Online & Virtual Counselling In New Brunswick
Getting the right support shouldn’t depend on how close you live to a counselling office. Online counselling gives you the opportunity to connect with a therapist from the privacy and convenience of your own space, wherever you are in New Brunswick.
At Rising Tides, our therapists provide secure virtual counselling for adults and youth experiencing concerns such as anxiety, trauma, grief, stress and burnout, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. Online sessions offer the same opportunity to build a relationship with your therapist, explore what you’re experiencing, and work toward meaningful change without the need to travel to an office.
Whether you live in one of New Brunswick’s larger communities, a rural area, have a busy schedule, or simply feel more comfortable meeting from home, virtual counselling can make accessing therapy easier.
Is Online Counselling Right For Me?
For many people, online counselling makes it easier to fit therapy into everyday life. You can meet with your therapist from a private space at home, at work, or another location where you feel comfortable, without adding travel time to your day.
Virtual counselling may be a good option if you:
- Live outside the Saint John area or in a rural community
- Have a busy work, school, or family schedule
- Have transportation or mobility challenges
- Prefer the comfort and privacy of your own space
- Want access to a therapist whose experience or approach is a good fit, regardless of where they are located in New Brunswick
- Simply find online appointments more convenient
Some people prefer meeting with a therapist in person, while others feel very comfortable connecting online. There isn’t one format that’s right for everyone. What matters most is finding an option, and the therapist, that works well for you.
What is Virtual Counselling?
Virtual counselling is much like meeting with a therapist in person, except your appointment takes place online through a secure video platform. You and your therapist can see and talk with each other in real time, allowing you to participate in counselling from a private space that works for you.
During an online counselling session, your therapist may ask questions, help you explore thoughts, feelings or experiences, teach strategies and coping skills, or use specific therapeutic approaches based on your needs and goals. Just like in-person counselling, sessions are tailored to you and the work you and your therapist decide to focus on together.
You don’t need to be particularly comfortable with technology to attend virtual counselling. You’ll receive information about how to connect to your appointment, and joining a session is designed to be straightforward.
What Can Online Counselling Help With?
Online counselling can be used to support many of the same concerns you might bring to an in-person therapy appointment. Depending on your needs and the therapist you work with, virtual counselling may help with:
- Anxiety and worry
- Trauma and difficult past experiences
- Grief and loss
- Stress and burnout
- Relationship and family concerns
- Life transitions and unexpected changes
- Self-esteem and personal growth
- Difficult emotions or patterns you would like to better understand or change
Many therapeutic approaches can also be offered virtually. Your therapist can help you decide whether online counselling is a good fit for what you would like to work on and recommend other options when appropriate.
Online Counselling Across New Brunswick
You don’t need to live near one of our offices to work with a Rising Tides therapist. Virtual counselling allows our team to support clients throughout New Brunswick, making it easier to choose a therapist based on their experience, approach, and fit rather than simply how close their office is to your home.
Our online therapists work with clients in communities across the province, including Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton, Woodstock, Miramichi, Bathurst, Edmundston, and many smaller and rural communities throughout New Brunswick.
For people living in areas where counselling options may be limited, online therapy can provide access to a broader range of therapists and therapeutic approaches without the time and expense of travelling to appointments. It can also make continuing with counselling easier when work, family responsibilities, weather, or distance make regular in-person appointments difficult.
Find The Right Online Therapist
One of the advantages of virtual counselling is having more choice in who you work with. Instead of being limited to therapists within driving distance, you can look for someone whose experience, therapeutic approach, and personality feel like a good match for you.
Our therapists have different areas of focus, training, and approaches to counselling, and many offer virtual appointments throughout New Brunswick. If you’re not sure where to start, our Find a Therapist tool can help you narrow down your options based on what you’re looking for.
Prefer to explore on your own? Meet Our Team to view therapist profiles and learn more about their areas of focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Online counselling can be an effective option for many people and many types of concerns. Just as with in-person therapy, the experience will depend on factors such as your needs, the relationship you develop with your therapist, and the therapeutic approach being used. Virtual counselling isn’t necessarily the best option for every person or situation. Your therapist can help you decide whether meeting online is appropriate for what you would like to work on.
You will need a reliable internet connection and a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera and microphone. Headphones can be helpful for additional privacy but aren’t required. Most importantly, try to find a private, comfortable space where you can talk openly without being interrupted or overheard.
We use a secure platform for virtual counselling appointments and take your privacy seriously. Your therapist will also discuss confidentiality and any considerations that are specific to meeting online. Because you choose where you attend your appointment, we recommend finding a private space where you feel comfortable speaking freely.
For most of our therapists, you must be physically located in New Brunswick at the time of your virtual counselling appointment. This applies if you normally live in New Brunswick but are temporarily travelling, working or on vacation in another province or country.
Therapists are required to follow the professional regulations that apply where the client is physically located during the session. Because registration and insurance requirements vary between jurisdictions, we may not be able to provide virtual counselling while you are outside New Brunswick, even temporarily.
Some Rising Tides therapists are registered to practice in additional provinces and may be able to provide virtual counselling to clients located there. This varies by therapist, so please contact us if you are looking for online counselling while living in or travelling to another province.
Many insurance plans cover virtual counselling, and we offer direct billing whenever a client’s plan and insurance provider allow us to do so. Coverage and direct-billing rules vary between insurance companies and individual plans, so we recommend checking the details of your coverage. If your provider allows us to direct bill for your appointment, we’re happy to do so.
In many cases, yes. If your therapist offers both virtual and in-person appointments, you may be able to choose the format that works best for you at different times. Availability will depend on your therapist, their location, and your individual circumstances, so you can discuss your options directly with them.
Ready To Get Started?
Taking the first step toward counselling can feel like a big decision, but you don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. Our team can help you find a therapist who fits your needs and supports what you’re hoping to work toward.