Members of the Calgary Institute of Counselling team, which provides counselling and assessments from offices in North and South Calgary.
Sessions with psychology interns supervised by a Registered Psychologist give Calgary children, teens and adults a lower-cost way to start counselling.
Reaching out is often the hardest step. We want cost to be one less thing standing in the way, so people can get support when they need it, not months later.”
— Annie Lai, Calgary Institute of Counselling
CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA, November 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As Black Friday opens the holiday spending season, the Calgary Institute of Counselling is drawing attention to a lower-cost way to start counselling: its low-fee program with supervised psychology interns. Low-fee sessions are available to children, teens and adults at the practice's North and South Calgary offices.
Getting started begins with a free 20-minute consultation. New clients can ask about low-fee counselling when they book, and the team matches them with a counselling intern who is completing supervised training hours. Each intern works under the direct clinical supervision of a Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists, who reviews the intern's clinical work and treatment planning.
"Cost is one of the most common reasons people put off counselling, especially when their benefits do not cover it or have already run out," said a spokesperson for the Calgary Institute of Counselling. "Low-fee counselling gives them a way to start now instead of waiting. Every session is with an intern whose work is reviewed by a registered psychologist, so a lower rate does not mean a lower standard of care."
- Annie Lai, Calgary Institute of Counselling
Support Available Through the Low-Fee Program
Interns support clients with concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, grief and loss, self-esteem, life transitions and relationship difficulties. They use evidence-based approaches, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) and Internal Family Systems. Sessions are offered in English, and one intern also offers sessions in Portuguese.
When Benefits Fall Short
Many extended health plans in Alberta cover sessions with a registered psychologist, but coverage varies and is often capped per session and per year. People without benefits, or whose annual limit has run out, often wait until things get harder before they book. No physician referral is needed to start counselling in Calgary, and fees paid to a registered psychologist can be claimed as a medical expense on income taxes.
What Counselling Costs in Calgary
According to the Calgary Institute of Counselling, a standard 50-minute session with a psychologist in Calgary typically costs $200 to $235. The practice follows the fee guidelines of the Psychologists' Association of Alberta and charges $235 per 50-minute session with a psychologist, while group therapy costs $110 per person or $220 per couple. The low-fee intern program offers a reduced rate for clients who need a more affordable option.
Getting Started as a New Client
The practice currently has no waitlist for new clients. If the first session with a psychologist is not the right fit, the practice covers one session with a different specialist. Appointments are available in the evenings and on weekends, in person or by online video. For sessions with a psychologist, the practice direct bills Blue Cross and provides receipts for other insurance plans.
About the Calgary Institute of Counselling
The Calgary Institute of Counselling is a group of Calgary psychologists and therapists with offices in North and South Calgary. Its team of more than 15 psychologists and therapists provides individual, couples, family, child and teen counselling, as well as ADHD, autism and learning assessments. The team uses approaches such as CBT, EMDR, emotion-focused therapy, somatic therapy and Internal Family Systems, and offers services in English, Hindi, Romanian, Punjabi, Filipino, Spanish, Urdu and Farsi. More information is available at https://counsellinginstitute.ca/.
Annie Lai
Calgary Institute of Counselling
+1 587-350-8843
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