Low cost therapy in Vancouver and across BC
Good therapy should not be a privilege.
Low cost, high quality therapy in a warm, supportive place.
At Mareel, making therapy accessible is not a footnote, it is a core value. We believe that cost should never stand between someone and the support they need, whether that is sex therapy, relationship counselling, or individual counselling for any of the areas we work in.
Private therapy is expensive and we know it. This page is here because we mean it when we say everyone deserves support in finding their light.
Currently accepting sliding scale clients: Andriana, Madeleine, Liz, Nicole and Manjima. Julie, our intern, is now taking clients and offering sessions at a significantly reduced rate.
What low cost therapy actually means at Mareel?
There are three pathways to lower cost therapy at Mareel, each a little different:
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Sliding scale spots are available with several of our Registered Clinical Counsellors. The rate is negotiated directly and privately before your first session, based on what you can realistically afford. No awkward conversations, just an honest one.
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These are therapists who have completed their internship and masters degree and are working toward full registration with the BCACC. They bring the same training, the same values, and the same approach as our registered team, at a significantly reduced rate while their registration is finalized.
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Our interns offer very low cost and even free sessions. They are closely supervised by experienced, skilled therapists at Mareel and arrive with real counselling experience already behind them. Julie, our newest intern, is now accepting clients.
Is low cost therapy the same quality?
Yes, and we want to be clear about that.
At Mareel, regardless of rate, every therapist works within the same values and brings the same trauma-informed, sex-positive approach to their work. Sliding scale sessions are with our fully qualified RCCs. Our masters level and intern counsellors are highly trained, actively supervised by Lisa and our senior therapists, and often arrive with fresh, current training in exactly the areas Mareel specializes in.
Everyone working at Mareel is part of the same community of practice, supporting each other, learning from each other, and holding each other to the same standard of care.
A lower cost does not mean a lesser experience.
What about insurance and extended health benefits?
Many people assume they cannot afford therapy without first checking whether their extended health benefits cover it. Before assuming low cost therapy is your only option, it is worth taking five minutes to look at your plan. Sessions with a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Canadian Certified Counsellor, Registered Social Worker, or Psychologist are commonly covered — and that coverage goes unused more often than you would think.
Mareel provides receipts for all sessions that include everything you need to submit a claim to your insurance provider. The process is straightforward and we are happy to help you understand what to include.
We will also be providing CVAP counselling at Mareel, so if you have this coverage please reach out and ask about it.
If you have extended health benefits, please use them. That coverage exists for exactly this reason.
Other low cost therapy options in Vancouver and BC
Our goal is simply to connect you with therapy you can afford, whether that is with us or somewhere else entirely. Getting people the support they need is, for us, a social justice issue and an obligation to our community. If Mareel is not the right fit financially, we genuinely want you to find somewhere that is.
Here are a few organizations offering very low cost or free counselling:
How do you get started with low cost counselling at Mareel?
Reach out through the contact page and let us know you are looking for a low cost option. We will get back to you within two business days with the best fit available. There is no judgment, no awkwardness, and no wrong way to ask. We have got you.
FAQS about low cost therapy in Vancouver and across BC
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Just let us know you need it. We will not check your financial records. We operate on trust. In our experience, our clients will let us know when they need a lower cost, and let us know when they are ready to pay more. This is a conversation to have with your therapist.
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Intern
Doing a supervised internship or practicum as part of their Masters program.
Most course has been completed by the time they start their internship.
Master Level Counsellor
They are finished their internship and their degrees.
They are waiting for their registration to be completed and to get their official RCC number.
RCC
Fully qualified therapists registration.
Often covered by your extended medical plan.
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Our intern Julie is now accepting new clients!
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Yes, not a problem! We encourage to talk to your therapist about this, often they may be able to offer sliding scale.
We also love it when you see more than one of us as we all have different ways of working and that can be beneficial.
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Low cost therapy covers all of the types of therapy you might want or need.
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Masters level counsellors have completed their degree and are waiting for their registration with the BCACC to be finalized. They have the same level of education as our associate RCCs and bring the same values and approach to their work. Please note that sessions with masters level counsellors may not be covered by extended health insurance.
Individual 55 minutes — $110
Individual 80 minutes — $160
Relationship Counselling 55 minutes — $130
Relationship Counselling 80 minutes — $180
Sliding scale is also available at masters level rates and can be discussed during your consultation or at any point after.
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Our interns are nearing completion of their Masters degree and arrive at Mareel with real experience from a range of counselling and mental health settings. They are closely supervised by our senior clinicians as well as their professors, and they work within the same sex-positive, trauma-informed approach that defines this practice.
Individual 55 minutes — $30–50
Individual 80 minutes — $40–60
Relationship Counselling 55 minutes — $35–55
Relationship Counselling 80 minutes — $50–65
We can always negotiate lower rates. We never want finances to be a barrier, if cost is a concern, just ask and we will figure something out together.
You deserve support. Let us figure out the rest together.
If something on this page feels like it could work for you, reach out. If nothing here quite fits, reach out anyway, we may know of something that does. Either way, you will not be met with judgment or awkwardness. Just a real conversation with people who genuinely want you to get support.