Thoughtful Changes is a nonprofit, supportive group of counsellors.
We have created a non-profit, social enterprise aiming to:
- Reduce mental health stigma by creating a mental health hub;
- Increase mental health supports with an outside the box model including virtual counselling; and
- Provide quick and easily accessible resources.
We provide affordable, quickly-accessible counselling services for individuals in Nova Scotia who have financial barriers to accessing mental health supports. Services are provided online by Registered Counselling Therapists or Social Workers who have a Masters degree.
Nova Scotia has had a mental health crisis since long before the pandemic; social isolation, fear, and the unknown has skyrocketed anxiety and depression. We’re here to help.
Our counsellors are professional counsellors registered with their own counselling regulatory body. They are helping us to offer affordable counselling to individuals who are facing financial barriers to accessing mental health services. Our counsellors work within our model to help you determine a sliding scale session rate that you can afford. Your extended health insurance plan may also cover the cost of counselling.
We utilize a short-term model of practice limiting sessions to a maximum of 12 sessions. This allows us to keep our wait list low and allows us to support as many Nova Scotians as we can. We will work with you on a case-by-case basis if you require additional sessions.
Our intake session is $50 for an individual. During this session, our counsellors will help you determine your affordability for your subsequent sessions. Our sliding scale ranges from $50 – $80 per session for individual counselling.
We also have a pay-it-forward model if we have space to take on clients. This model allows clients to pay over and above our maximum fee and pay additional monies to help other individuals out who are struggling to pay the minimum fee of $50/session.
If you are 19+ and struggling with life’s problems such as relationships, work, stressors, anxiety, depression, or other mental health problems, we can help. To seek mental health counselling with us, please see the counsellors’ profiles below to book directly with them. Please note: we only accept clients who are residents of Nova Scotia and are 19+ years in age.
For more information on our organization, please contact us at info@thoughtfulchanges.org or call us at (902) 932-7122.
Zarrin is a strong advocate of evidence-based interventions, client-centered and trauma-informed approaches to support, empower, and assist her clients to achieve their goals. More about Zarrin…
Meghan is motivated to implement a range of evidence-based techniques into her therapeutic practice, specifically deriving from a client-centered and holistic-based approach. More about Meghan…
Meghan is no longer accepting new clients.
Heather employs trauma-informed, narrative, solution-focused, and strength-based approaches with both individuals and their families. More about Heather…
Heather is no longer accepting new clients.
Advisors
- Deanne Matheson, MSW, RSW – Thrive Counselling and Consulting
- Kendra Popwell, MSW, RSW – KLP Counselling
- Cathy MacDougall, MSW, RSW – Cathy MacDougall Private Counselling and Consulting Services
- Nadine Hutchison – Yorkville Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology Student
Financial Statements/Annual Reports
The Founder
Amiee Wilson
I am passionate about mental health and wellbeing.
I have a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and I’m a Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC), Registered Counselling Therapist Candidate (RCT-C), and a Registered Holistic Nutrition Consultant (RHNC). I am in private practice as the owner of Wilson Counselling.
As a teenager, my mother struggled with the affordability of food and supplements that could have helped her live more humanely with her cancer. After her death, I knew that health should not have a price tag.
As a student, my mentor helped those with financial barriers to access mental health supports in Halifax, and I was determined to provide similar help in my home of Cape Breton. Seeing how many people in Nova Scotia who were on years-long waiting lists to access public mental health resources was outrageous. People were suffering and dying because of these wait times, or because they could not afford to pay for private practitioners.
I researched provider models and chose one that not only helps those having difficulty accessing services, but also helps new counsellors get into private practice. This model also has the ability to take on counselling students, help them gain more experience, and offer pro bono services to the community.
Seeing this model come to life – and being able to increase our coverage across Nova Scotia via e-counselling – feels like a win-win!
