Free, sliding scale, and reduced cost counselling in Vancouver (Updated March 2021)
This page contains a regularly updated resource list of free, low-cost, and sliding scale options for counselling and therapy services through community organizations in Vancouver, BC. I’ve included and noted the services that require a referral from a primary care doctor.
Some private clinics and therapists offer reduced cost and/or sliding scale options. In these cases, it’s always best to directly connect with the counsellor you’re interested in working with about your financial situation.
Please let me know if there’s a community organization that I have missed!
Adler Counselling Clinic
Low rate counselling services. Counsellors are trained at the Masters Degree level and are currently completing their internships to become Registered with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and/or the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. Rates between $60-$100.
Website: http://adlercentre.ca/counselling-clinic/
Phone: 604-742-1818
Email: apabc@adler.bc.ca
Access and Assessment Centre (AAC)
Provides a drop-in clinic and phone service for urgent and non-emergency (non-life threatening) access to a wide range of Vancouver Coastal Health’s mental health and substance use services. The clinic and phones are open between 7:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. You do not need a referral from a family doctor to access this service.
Website: http://www.vch.ca/locations-services/result?res_id=1186
Phone: 604-675-3700
SFU Clinical Psychology Centre
Offers a wide range of reduced cost services in the greater Vancouver region, providing assessment and mental health treatment for individual adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families as well as group therapy. Services are provided by Masters or Doctoral level graduate students in the Clinical Psychology Program.
Website: https://www.sfu.ca/psychology/clinical-psychology-centre/services.html
Phone: 778-782-4720
SFU Clinical Psychology Centre
Offers a wide range of reduced cost services in the greater Vancouver region, providing assessment and mental health treatment for individual adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families as well as group therapy. Services are provided by Masters or Doctoral level graduate students in the Clinical Psychology Program.
Website: https://www.sfu.ca/psychology/clinical-psychology-centre/services.html
Phone: 778-782-4720
City University Community Counselling Clinic at BYRC
Offers free counselling and support services for young people ages 13 to 24 in the areas of family relationships, anger management, mental health counselling, and sexual orientation/gender identity issues. Services are offered by Master’s level counselling students.
Website: https://pcrs.ca/service-resource-centres/broadway-youth-resource-centre-2/
Phone: 604-709-5729
Email: byrc@pcrs.ca
Counselling at Gordon Neighborhood House
Free counselling services provided by intern counsellors from City University. Interns are supervised by an experienced Registered Clinical Counsellor.
Website: https://gordonhouse.org/programs/free-counselling/
Phone: 604-683-2554
Email: counselling@gordonhouse.org
Counselling at South Vancouver Neighborhood House
Free counselling services for individuals, couples, or families. Provided by intern counsellors from City University. Interns are supervised by an experienced Registered Clinical Counsellor.
Website: http://www.southvan.org/program_category/community-programs/
Phone: 604-683-2554
Email: counselling@southvan.org
Counselling at Kitsilano Neighborhood House
Sliding scale (pay what you can) counselling services for individuals. Provided in partnership with Moving Forward Family Services.
Website: http://www.kitshouse.org/counselling-sessions/
Phone: 604-736-3588 x 128
Email: patriciap@kitshouse.org
QMUNITY
Offers free counselling (wait list currently closed) and reduced-cost counselling services for individuals, couples, relationships, and families. All of the counsellors are members of the LGBTQ2S+ communities.
Website: https://qmunity.ca/get-support/counselling/
Phone: 604-684-5307 ext. 107
Email: jennie.mw@qmunity.ca
Health Initiative for Men – Counselling Program
Offers free counselling for low income or otherwise marginalized individuals who self-identify as men (including trans, cis, and other men), two-spirit, or non-binary people and identify as gay, bi, queer, asexual, and/or as men who are into/or have sex with men. All of the counsellors identify with and/or have in-depth experience working with gay/bi/queer/trans and other men into men.
Website: http://checkhimout.ca/mind/him-programs/
Phone: 604-488-1001
Email: counselling@checkhimout.ca
Family Services of Greater Vancouver
Provides many types of counselling depending on the needs of individuals, children, youth and families. They have offices located in Vancouver, Richmond and New Westminster. Counsellors have graduate degrees in clinical social work and counselling psychology, including staff who speak Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish. Fees for service are charged on a sliding scale based on household income.
Website: https://fsgv.ca/counselling/
Phone: 604-874-2938
Email: intake@fsgv.ca
Jewish Family Services
JFS’s Counselling and Wellness programs provide therapy services to youth, adults, seniors, couples, and families. To see a Registered Clinical Counsellor there is a fee that ranges between $30-110 and is based upon client income from their notice of assessment. Free counselling is available offered by intern students. Students are supervised by experienced JFS counsellors.
Website: https://www.jfsvancouver.ca/services/counselling/
Phone: 604-558-5726
Email: Lina Moskaleva at lmoskaleva@jfsvancouver.ca
Scarfe Counselling Clinic (UBC)
Free individual counselling for adults, students, and children over age 10 from September to April. The counsellors are Counselling Psychology Master’s students in training. A registered psychologist who is on-site supervises the counsellors.
Website: https://fsgv.ca/counselling/
Phone: 604-827-1523
UBC Psychology Clinic
Sliding scale; individual counselling; runs from September to April. The UBC Psychology Clinic offers comprehensive psychological services for adults in the Greater Vancouver community. Services are provided by graduate students from UBC’s doctoral programme in clinical psychology. Student clinicians are closely supervised by Registered Psychologists from our faculty and the community.
SFU Clinical Psychology Centre
Offers a wide range of reduced cost services in the greater Vancouver region, providing assessment and mental health treatment for individual adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families as well as group therapy. Services are provided by Masters or Doctoral level graduate students in the Clinical Psychology Program.
Website: https://www.sfu.ca/psychology/clinical-psychology-centre/services.html
Phone: 778-782-4720
Website: https://clinic.psych.ubc.ca/
Phone: 604-822-3005
Email: clinic@psych.ubc.ca
S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
Sliding scale; individual and family counselling. Fees range from $25 to $130 per hour, based on a sliding scale and referrals from the Ministry of Children and Family Development are free.
Website: https://www.successbc.ca/eng/services/family-youth/counselling-service/
Phone: 604-684-1628
Email: info@success.bc.ca