Counselling Services

Thriving Roots Counselling Services provides counselling sessions for youth, families and adults to explore and expand their relationship to the natural world within a therapeutic environment. We have seen that strengthening our connection to nature helps support clients in many ways. Through evidence-based practices, counsellors provide support for folks who are looking for an alternative approach to office-based services.

We have long been asked if we could provide Counselling Services for families and youth. We’re excited to now be offering a full range of services and will be expanding our team of nature-based counsellors as we grow.

Why Nature Based Counselling?

Counsellors follow their clients’ curiosities and needs while finding effective approaches to building skills and supporting clients to explore their strengths and challenges in a compassionate and engaging way. 

Nature-based counselling is an experiential form of therapy because we are engaging with the natural world to help us grow. We believe people are connected to and deeply impacted by their natural environment. We often use therapeutic games, reflection questions, sensory experiences, mindfulness practices, and regulation/restorative activities to help clients meet their needs and overcome challenges.

Nature-based counselling has therapeutic benefits for children & adults:

  • Promotes healthy development in a stimulating learning environment (Louv, 2005; Selhub & Logan, 2012).

  • Encourages appropriate risk taking to build resiliency and develop self/co-regulation skills (Gill, 2010).

  • Nurtures a deep connection to the natural world, self & others while fostering an understanding of ecological belonging (Chawla, 2007; O’Brien, 2009).

Who is it for?

Thriving Roots Counselling Services are for youth (6+), teens, adults, couples, and families who enjoy, or who are curious about a nature-based, therapeutic approach. We often include parents in the counselling sessions, especially with younger kids. Many folks seek out our nature-based services because they because they feel more comfortable outside or have exhausted the indoor, office setting approach. 

Other options for counselling services include: indoor office based or online sessions either to build confidence and rapport before taking the sessions outdoors, in the case of inclement weather or for people who prefer the indoor or online setting.

Our Counsellors:

  • Cilla Holmes, RTC, EXA

    Cilla is the Counselling Services Coordinator, a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor, and a Certified Expressive Arts Therapist who works in the intersection of nature-based and arts-based therapies.

    Cilla is delighted to offer her services with Thriving Roots Counselling Services, to both adults and youth, on Mondays outdoors and Thursdays online. Please enquire about other booking times.

    Read bio + book a consultation

  • Stevie Chernish, M.A, RCC

    Stevie (she/her) is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) who offers an inclusive and welcoming space to her clients. She has over a decade of trauma-informed experience supporting adults, families, and children.

    Stevie is delighted to offer her services with Thriving Roots Counselling Services, to both youth and adults, on Mondays outdoors and Tuesdays online.

    Read bio + book a consultation

  • Megan Buchkowski, RCC

    Megan (she/her) is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) who would be honoured to spend time with you. She has experience working with children, youth, and adults from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences who express difficulties around anxiety, depression, social relationships, eating disorders and body image.

    Megan is offering sessions on Saturdays at Beaver Lake.

    Read bio + Book a consultation

  • Registered Therapeutic Counsellors are trained mental health professionals registered with the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT) and are regulated by the ACCT Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.  As specialists and integrative therapists, RTCs are dedicated to providing the highest standard of competent professional counselling services in a variety of evidence-based and holistic therapeutic modalities, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, somatic therapy, nature-based therapy, and expressive arts therapy.Insurance coverage for Registered Therapeutic Counsellors (RTCs) varies by insurance provider and plan, and may include Green Shield of Canada, Sun Life, Pacific Blue Cross, Victor Insurance, Ai Financial Group, Claims Secure, and Equitable Life of Canada.  Extended Health Benefits Plans or HSA may also cover services with RTC providers.If you choose an RTC counsellor that your insurance company does NOT initially cover, you may be able to directly request coverage from your insurance company.  The Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT) provides letter templates (LINK to this: https://acctcounsellor.com/Insurance_Reimbursement) that clients and counsellors can use to support the company to extend coverage for a particular RTC provider of your choice.

  • 'Wellness in the Wild' Workshop Participant

    "As an older, urban-based person who lost touch with the ways of forest and stream many years ago, I had wondered: Could I find my way back to the soothing arms of Mother Earth? If so, how? Were such child-like yearnings even something that I could talk about in front of others without blushing? The answer was “Yes!", and you lead the way, so deftly and gently.

    I was so satisfied with the comfort level and peace that I was able to experience during the few hours that our little group had together, that I felt emboldened to finally enrol in the adult program at Thriving Roots (Wild + Alive). Without having been supported in your workshop, I am sure that I would not have felt confident enough to take this step. Many, many thanks, Vanya."

  • 'Tending the Hearth' Workshop Participant

    "Deeply grateful for this program. As an educator and parent, I've felt an enrichment of my soul and a playfulness emerge in my parenting style. This program has really supported me as I weather the highs and lows of parenting in these wild times. Staying a while to be grounded, to notice, to embrace other's ways of being. To learn from each other has been a gift that I wouldn't have received in any other way in my day-to-day existence. A profound and unique experience, to be inspired for all my days to come!! With deep gratitude to the most thoughtful leaders of this gathering.”

Counselling FAQs

  • Thriving Roots Counselling Services are for youth (6+), teens, adults, couples, and families who enjoy, or who are curious about a nature-based, therapeutic approach. We often include parents in the counselling sessions, especially with younger kids. Many folks seek out our nature-based services because they because they feel more comfortable outside or have exhausted the indoor, office setting approach.

    Other options for counselling services include: indoor office based or online sessions either to build confidence and rapport before taking the sessions outdoors, in the case of inclement weather or for people who prefer the indoor or online setting.

  • Registered Therapeutic Counsellors are trained mental health professionals registered with the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT) and are regulated by the ACCT Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

    As specialists and integrative therapists, RTCs are dedicated to providing the highest standard of competent professional counselling services in a variety of evidence-based and holistic therapeutic modalities, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, solution-focused therapy, somatic therapy, nature-based therapy, and expressive arts therapy.

    Insurance coverage for Registered Therapeutic Counsellors (RTCs) varies by insurance provider and plan, and may include Green Shield of Canada, Sun Life, Pacific Blue Cross, Victor Insurance, Ai Financial Group, Claims Secure, and Equitable Life of Canada.  Extended Health Benefits Plans or HSA may also cover services with RTC providers.

    If you choose an RTC counsellor that your insurance company does NOT initially cover, you may be able to directly request coverage from your insurance company.  The Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT) provides letter templates that clients and counsellors can use to support the company to extend coverage for a particular RTC provider of your choice.

  • 60 mins: $150

    75 mins $180

    90 mins: $210

    Couples 90 mins: $240

    * No GST:  RTC and RCC counselling sessions are billed at the same flat rate at Thriving Roots Counselling Services, without GST.   (RCCs services are exempt from GST as of December 2024, and RTC providers will cover GST fees for sessions until RTC services are also classified as GST exempt).