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What is covered?
Starting on January 1, 2023, if you are a teacher with the BCTF union, you can claim your insurance plan for any sessions with our Registered Clinical Counsellors or Registered Social Workers. The limit for your counselling services will be increased up to $1200 on January 1, 2023. There will also be an ongoing increase to your health and dental benefits plan coming on July 1, 2023, and even more on July 1, 2024. Contact us for more details and subscribe to our newsletter to see any future updates.
Why might teachers need Counselling?
Did you know that four in five teachers reported their mental health getting worse in 2021? In fact, teachers are more likely to suffer from job related stress than any other professionals. Teachers may be exposed to emotionally traumatic information and events through their close contact with students and families. They sometimes experience verbal abuse, threats of violence, and damage to their personal belongings. In addition, teachers often work over 40 hours a week and sometimes even have to bring their work home with them, which means less leisure and family time. The profession itself has become more complex as assessment, learning needs, curriculum, demographics, and much more have changed or have intensified. This intense workload can lead to a poor work-life balance and burning out. One of the most important reasons why teachers leave their professions is because of feeling burned out from the high demand and workload. Teachers may also feel underappreciated and under-compensated for the work they do, as the starting salaries for teachers in BC are generally lower than in most provinces in Canada. These feelings can reduce your life satisfaction, and may promote financial stress or challenges to maintaining your quality of life, especially with inflation and the rising living cost in BC.
All these problems can eventually lead to chronic stress, fear, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Counselling can provide you with practical advice on how to overcome these challenges and stressors so you can continue to thrive in your career. Counselling can teach you skills and strategies to maintain a work-life balance and avoid burning out so you can continue to do what you love. With the help of counselling, you can learn how to cope with your stress and improve your mental health.
How do I know if I need counselling?
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should consider seeking counselling soon:
Changes in your sleeping or eating patterns
Feeling of hopelessness
Decreased mood
Increased anxious behaviours
Lack of interest in activities you used to like
Becoming restless
Easily irritated or agitated
But what if I don't feel any of that?
Counselling can be a great tool for personal growth and strengthening personal relationships! You can use counselling as a tool to explore new goals and personal strengths, increase productivity and life satisfaction, and improve interpersonal relationships to live a happier life.
How to make the most of your benefit plan?
We offer a custom 8 sessions package plan just for you! This discounted package offers 8 sessions with a $10 discount for every 50-minute standard individual session. The 8 sessions package plan is $1,176 after tax, which is claimable to your insurance plan.
How to claim?
After the sessions, you can take the emailed invoice and receipt and directly claim from the insurance company (Pacific Blue Cross) by submitting them through the online portal, mobile app, or by mail to Pacific Blue Cross. Please note that the invoices of sessions are claimable only after the sessions have happened and been paid.
How do I book?
You can contact us at 604-638-3113 to book a free consultation with one of our intake counsellors to learn more or directly book an actual session to start right away. Alternatively, you can also book online according to your and the counsellor's availability.
Meet two of our Anxiety and Stress specialist:
Una Mulhall (B.C. Registered Clinical Counsellor #11793)
Una is a Registered Clinical Counsellor who specializes in anxiety, depression, recovery from mental health and addictions and career planning. She is excellent at helping people rebuild self-esteem and confidence. She can speak English fluently.
Zafreen Idoo (B.C. Registered Social Worker #15614)
Zafreen Idoo is a Registered Social Worker. She enjoys working with children, couples, parents, young adults, and families. She specializes in working with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, PTSD, relationship, and family conflicts. Her goal is to create a safe space for her clients and to support them in problem-solving, creating healthy boundaries, and developing healthy routines and lifestyles.
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