Sandra Yasin, Counsellor, Psychologist, Therapist, Counselling Services, Fraserview, Vancouver, BC, Canada

604-321-9823

sandrayasin@shaw.ca

			Welcome! This is the Psychological Counselling and Consulting website for Sandra Yasin, M.A., R.Psych.

	FAQ: 1. What is your approach to counselling? 2. How long will counselling last? 3. What are the fees? 4. Do I need a referral? 5. How do I make an appointment?		Lifestyle issues self-esteem, interpersonal communication, assertiveness training stress management/relaxation training, anger/conflict management depression, anxiety, grief and loss, post-traumatic stress individual and marital/relationship concerns alcohol and other drug dependency addictions life transitions Workplace issues employee assistance counselling conflict management employee supervision critical incident stress management harassment
	For further information, I encourage you to call me at 604-321-9823 or e-mail me at sandrayasin@shaw.ca


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	I am a Registered Psychologist (B.C. #544) and a member of the Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (CRHSPP #2615) practicing for over 25 years, providing counselling services in the following settings: private practice, college and university counselling centers, government addictions agencies, and employee/family assistance programs. As well, I have provided consultation and training to government and industry on the issues of: personal and sexual harassment, trauma in the workplace, conflict management, employee and supervisor relationships, and workplace ethics. I have also worked as a mediator to individuals in conflict. In addition, I have taught college courses in counselling and supervised university counselling students.

			1. What is your approach to counselling?

	back to the top		My approach is based upon “person-centered” counselling developed by Carl Rogers, where the focus is upon helping clients to become more of the person they want to be (to self-actualize). You are offered a relationship in which I strive to understand your feelings, thoughts, problems and desires as well as to understand how you see yourself and others. My goal is to help you clarify whatever it is that brought you to counselling, so that you might resolve the issues and achieve fuller self knowledge and awareness. I place myself more in the role of partner in this process rather than traditional expert who analyzes you and prescribes a solution. I will not try to change you, will support your decisions, and will respect your values. It will be up to you to bring to our sessions whatever you want to work on. Further, you will choose how often we meet as well as when you would like to stop coming. I believe that certain conditions must be present in the counselling process, the most important of which are acceptance, respect, trust and genuineness. My commitment is to provide these. Helping to develop or enhance peoples’ interpersonal skills, their ability to make sound decisions, communicate more effectively and make appropriate changes is my function. By overcoming obstacles to their growth, people develop or strengthen their own personal resources to optimally address whatever concerns they may encounter.

			2. How long will counselling last?

	back to the top		How long a client will continue with counselling is dependent upon many factors. A typical session lasts one hour, and occurs once per week. Initially, 4 to 6 weekly sessions would be ideal, in order for the relationship and momentum to develop. However, this is not an absolute requirement, since it is the clients who set the pace, based upon their individual needs and schedules. Some prefer to attend once, some every other week and some less frequently. People can arrange either a time-limited (a preset number of session) or open-ended plan for counselling.

			3. What are the fees?

	back to the top		The fees are negotiated on an individual basis, but generally follow the guidelines set by the British Columbia Psychological Association. In Canada, fees are not covered by provincial Medical Services Plans; however, payments to a Psychologist are income tax deductible as a “medical expense”. If someone has third-party insurance, for example, from the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) or Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC), or is covered through a union or employer’s extended health plan, or has access to a company employee assistance plan, the fee for psychological counselling may be refundable.

			4. Do I need a referral?

	back to the top		People may refer themselves or be informally referred by others. A formal referral is not required in order to see a private practice Psychologist. However, those who intend to make a claim with an extended health plan are encouraged to check with their insurance company to determine if a physician’s referral slip is required for the claim.

			5. How do I make an appointment?

	back to the top		Anyone interested in making an appointment is invited to call me directly, though some prefer to begin the process by making e-mail contact first. Appointments are typically set for weekdays, and occasionally evening and weekend appointments can be arranged.