Low-cost and free counselling in BC
$60 sessions with Chantelle. Sliding scales with Madison and Davis. And if a free service suits you better, we’ll tell you where to find it.
Our low-fee path: Chantelle
Chantelle Efird is our low-fee counsellor. She’s a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor candidate (RTCc) with ACCT: trained, and working toward full registration under the direct supervision of a registered counselling supervisor.
Insurance coverage for a candidate is case by case, so we keep her fee low:
- A free consultation to see if you’d work well together
- Then $60 for 60 minutes, or $85 for 90
- Pro bono sessions by arrangement, if money is very tight: ask her
Chantelle works with anxiety, ADHD, stress and burnout, self-esteem and big life changes. She especially enjoys working with teens and young adults, and sessions are by video through Jane, camera on or off, with midday, evening and weekend times.
A lower fee doesn’t mean a lighter version of counselling. It means a newer counsellor with a supervisor checking in on her work, which some people find reassuring.
Sliding scales: Madison and Davis
A sliding scale means the fee is set with you, based on what you can manage.
- Madison Morrison offers a sliding scale and the occasional pro bono spot. She works with big emotions, burnout, neurodivergence and chronic illness.
- Davis Wiggs offers a sliding scale based on your finances and what your insurance covers. He works with addiction, porn and gambling, and couples.
Ask about it in your free consultation. It’s a normal question, and nobody will make it awkward.
Before you pay: check what you already have
- Extended health benefits. Many plans cover counselling. Our RTC vs RCC guide has the exact question to ask your insurer.
- An Employee and Family Assistance Program (EAP). Many employers offer a few free, short-term sessions through an EAP. Ask HR, or look on your benefits website.
- CVAP. If you’ve been affected by a violent crime, including past abuse, BC’s Crime Victim Assistance Program may pay for counselling. Davis bills CVAP directly; details are on our fees page.
Free counselling and support in BC
These are free. Some are short-term or single-session, and some have waits, so we’ve said who each one is for.
- Foundry (opens in a new tab): free counselling for young people aged 12 to 24 and their caregivers, at centres around BC (including Penticton, Kelowna, Victoria and Surrey) and by video or phone through the Foundry BC app.
- Here2Talk (opens in a new tab): free single sessions by app, phone or chat, 24/7, for students registered at a BC post-secondary school.
- BounceBack (opens in a new tab): a free skill-building program from the Canadian Mental Health Association for mild to moderate low mood, anxiety and stress, with up to six phone sessions with a coach. Coaching is offered in several languages.
- Community counselling programs: the Community Action Initiative funds free and low-cost counselling at community agencies, neighbourhood houses and friendship centres across BC. Search your town on HelpStartsHere, or ask your local neighbourhood house.
- Gambling Support BC (opens in a new tab): free counselling for anyone affected by gambling, including family members. 1‑888‑795‑6111.
- VictimLinkBC (opens in a new tab): free, confidential help and referrals after family or sexual violence, by phone or text, in many languages. 1‑800‑563‑0808.
- HelpStartsHere (opens in a new tab): the BC government’s directory of free and low-cost mental health services, searchable by town.
- BC Mental Health Support Line, 310‑6789: free emotional support 24/7, no area code needed. It’s support and referral rather than ongoing counselling.
Free or low-fee: how to choose
Free services are a real option, and some of them are excellent. Where they’re stretched is choice and continuity: you may not pick your counsellor, you may wait, and some offer a single session at a time.
Our low-fee path is for people who want to choose who they see, start soon, and keep seeing the same person. If cost is the only thing in the way, tell us. If a free service fits you better, we’ll say so.
Common questions
Is a $60 counsellor any good?
Chantelle is trained and supervised by a registered counselling supervisor. Her fee is low because insurance coverage for candidates is case by case, not because the work is lighter.
Does Chantelle offer free sessions?
There’s no set number of free sessions. If money is very tight, Chantelle is open to talking about pro bono sessions, one person at a time. Ask in your free consultation.
Do you offer free counselling for couples?
Not at the moment. Couples sessions are with Davis or Jasneet. Davis offers a sliding scale, and some benefit plans cover couples counselling.
Can I start with a free service and switch later?
Yes. Many people do. You’re welcome to book a free consultation whenever you’re ready.
Money shouldn’t decide whether you get support
Book a free consultation with Chantelle, or ask any of us about the sliding scale.
Next you’ll pick a time in Jane, our secure booking system. It asks for your name, email and phone.
Not an emergency service. If you’re not safe right now, call or text 9‑8‑8.