Calgary Counselling and Therapy Services
Takeaway: It can be hard to find your way through difficult emotions. Thankfully, working with a therapist in Calgary can help. We believe in supporting you with easily manageable, bite-sized strategies to find your happiness, whether it's therapy for yourself, your teen, your family, or as a couple.
If you've ever tried to find help with mental health, either for yourself or a family member, you are aware of how difficult it can be. When you search for counselling services Calgary or Alberta psychologists, hundreds of results come up, leaving you to wonder, "How will I ever find a good fit or someone who really understands my situation?"
At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates, we're here to help you from the moment you begin counselling until you've reached your goals and your sessions wrap up. We will provide you with the necessary information and options when you are looking for the right fit, an approach that works for you, and goals to work toward, we will walk you through the steps from your first call to your last session.
We believe in helping you in a safe environment with small, easy-to-handle strategies through a collaborative process that builds a strong therapeutic alliance. We will provide you with practical tools, resources, and strategies to help you tackle the sticky and tricky challenges and life transitions that have been tossed your way. With the right client-centered approach, you will see positive shifts and growth.
It is also common for couples and families to have challenges or difficulties, feel disconnected from one another, or have concerns about a loved one's mental wellness. You may feel stuck, lonely, and overwhelmed in your relationships with your loved ones, or you may have concerns about their low mood, fear they are in a dark place, or notice indications of self-harm or suicide ideation.
Counselling services we offer
We are a team of counsellors with extensive experience who provide in-person and virtual calls in Calgary and across Alberta and are ready to support you. At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates, we help a variety of individuals, so let's dive in!
Individual Counselling
We offer one-on-one counselling services in a safe, supportive, caring, and confidential space. The circumstances that may prompt an individual to seek the support offered by therapy are unique. So too is each individual's journey through the process.
There is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to get better and move on. Our team of Calgary counsellors is committed to meeting you where you are and guiding you with kind, thoughtful insight and skill to where you hope to go. The path to healing and wellness may be different for everyone, but there are some common touchstones that you can expect.
Exploring and processing feelings, needs, losses, and traumas, gaining self-awareness and perspectives; Learning new skills—overcoming challenges and moving towards multiple aspects of health and well-being— Areas you may be struggling with may be: anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, trauma, anger issues, dysfunctional relationships, identity issues, life transitions, and more.
Children and teens
Being a teenager is one of the most challenging times in our lives. Emotional and physical changes are constant; friendships often change, and conflicts emerge with parents and siblings. The preteen and adolescent years are a tough time, not only for your teen but also because they can lead to parenting challenges, concerns about mental illness, and behavioural issues.
They go from a pretty normal kid to one who seems moody, withdrawn, and difficult to connect with. When we hear our teens mention anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, or maybe even feeling hopeless about life, this can feel very scary.
While this stage of life is quite nerve-wracking for parents, you need to know that you can help with this difficult transition. As we progress through counselling with your teen, your young person's counsellor will also speak directly with you to ensure you have information and strategies to support your teen at home.
Sports Psychologist
At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates, our Calgary sports psychologist works with issues such as building team dynamics and interpersonal skills, performance anxiety, regaining confidence after an injury, self-esteem, dealing with athletic success or failure, and other problems that can be a barrier for athletes to perform well.
They meet with athletes to talk about concerns and challenging issues, then work with you to provide solutions for both individual and group settings. Areas of focus may include but are not limited to depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, and anxiety.
Men's Issues
There remains a stigma associated with men seeking counselling services; our Calgary counselling centre offers virtual calls to make connecting with our team as simple as possible.
Everyone experiences times when they feel life is out of control. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, therapy can help you address difficulties with relating to others, insecurity in relationships, or difficulty trusting your partner. Similarly, it can help you develop better, more rewarding relationships with other important people in your life, such as loved ones, friends, or work colleagues.
Couples
When you chose to make a commitment to your significant other, you likely knew that the road ahead would not always be smooth. But maybe you didn't plan for this situation and the problems you and your partner are going through.
Couples can face challenges ranging from the niggling irritations of sharing your space and life, navigating parenthood, and living with another to some very serious issues that can threaten the future of your marriage. We are here to support couples to improve communication, build trust, spark intimacy, and strengthen bonds. resolve conflict, and improve your connection.
Family
We will encourage families to openly share their thoughts, feelings, needs, and experiences. Families are complex: a group of people with individual relationships, interdependent routines, differing perspectives on a particular situation and opinions, and sometimes even opposing goals. This can make navigating life at home difficult.
Some families are just beginning to feel the effects of unresolved conflict. Some families have reached a crisis point and want to create changes by challenging longstanding patterns and dynamics. But for any family, in any state of hurt or struggle, family counselling can help improve communication, resolve conflict and relationship challenges, and build your strengths to create strong frameworks.
Shelly Qualtieri & Associates is committed to helping you and your loved ones improve communication, foster respect, nurture compassion, and create uplifting relationships and a loving and supportive home.
FAQs about counselling in Calgary
I have seen a counsellor in the past, and I still feel stuck. How will you be different?
How do I know if I have chosen the right counsellor?
How does it work?
How often will we meet?
What should I expect from the therapy process?
How do I know I am making progress?
How many appointments will be required?
I want to get the most out of my counselling; what can I do outside of sessions to help?
Will sessions be covered by insurance? or direct billed?
What if I need or want to consider medication?
Will appointments be confidential?
What is the process of working with a counsellor in Calgary?
Finding Calgary psychologists and counselling services can feel like an overwhelming task, so we want to make this as simple and easy as possible for you. Here is the process for working with us:
Getting started: The first brave step in your counselling journey is reaching out to see if you and a counsellor will be a good fit. We offer a 30-minute free counselling call for you to ask questions, gather information, and assess if we would be a good fit for you. You can book here.
Initial Intake (Forms): We will then schedule your 90-minute initial intake. You will sign up for your confidential Jane app profile to complete the required intake form (consent and general information). You will also find all of your invoices and intake form here.
Your initial intake will focus on what brought you to counselling. We will talk about your strengths and challenges, set goals, and learn more about you to move your journey forward. This is also when we will develop your individual treatment plan, which will be tailored to your unique needs and goals. As we get closer to reaching your goals, we will discuss wrapping up treatment and what is next.
50- and 90-minute counselling sessions: A typical session is 50 minutes, depending on the presenting issues. When we book for a couple or family, you will book for 90-minutes. The length and frequency will be collaboratively determined with your counsellor.
Location
We are a Calgary counselling centre located in the northwest quadrant of the city. However, you do not have to be in Calgary to use our counsellors' services. We want to make it as easy as possible for new clients to access counselling sessions while also giving our existing clients flexibility. We provide counselling and therapy services online, via phone, and in person. Our office in Calgary is located at 4503 Brisbois Drive NW, 3rd floor, Calgary, Alberta.
Online and phone counselling
Our online counselling sessions are a simple and private way for clients to get the help they need but are not able to attend in-person counselling or would rather stay at home. Online counselling and telehealth combine the effectiveness of face-to-face counselling with the anonymity you may desire and the flexibility of being located anywhere across Alberta.
We are currently accepting new clients.
When you’re ready, please contact us for a free 30-minute phone consultation, or you can book an appointment to get started here. For any questions you have, you can reach us at 587.229.8529 or message us here.
Our Calgary counsellors do not provide short term crisis counselling. If you are in need of immediate support, you can contact the distress centre, Healthlink, or 911.
Do I need a Calgary psychologist or another type of mental health professional?
No matter the professional designation you choose, the most important part of choosing a counsellor is finding someone with whom you feel safe and who is able to develop a positive and trusting connection where you feel you can open up, share openly, and be vulnerable.
Counsellors are often trained in a variety of modalities and evidence-based theories and may offer psychotherapy (talking), cognitive therapy (thinking), or behaviour modification strategies designed to relieve symptoms of mental illness and help improve your mental wellness.
When trying to identify which professional to choose, you can start by looking at their website, reading blogs they have written, listening to their podcast, following them on social media, or booking a free introductory call with them.
Registered Social Worker
Social workers are trained, supervised, and have a lot of experience in helping people with a wide range of mental health and relationship problems. Social workers who are providing Calgary counselling services, are regulated in Alberta under the Health Professions Act (HPA). Registration is mandatory for all persons with a recognized credential who practice within this scope. In Alberta, registered social workers who provide counselling services will identify themselves by placing "Registered Social Worker", "RSW," or "MSW" after their name.
Registered Psychologist
Psychologists in Alberta and Calgary have a great deal of training, supervision, and extensive experience, when it comes to diagnosing and treating a wide range of mental health and marital issues. In Alberta, they will put "Registered Psychologist" or "R. Psych." after their names to let people know who they are.
Registered Provisional Psychologist
A registered provisional psychologist is a therapist who has a Master's degree in psychology or a related field and is working to become a full registered psychologist. They must have completed a supervised practicum placement of up to 2,500 hours of counselling to obtain their graduate degree.
Do I need cognitive-behavioral therapy or a different kind of treatment?
The truth is, there are a variety of evidence-based treatments available, which is why we offer a number of modalities for our clients. We will explore these below:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: CBT is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy. Cognitive-behavioural therapy is based on three simple but powerful concepts: how people think affects how they feel and behave; thoughts determine feelings and behaviours; and feelings influence thoughts. Cognitive-behavioural therapy works by providing individuals with the tools they need to identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts and beliefs known as cognitive distortions.
DBT: Dialectical behaviour therapy is an evidence-based psychotherapy that is effective in treating personality disorders and interpersonal conflicts. There is evidence that DBT can help treat mood disorders and change long-term patterns of behaviour.
EMDR: or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, has been designed to ease the pain that comes from remembering a traumatic event. EMDR is a psychotherapy that has been shown to help with a wide range of trauma and stress-related symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other conditions.
Narrative Therapy: Narrative therapy is a form of psychotherapy that seeks to help individuals identify their values and the supports associated with them. It teaches people how to live by these values and provides them with experience so they can deal with problems now and in the future.
Somatic Therapy: Is aimed at treating trauma and stress-related disorders such as PTSD through bottom-up processing, SE's main objective is to alter the trauma-induced stress response so the clients’ attention is directed toward internal sensations, rather than cognitive or emotional experiences.
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy: is a type of psychotherapy that uses cognitive-behavioral techniques along with mindfulness practices and psychological strategies. Recently, scientists and doctors in the West have become very interested in MBCT and have begun to recognize its benefits.
What are the benefits of working with a therapist in Calgary?
If you find yourself or a loved one experiencing sleepless nights, anxiety and worry, sadness or anger, or feeling like your relationships with yourself and others are slipping away from you, our counselling services in Calgary can help.
Working with a therapist or registered psychologist has the following advantages:
Learn to manage your emotions.
You will learn what your emotions are telling you and develop valuable emotional regulation strategies to help you manage feelings of anger, sadness, fear, anxiety, and many others.
Feel supported through tough times.
It is during the hardest times that we often do not want to be in the company of others; we want to isolate and don't want to burden others. We are here to help. Let our team of counsellors be there for you or your children during your difficult times.
Take the first steps toward becoming motivated.
Get useful tips and tools to help you feel in control, stay focused, get organized, be productive, and stay motivated.
Fall in love with yourself.
Take the necessary steps to really care for yourself. It's time to understand the root of your challenges, allow yourself the time to process, grow, heal, build confidence, develop resilience, find your happiness, and decide on the best solutions for you.
Ready to work on your relationship?
Work with your partner to strengthen your connection by building trust, communication, and intimacy.
Connect with your children and teens.
Finding the right help for your children and teens when they are having a hard time and struggling will help to strengthen your partnership with them by helping them deal with changes in their lives, improving your communication, and building your connection.
We are all unique individuals, and part of being a human is unfortunatey that we all go through hard times and difficult personal experiences. Our Calgary therapy team is here for you.
We offer a complimentary 30-minute call for you to explore if the counselling services we provide are the right fit for you.
Calgary therapy can help you build a happy, hopeful life
Our aim at Shelly Qualtieri & Associates is for each individual we support to feel a little lighter after each counselling session, more empowered, have a greater understanding of the root of the problem, and be a little more in control of their life than when they walked in the door.
With an understanding of the root cause of the sticky and tricky problems you are facing, we will provide you with practical tools and strategies to implement in your life.
Our team of registered psychologists and social workers believes in helping you in a safe space through a collaborative process. With the right approach and easily manageable, bite-sized strategies, you will see and feel positive changes and see personal growth.
Connect for your initial 30-minute complimentary consultation appointment.
