Accessible Counselling for Children, Youth, and Young Adults at HEC

At Healthy Essentials Clinic (HEC), we know that finding timely, affordable counselling support for children and youth can be a challenge. That’s why we’re proud to offer low-barrier, funded counselling sessions for children, youth, and young adults ages 13–27. Our goal is to make mental health support more accessible to families in our community, without the stress of long waitlists or overwhelming costs.

How It Works

We currently have  practicum students offering counselling at reduced rates, supervised by two accredited clinical supervisors. This allows clients to:

✅ Access sessions using extended benefits (billed directly at a reduced student rate of $100/hour)
✅ Receive funded counselling if  do not have coverage or meet financial need criteria
✅ Connect quickly with compassionate, qualified student counsellors offering both in-person and virtual sessions

Eligibility for Funded Counselling

Counselling is available for youth and young adults who:

• Are between 13 and 27 years old
• Are experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns
• Have a financial need and do not have extended health coverage
• Are referred by a case worker using our online referral form

Referrals are triaged and managed to ensure timely access to care for those who will benefit most. Clients referred under this program will receive three initial counselling sessions, with ongoing sessions determined collaboratively between the client, student counsellor, and supervisor.

When to Consider Referring

If you know a child, youth, or young adult who is:

🔹 Struggling with emotional regulation, anxiety, stress, or life transitions
🔹 Facing barriers to accessing traditional mental health support
🔹 In need of compassionate, short-term counselling support

They may be a great fit for this program. Case workers can refer directly via the HEC referral form here. For those who are able to pay, families are also welcome to self-refer through our contact page.

Let’s Make Mental Health Support More Accessible

We’re so grateful for the opportunity to support our community through this program and reduce the barriers to youth mental health care. If you’re a care provider, case worker, or someone who knows a youth in need of support, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Together, we can ensure more young people get the help they need—when they need it.
💚 Have questions? Give us a call at 250-766-3433 or email us at admin@healthyessentialsclinic.com.