Services & Programs

Overview of counselling process, sessions, informed consent, areas of speciality, assessment, populations served, methodologies utilized, insurance programs accepted/qualified for, counselling delivery methods, office hours, and fees.

Counselling Overview

Judy Wright supports with warmth, understanding, respect, non-judgement, empathy, support, safety, and encouragement during counselling and training sessions. Judy focuses counselling sessions around conscious/unconscious emotional and behavioral patterns. Distorted thought and belief patterns, and unresolved issues create dysfunction. Those patterns may be obvious, or not, to the client. The therapist’s journey is to assist the client in becoming more aware/conscious of these patterns and their consequences. Dysfunctional patterns impact one’s ability to achieve wholeness and wellness. Research supports that finding.

Research reports that unresolved issues and emotions create stress which impacts physical and mental health. Resolving and changing these issues can help people achieve greater authenticity and a sense of wellbeing. Judy utilizes a wide range of evidence-based techniques and processes to work with the conscious and unconscious mind. Judy matches techniques to the client’s need/s.

Counselling Session/s:

People come into counselling for a wide variety of reasons, i.e., anxiety, depression, relationships, workplace issues, but they also come in as they wish to maintain a healthy life perspective. Each counselling session is built around the needs for the individual, couple, or group. Judy focuses the session around the client’s goals, and conscious and unconscious patterns. Distorted patterns of thoughts, beliefs, and unresolved issues create dysfunction, distort authenticity, and bring chaos.

The client will outline pertinent background, the reason they are seeking counselling and counselling goals they wish to achieve during the initial intake session. Judy will work with you to assess where you are at and to develop a treatment plan. The treatment plan is determined based on your goals. The counselling plan is “in your hands”, meaning you will determine how often you come, and at what rate you wish to work through your issues. Homework and readings are assigned to assist you in moving forward. Clients are encouraged to participate in homework assignments in order to build internal awareness and new strategies.

The counselling environment is a small microcosm where you begin to learn new cognitions and behaviors. You are encouraged to gently apply these strategies and integrating your new learnings. Life provides feedback and with this “feedback” your “plan” can be adjusted, successes celebrated, and resources strengthened or added. Check-ins will be conducted to determine where you are at in the process, review and ascertain goal achievement, and make any adjustments to your treatment plan. Judy encourages people to be patient with themselves, as change takes time. Small incremental change is valuable. It gives people the opportunity to integrate life changes in manageable chunks. When a person becomes vulnerable, in a counselling session, that supports the process of releasing them from their “inner prisons”.

“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”

-Brene Brown

Judy supports the client learns to develop as much internal awareness and strength as possible. Developing awareness of where the issue came from may help, but building awareness and strategies of how one is supporting the dysfunctional pattern/s is essential. The counsellor assists the individual to move through processes to help resolve painful experiences, incorporate lessons, build awareness and develop more effective life strategies. Each person is encouraged to embrace their inner shadows and parts of themselves they have isolated and judged. Patterns develop out of the need to cope and dysfunctional patterns are developed, at first, as the only solution available. As one matures, if these patterns are not adjusted. they become more limiting. Something developed as an 8-year-old, in response to a life stressor, is often not useful as an adult. It is often helpful, at first, for people to have the support of a non-judgmental counsellor to “walk alongside them,” “witness” their path, in order for the client to feel heard and begin the healing journey. This assists in helping the client to build their own internal strength. Counselling sessions provide that support and decrease as the client requires.

There is no right frequency for sessions. Some people find that every other week, for a while, is helpful. They then reduce that frequency until they achieve their counselling goals. Some people start with once every three or four weeks. Some clients continue to check in every few months once they have achieved their initial counselling goals.

Informed Consent

Informed consent and the parameters of counselling are covered in the first session. The client has the right to confidentiality, that means the session is confidential and nothing about the session is disclosed to anyone, unless the client gives approval. The client’s records are kept confidential and protected. The client is asked to be responsible for completing homework; come prepared to sessions, with goals or issues they wish to work on; advise at least 24-hours prior to their session if they are unable to attend; pay at their session, unless they are covered by an insurance company that Judy direct bills; and be respectful. Session length is 50 minutes, which includes payment and booking of any additional sessions. Clients are respectfully asked to maintain the 50-minute protocol so that the next clients are able to attend their sessions on time. 10 minutes are utilized to complete client notes, disinfect the office, and give a small break between clients. Fees are $160 per session. If during the session the client states that they may harm themselves or others; ethical guidelines must be followed. Self-harm is assessed and best protocol is determined. If a child reports harm, in any way, that must be reported. Children and adolescents must have approval of both parents to attend sessions; that must be provided in writing. That approval is valid for 6 months. If the client wants information about their progress, sessions, or assessment provided to i.e., physician/s, schools, then written permission to exchange information must be obtained. Clients have the right to cease counselling when they chose.

Judy treats client with respect and dignity. Judy stays impartial, and non-judgmental, especially when working with couples, however she will confront issues as they arise. Judy cannot guarantee your anonymity, meaning someone in close proximity of the office may recognize you, however again guarantees your confidentiality. Music plays in the waiting room to support client confidentiality. Judy utilizes evidenced-based treatments. Judy reviews treatment plans and goals regularly.

Areas of Specialties

Judy competencies are authorized by the Saskatchewan College of Psychology: assessment; clinical, counselling, and development psychology; equine assisted learning; clinical hypnosis; NLP training; and mediation services. Judy works with the following mental disorders (depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, Bi-polar, Obsessive Compulsive disorder, abuse, trauma, Borderline Personality Disorder; Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder; codependency; suicide intervention; workplace issues; body image; stress; family of origin issues; family counselling ;relationship counselling; childhood issues; self-esteem; life-transitions; conflict; anger management, and grief/loss, bereavement issues).

Assessment: Judy is qualified to diagnose various mental health disorders. An umbrella approach or one that gathers information on all possible diagnoses and then narrows the diagnoses is utilized. Call for discussion on whether a diagnosis is appropriate and for fees.

Populations: Judy works with children -age 5 and older, adolescents, individuals, couples, families, and groups. She works with LGBTQ2S and Indigenous populations.

Methodologies utilized: Judy utilizes evidenced based therapies: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Clinical Hypnosis, Solution Focused therapy, Reality Therapy, Eye-Movement Integration Therapy, Clinical Hypnosis, Gottman marriage counselling, Satir family counselling, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and equine-assisted therapy (leadership and self-development).

Pricing

Counselling delivery methods: in person, facemask required; zoom or phone.

Fees: ( Canadian)

Psychological Counselling Individual $180/50minutes

Couples $200/50 minutes

Group counselling: 3 -6 individuals; $300-500/50-minute session

Mediation services: $300/50 minute in person or zoom session ($200/ hour for document gathering/preparation)

Training services: contact for program design and fees

Office Hours:

Tuesdays; 11AM - 8PM

Wednesdays and Thursdays: 9AM - 12noon and 1PM - 8PM.

Fridays ( fall, winter and spring) every second Friday morning: 8AM - 1PM.

Insurance Programs

Indigenous peoples wanting to participate in either of these programs are required to come in for an initial session, forms are completed and then sent away for approval. Two hours are granted for assessment before approval is received. Once approval is received then further sessions may be booked. The program is direct billed.

Judy works with Lumina Health, Sunlife Insurance, and accepts referrals from Sunlife for clients who are insured through Sunlife. Judy can also work with Canada Life, Great West Life or any other program that requires their clients to work with a registered psychologist. The client pays Judy and is provided with a receipt that provides information on session time, length, client name, and Judy’s registration number.

Judy is registered with the Script (Non-Insured Health Benefit program for Indigenous populations) and Non-Insured Health Benefits (program for ancestors of Murdered and Missing Women, Indian day school and Indian residential schools).