The Entry Point: Your First MVA Counselling Session
After a car accident in Alberta, most people know what to do for the physical injuries.
The psychological side is less clear—but often already present.
You might be dealing with a whiplash injury, soft tissue strain, or a minor concussion.
You’re attending appointments. Following treatment. Keeping things moving.
But internally, things are harder to place.
- Your system feels more activated than usual
- Your energy fluctuates—wired or depleted
- You’re pushing through, but not fully settled
- You’re unsure whether to address it—or wait
This service offers a structured therapeutic entry point for clients navigating the emotional and nervous system impact of motor vehicle accidents in Alberta.
Extended health direct billing may be available for eligible plans via TELUS eClaims. Insurance coordination and supporting documentation for Accident Benefits coverage, including Section B where applicable, may also be explored based on the client’s stage of care and claim process.
Who this is for
This service is designed for you if:
- You’ve been in a car accident in Alberta
- You haven’t been recommended for a full psychological assessment (but you know something has changed)
- You’re functioning day to day, but noticing changes (e.g., sleep disruption, increased anxiety, feeling unsure behind the wheel)
- You want to understand and document what’s happening—early, in case things change over time
Why start now
At this stage, a full psychological assessment is often not required.
So this part of recovery tends to get delayed—
not because nothing is happening,
but because it doesn’t feel urgent enough to act on.
And in that gap:
- What you’re experiencing often goes unaddressed
- Early changes aren’t clearly captured
- And over time, it becomes harder to trace what changed—and when
Which can make it more difficult to clearly show how the accident has affected you later on—
especially if your claim or recovery process requires that clarity.
Your first session
In your first session, we begin by creating a space where you can talk through the accident and your experience of it—at your own pace.
Together, we explore:
- What has changed since the accident
- How is it affecting your day-to-day functioning
- What concerns are you currently experiencing, and how do they relate to your experience of the accident
- areas where you feel you may need support
Where appropriate, brief standardized screening tools are used to capture current symptom patterns.
These are non-diagnostic, but help establish a measurable baseline—supporting clear documentation, tracking change over time, and strengthening the clarity of your file.
From this, we begin to build a clear understanding of your situation and identify meaningful goals for support moving forward.
What you receive
After your session, you receive:
1. Attendance Receipt
Confirmation of attendance for your records, benefits tracking, and claim documentation where applicable.
2. Clinical Snapshot
A structured document created after your first MVA Counselling session.
This is not just a summary.
It is an early record of the psychological and functional impact of the accident, captured within a counselling scope.
It captures:
- your presenting concerns since the accident
- functional impact across key areas
- measurable baseline indicators
- screening results (if used)
- a clinical impression within a non-diagnostic scope
This document becomes part of your file.
It helps establish:
- What was happening early in your recovery
- How was the accident affecting you at that stage
- and creates a reference point as your claim or recovery progresses
What happens next
MVA COUNSELLING SESSION
Initial meeting and discussion
CLINICAL SNAPSHOT
Clinical snapshot after the session
DECISION POINT
Determine the most suitable path
STANDALONE MVA COUNSELLING SESSIONS
Counselling Only, Attendance Receipts
RECOVERY PROGRAM
(5 Sessions + 4 Documents)
STANDALONE MVA COUNSELLING SESSIONS
Counselling Only, Attendance Receipts
RECOVERY PROGRAM
(5 Sessions + 4 Documents)
From here, you can decide what makes sense:
- Continue with standalone sessions
- Ongoing counselling support focused on your recovery
- (Attendance receipts are provided for each session)
- Move into a structured recovery program
- Includes structured support and documentation such as:
- midpoint clinical summary
- lawyer letter
- discharge summary
- attendance receipts
Your Clinical Snapshot is provided after your first MVA counselling session and serves as your starting point.
If you continue with standalone sessions, additional documentation is not included beyond attendance receipts.
If ongoing documentation is important for your file, the structured MVA Recovery program may be a better fit.
The first session is designed to give you clarity and a documented starting point.
What my approach looks like
Your recovery is not one-dimensional — and neither is the counselling you receive.
I integrate four modalities in a structured, therapeutic way:
- Clinical Counselling: Emotional processing, coping strategies, and clarity in the middle of everything that’s unfolding.
- Clinical Hypnotherapy: Support for trauma, fear, pain, and subconscious patterns linked to the accident.
- Breathwork: Nervous system regulation, support for panic, overwhelm, and stress in the body.
- Meditation Coaching: Rebuilding inner steadiness, focus, and mental clarity as you heal.
From Impact to Renewal
An integrative approach, targeted MVA supports, a safe space, and a stepwise path back to balance.
Integrative Approach
This integrative approach helps us address the full impact of the accident, including:
- Emotional shock
- Nervous system dysregulation
- Overwhelm from appointments and paperwork
- Grief over lost functioning
- Anger, fear, or confusion
- Difficulty returning to daily routines
- Pressure from legal and insurance processes
- Lingering pain and exhaustion
Your sessions are paced, intentional, evidence-informed, and adapted to your capacity each week.
MVA Counselling — FAQs
Your Questions About MVA Counselling, Answered.
If your insurance plan is eligible for direct billing, we submit the claim directly to your insurer whenever possible.
Your insurer will determine how much of the session is covered under your plan. Any amount not covered by your benefits remains your responsibility.
Coverage depends on your individual policy, available benefits, and plan eligibility.
Motor vehicle accident claims are handled differently from standard extended health benefits.
Insurance coordination, documentation, and billing pathways for Accident Benefits coverage, including Section B where applicable, may be explored on a case-by-case basis depending on the stage of the claim and insurer requirements.
Your first MVA counselling session is considered the initial session because it includes a Clinical Snapshot.
This is a structured document created after your session that captures how the accident has affected you—emotionally, mentally, and in your day-to-day functioning. It provides a clear starting point for your recovery and can be shared with your lawyer or insurer if needed.
MVA Counselling (Alberta)
Specialized therapeutic support after motor vehicle accidents — for clients in Alberta.