Online Counselling in BC and Across Canada
You don’t have to keep carrying this alone. Professional counselling on Wale Road, in the heart of Colwood.
Virtual Sessions | Serving Greater Victoria & Online Across BC
50-minute session with Sean Lewis | $150, health insurance accepted
You don’t have to live near Colwood to work with me
Virtual therapy isn’t a workaround. For many people, it’s the better option.
I work with clients across British Columbia and in provinces across Canada where CCC counsellors can practise. Some live in communities with few local therapists. Some live in cities with plenty of therapists but haven’t found the right fit. Some chose virtual because it’s more convenient, more private, or because their schedule doesn’t bend around a commute and a waiting room.
Virtual sessions work particularly well for:
- People in smaller or rural communities where local mental health options are limited; Sooke, Metchosin, the Gulf Islands, northern Vancouver Island, or anywhere in BC where the nearest therapist is a long drive away
- Military families who may be posted to remote locations, transitioning between bases, or needing consistent access to their counsellor regardless of geography
- Shift workers and trades professionals whose schedules make fixed daytime appointments impractical; virtual sessions can happen from your living room after the kids are in bed
- Parents who can’t easily arrange childcare for a weekly in-person appointment
- People who value privacy and prefer not to be seen walking into a therapy office or sitting in a waiting room
What a virtual session actually looks like
If you’ve never done virtual therapy, you might be imagining something awkward or impersonal. It isn’t. Here’s what it actually looks like.
Before the session You book online the same way as an in-person appointment. We handle the necessary paperwork electronically ahead of time, so there’s nothing to fill out when the session starts.
During the session We meet on a secure, PIPEDA-compliant video platform. The session is 50 minutes, same as in-person. We talk the same way we would if you were sitting across from me. There’s no script, no slide deck, no structured worksheet to get through. It’s a real conversation about what’s going on in your life.
Most clients sit somewhere private at home; a bedroom with the door closed, a home office, the couch after the house quiets down. Some clients connect from their car on a lunch break. What matters is that you have enough privacy to speak freely.
After the session You close the laptop and you’re already home. No drive, no transition, no lost evening. Some clients find that the immediacy of being in their own space actually helps them process more naturally.
What you need: A private space where you won’t be interrupted, a device with a camera and microphone (phone, tablet, or laptop), and a stable internet connection. That’s it. No special software to install.
If the connection drops: I will call the phone number on your file and we keep going. Your session won’t be cut short or lost.
The research on virtual counselling
This is the question most people ask, and the answer is clearer than you might expect.
The research consistently shows that virtual therapy produces comparable outcomes to in-person therapy for anxiety, depression, grief, stress, and most other common concerns, including trauma when delivered through appropriate therapeutic approaches. The therapeutic relationship, which is the single most important predictor of therapy outcomes across all modalities, develops effectively through video.
This isn’t a compromise. It’s a format that works.
Some people actually report being more open in virtual sessions. Being in your own space, in your own clothes, without the formality of an office environment, can lower the barrier to honesty. You’re not performing “being a therapy client.” You’re just talking.
Virtual therapy has been widely adopted across Canada since the pandemic, and the evidence base has only strengthened. The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and provincial regulatory bodies support virtual delivery as a legitimate and effective modality for most therapeutic concerns.
When you need more than a weekly session
Virtual counselling is effective for ongoing therapeutic work, but it isn’t a substitute for crisis services. If you’re thinking about suicide, experiencing thoughts of ending your life, or in immediate danger, please reach out to one of these resources:
9-8-8 — Canada’s Suicide Crisis Helpline (call or text, 24/7)
Your nearest emergency department
911
These services provide immediate, in-person support that virtual counselling can’t replace. There is no shame in using them.
What I help with online
Everything I offer in person, I offer virtually. The format changes; the depth of the work doesn’t. Here are some of the concerns I work with most often.
Relationships & Connection
Examine patterns beneath the surface, build healthier connection skills.
Spiritual & Existential Exploration
Explore meaning and purpose with psychological and theological depth.
About Sean Lewis
My path to counselling wasn’t a straight line, and that’s the point.
I served in the Canadian Armed Forces infantry. I owned and operated a plumbing business. I spent a decade in pastoral ministry, including six years leading The Mustard Seed Street Church in Victoria, working alongside people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and crisis.
Those years taught me something that graduate school alone couldn’t; how to sit with people in hard places without flinching, without rushing to fix, and without pretending to have answers I don’t have.
I hold a Master of Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and a Master of Divinity from Carey College. My primary therapeutic approaches include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based interventions, narrative therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, family systems, and pastoral counselling.
I provide both secular, evidence-based therapy and, for those who want it, faith-informed pastoral counselling. You guide the framework; I bring the training and the experience.
My office is right here on Wale Road in Colwood. This is my community.
The Science of Healing. The Art of Care.
Getting started takes five minutes
Book online
Choose a time that works for you through our online booking system. No referral needed, no phone tag. If you’d prefer to ask questions first, book a free 15-minute consultation.
Your first session
We handle the essentials easily online beforehand, so your first session is just a real conversation. We’ll talk about what brought you here and what matters most to you right now.
Ongoing support
We work at your pace, on your terms. Some people come weekly, some every two weeks. There’s no minimum commitment and no pressure to keep coming longer than you need to.
Where I serve
British Columbia (all regions) I’m based in Colwood on southern Vancouver Island and serve clients virtually throughout British Columbia. Whether you’re in Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Prince George, or a community with no therapist for 100 kilometres, you can access the same quality of care.
In-person sessions Available at my Colwood office (132-328 Wale Road, Colwood, BC) for clients in the Greater Victoria area. Free parking, Blink RapidBus at the door. See the Colwood page for full details →
Across Canada The Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) designation is a national certification. I am available to clients in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the territories, where counselling is currently unregulated and CCC counsellors can practise freely.
If you live in a province with a regulated college governing counsellors or psychotherapists (including Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI), provincial regulations currently prevent me from providing therapy to residents of those provinces. If you’re in one of these provinces and need support, I’m happy to help you find a referral in your area.
Local pages
Fees and insurance
$150 per 50-minute session. Same fee for virtual and in-person. No referral required.
Most extended health benefit plans cover sessions with a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC). Common insurers that recognize CCC counsellors include Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life, Canada Life, Green Shield, Manulife, Equitable Life, Industrial Alliance, Medavie Blue Cross, and Desjardins. Coverage depends on your specific plan.
How to check: Call your insurer and ask: “Does my plan cover sessions with a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC)?”
How billing works: You pay at the time of the session. Introspectus Counselling provides an itemized receipt with the counsellor’s name, credential (CCC #11252849), registration number, date, session length, and fee. You submit that receipt to your insurer through their app or portal. Reimbursement typically takes 2–10 business days.
Tax deductible: Counselling fees are deductible as a medical expense on your Canadian income taxes.
Veterans Affairs Canada: We are currently in the process of becoming a registered VAC provider through Medavie Blue Cross. In the meantime, sessions may be covered through your existing extended health benefits.
Questions about online counselling
Is virtual counselling as effective as in-person?
The research consistently shows comparable outcomes for anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and most other concerns. The therapeutic relationship, which matters most for outcomes, develops effectively through video. Many clients report being more open in their own space.
What if my internet connection drops?
I will call the phone number on your file and we keep going. Your session won’t be cut short or lost. This happens occasionally; it’s nothing to worry about.
Can I do virtual sessions from my phone?
Yes. Phone, tablet, or laptop all work. The camera and microphone on any modern device are more than sufficient.
I live in a small house and I’m worried about privacy.
Many clients use a bedroom with the door closed, a parked car, or a quiet corner with headphones. Even partial privacy is usually enough. We can talk about creative solutions in the consultation.
Can I switch between virtual and in-person?
Absolutely. Many clients mix both depending on their week. Virtual when it’s convenient, in-person at the Colwood office when they want to be in the room. There’s no commitment to one format; you choose each time you book.
I’m not in BC. Can I still see you?
I can work with clients in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the territories. If you’re in a province with a regulated college (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI), provincial regulations currently prevent me from seeing you, but I’m happy to help you find a referral.
Do I need a referral?
No. Book directly online.
Is this faith-based counselling?
Not by default. I provide secular, evidence-based therapy. For clients who want to bring questions of faith, meaning, or spirituality into our work, I also bring pastoral training and a decade of ministry experience. You choose the direction.
How do I know if virtual therapy is right for me?
Book a free 15-minute consultation. We’ll talk briefly about what you’re looking for and whether virtual sessions feel like a good fit. If they don’t, I’m happy to suggest alternatives.
Is it weird?
For about the first five minutes. Then it’s just a conversation. Most clients who were skeptical about virtual sessions say they forgot about the screen within the first session.
Wherever you are, the first step is the same
You don’t need to be in a specific city to get support. You don’t need to wait until things get worse. You don’t need to find parking.
Book a virtual session, or start with a free 15-minute consultation if you’d like to talk first.
We also serve
Langford 5-15 minutes from our Colwood office on local roads. No Highway 1.
Sooke Virtual counselling for Sooke residents. No 40-minute drive required.
Westshore Serving the entire West Shore; Colwood, Langford, Metchosin, Highlands, and beyond.
Victoria An alternative to the downtown therapy scene. In person or virtual.
Online across BC and Canada Virtual therapy wherever you are.
