on the Our Therapists page or use the Match with a Therapist tool. The admin team is also available at 780-904-4880 to help you find a clinician who fits your needs.

Children and Youth

While antisocial personality disorder is typically identified in adulthood, younger people may experience related behavioural or relational patterns that affect their daily life and family relationships. Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people using age-appropriate approaches. Clinicians working with younger clients collaborate with caregivers to support the child's environment and development. For more information, see the Child and Youth Mental Health page.

Taking the Next Step

If you are considering whether counselling might help, you can start by learning more about the process or reaching out to ask questions. Starting the conversation is enough.

• Book a session online
• Match with a Therapist
• Call: 780-904-4880
• Email: info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Getting Started with Therapy

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

Starting the conversation is enough.

References

• Canadian Mental Health Association. (n.d.). Personality disorders. CMHA Nova Scotia Division. Retrieved April 30, 2026, from https://novascotia.cmha.ca/personality-disorders/
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (n.d.). Personality disorders. Retrieved April 30, 2026, from https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/personality-disorders
• Gibbon, S., Khalifa, N. R., Cheung, N. H.-Y., Völlm, B. A., & McCarthy, L. (2020). Psychological interventions for antisocial personality disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (9), CD007668. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007668.pub3
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2009, updated 2013). Antisocial personality disorder: prevention and management (CG77). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg77
• World Health Organization. (2025). ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. https://icd.who.int/