Frequently asked questions

Book a free 20-minute consultation. We will talk about what is bringing you in, answer your questions, and see whether working together feels like the right fit. There is no obligation to book a session afterwards.

No. Counselling here is booked in advance and is not a substitute for emergency care. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For urgent mental health support anywhere in Canada, call or text 988, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, at any hour. In British Columbia you can also call 310-6789, with no area code, to reach the Mental Health Support Line.

No. Counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor in British Columbia does not require a physician referral. You can book directly.

Every day, 8am to 8pm. Evening and weekend appointments are available, which suits people who cannot take time away from work during the day.

Sessions are 50 minutes.

Most people start weekly to build momentum, then move to every other week or monthly as things improve. We decide the pace together, and it can change as your needs change.

The first session is mostly about understanding your history, what you want to be different, and what has already been tried. You set the pace. Nothing is pushed before you are ready.

Not at all. Many people arrive unsure what therapy even involves. You do not need to arrive with the right words or a clear diagnosis, only a sense that something needs attention.

That is a good reason to use the free consultation. If counselling is not the right support, or if a different specialist would serve you better, we would rather tell you that and point you somewhere useful.

Yes. Roma Villa direct bills AGA Financial Group, Alberta Blue Cross, Beneva, Benefit Plan Administrators (BPA), Canada Life (including PSHCP), Canadian Construction Workers Union, Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance, CINUP, Manulife, Pacific Blue Cross and TELUS AdjudiCare. Where your plan covers a Registered Clinical Counsellor, you pay only the portion your coverage does not, rather than paying up front and claiming it back.

Most extended health plans in British Columbia include coverage for a Registered Clinical Counsellor, though the annual limit varies widely between plans. It is worth asking your provider two specific questions: whether they cover an RCC, and what your yearly maximum is.

Individual sessions are $170 for 50 minutes, $255 for 75, and $340 for 100. Couples sessions are $210 for 50 minutes, $315 for 75, and $420 for 100. Counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor is exempt from GST, so the price shown is the price you pay. The full list, with a direct booking link for each option, is on the booking page. The first 20 minute consultation is free.

Yes. Every session generates an official receipt showing the RCC registration number, which is what insurers require.

BC Medical Services Plan does not cover counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor. Coverage generally comes through extended health benefits, an employee assistance program, or paying privately.

Yes. Sessions are available in person in Langley and virtually across British Columbia.

No. Online sessions are open to anyone physically located in British Columbia at the time of the appointment, which is a requirement of the registration rather than a preference. That covers the Lower Mainland, the Interior, the Island, and the North.

For most concerns the research shows online therapy performs comparably to in-person work. What matters more is the fit between you and the therapist. Some people prefer the privacy of being at home; others find that leaving the house helps them focus.

A private space where you will not be overheard, a reliable connection, and headphones if anyone else is home. Sessions run on a secure video platform, not on a general-purpose video app.

Yes. Sessions are available in English and Farsi, and you can move between the two in the same session if that is more natural for you.

Emotion, memory, and metaphor tend to live in the language you grew up with. Translating as you go adds a layer between what you feel and what you can say, and it often flattens the parts that matter most. Working in Farsi removes that layer.

Yes. Couples sessions can run bilingually where one partner is more comfortable in Farsi and the other in English.

Language and culture are not the same thing, and speaking Farsi is only part of it. Expectations around family, privacy, shame, and what is acceptable to discuss outside the home all shape what therapy needs to look like.

Couples therapy is for any partners who want to strengthen their relationship, whether you're dating, engaged, married, or in a long-term partnership. You don't need to be in crisis to benefit; many couples use therapy as a proactive way to grow closer, navigate transitions, and build a healthier, more resilient connection.

The length of couples therapy varies depending on your unique goals and challenges. Some couples find meaningful progress in just a few sessions, while others benefit from ongoing support over several months or longer. Typically, sessions are weekly or biweekly and last about 50 minutes.

Most couples start with weekly sessions to build momentum and create a consistent space for healing and growth. As progress is made, sessions may shift to every other week or monthly to maintain the gains and continue strengthening your relationship.

That is common, and it is still workable. Individual sessions can address relationship patterns, and it is not unusual for a reluctant partner to join later once they see what the work actually involves.

No. The relationship is the client. That means neither partner is the problem to be fixed, and neither leaves the session feeling ganged up on.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a specialized, evidence-based approach to trauma therapy. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation such as guided eye movements to help the brain process and reframe distressing memories, often with faster and longer-lasting results.

No. EMDR does not require you to narrate what happened. You need to bring the memory to mind, but you are not asked to recount it blow by blow. For many people that is the difference between being able to start trauma work and avoiding it for years.

EMDR therapy may be a good fit if you are struggling with the lingering effects of trauma, anxiety, negative self-beliefs, or emotional reactivity, especially if these issues are impacting your relationships or day-to-day life. In a consultation, we can explore your needs and determine if EMDR is the right approach for your healing journey.

Sessions are paced to ensure you feel safe and supported, and you're never asked to relive trauma in detail, only to notice what comes up and gently work through it.

No. Ongoing experiences such as childhood neglect, a long difficult relationship, medical events, or migration and displacement can leave the same imprint as a single incident. You do not need a dramatic story to qualify for trauma therapy.

It depends on whether we are working on one contained memory or a longer pattern. Some people notice shifts within a handful of sessions; complex or repeated trauma usually takes longer. We review progress as we go rather than committing to a fixed number up front.

The concerns overlap, but the title does not. Mahsa is a Registered Clinical Counsellor who works with intimacy, desire and closeness as part of relationship and trauma work. She is not a certified sex therapist, and where a concern calls for that specialisation or for medical assessment, the right step is a referral rather than a session.

Common reasons people come in include mismatched desire between partners, low or absent libido, pain during sex, anxiety about performance, rebuilding closeness after trauma, and reconnecting after a long period of distance.

The duration varies depending on your unique goals and challenges. Some individuals or couples experience meaningful progress in just a few sessions, while others benefit from ongoing support over several months. Sessions typically last about 50 minutes.

It is talk therapy. There is no physical examination and no undressing, ever. If something appears to have a medical cause, the right next step is a referral to a physician alongside the therapy work.

Extremely. Most people arrive having avoided the conversation for years, sometimes with their own partner. Part of the work is building enough safety that the subject stops feeling unspeakable.

Registered Clinical Counsellor. It means registration with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, which sets minimum education, supervised practice, continuing education, and a code of ethics. Mahsa Hamedanizadeh is RCC #21647.

Master of Counselling Psychology, with 9 years of clinical experience, and training in EMDR, Gottman Method, Satir Transformational Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), among other approaches.

Yes, with a small number of legal exceptions that apply to every counsellor in British Columbia: risk of serious harm to yourself or someone else, concerns about the safety of a child or vulnerable adult, and a court order. These are explained at the start so there are no surprises.

Yes. The practice is BIPOC and LGBTQ+ affirming. You should not have to explain or defend your identity in order to get help with what you actually came in for.

Say so. Fit matters more than any technique, and a referral to someone better suited is a better outcome than continuing out of politeness.