How to Explore Your Counselling Benefits Before the Year Ends
As the year begins to wind down, calendars often fill with commitments, celebrations and things we’ve been meaning to get around to. Taking care of ourselves can easily slip to the bottom of that list.
If you have extended health benefits, you may have counselling coverage available that could help you access support.
Many plans renew in January, and unused coverage may not carry forward. Checking your benefits now can give you time to understand your options and plan appointments at a pace that works for you.
At New Ground Wellness, we can help you find a counsellor who feels like a good fit—and we offer direct billing for eligible plans and clinicians.
How do I find out what’s covered?
Start by signing into your insurance provider’s app or online member portal. Look for your benefits booklet or coverage summary, then check under counselling, psychotherapy, social work or psychological services.
The wording varies between plans, so it’s worth checking which professional designations are covered rather than relying on the category name alone.
If anything is unclear, contact your insurer or workplace benefits administrator. Here are some useful questions to ask:
Which professionals does my plan cover? Ask specifically about Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs), Registered Social Workers (RSWs) or Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCCs), depending on the clinician you’re considering.
How much coverage do I have remaining? Check whether counselling shares an annual limit with other services.
How much will my plan reimburse per appointment? Some plans cover a percentage of the fee or have a maximum amount per session.
When does my coverage renew? Not every plan follows the calendar year.
Do I need a referral or pre-approval?
Does my plan allow direct billing?
It’s also helpful to confirm claim submission deadlines and whether the appointment must take place before your renewal date to count toward your current benefits.
We offer direct billing
At New Ground Wellness, we offer direct billing for eligible extended health plans and clinicians. This means we can submit a claim on your behalf, helping make the payment process simpler.
Direct billing depends on your individual plan, insurer and chosen clinician. Any portion your insurer does not cover remains your responsibility.
If direct billing isn’t available, you may still be able to submit your receipt for reimbursement, provided your plan covers the service and clinician. Our team can help clarify our billing process before your appointment.
What could counselling support look like?
Counselling can offer space to understand patterns, navigate relationships, process a difficult experience or develop practical tools for everyday life.
It can also be a place to pause, reflect and explore what you want to move toward.
There’s no need to have everything figured out before reaching out. We can help you find a clinician whose approach fits your needs, preferences and coverage.
If you have benefits remaining, you and your counsellor can discuss a manageable plan for using them. The frequency of appointments should reflect what is helpful for you, alongside your budget and availability.
Don’t have benefits? There are other options.
Not having extended health coverage doesn’t mean there are no pathways to support.
New Ground Wellness works with several funding programs that may help eligible clients access counselling, including FNHA, the Crime Victim Assistance Program, Métis Nation BC, certain WorkBC programs and other funding partners.
Each program has its own eligibility criteria and approval process. Our team can help point you toward options to explore.
We also offer a low-cost counselling program with student intern counsellors who are completing their master’s training and receive regular clinical supervision. In-person and virtual options are available, subject to availability.
If cost is a barrier, please reach out. We’re happy to talk through the options with you.
A small first step
Checking your coverage can take just a few minutes—and help make the next step clearer.
Whether you’re beginning counselling, returning after some time away or exploring support for a family member, we’re here to help you find your starting point.
Explore our team, funding options and low-cost counselling program at newgroundwellness.ca.
→ Book a free 15-minute new-client consultation
→ Get matched with a counsellor
Coverage, direct billing and funding eligibility vary. Please confirm your individual plan details with your insurer and check clinician eligibility before booking.
