2SLGBTQIA+
At Boreal Therapy Collective, we are committed to supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and are proudly a PrideYMM Rainbow Space. We understand that 2SLGBTQIA+ folks often face significant and unique stressors, including discrimination, oppression, violence, and unjust scrutiny. We’re here to support you in navigating challenges associated with mental health, gender identity and expression, family conflict, social isolation, inclusion, and acceptance. We validate and honour your lived experience.
For affirmative therapy, book with:
Amy Parsons
D’Arcy Arseneau
Darleen Davis
Dayirai Kapfunde (virtual only)
Kenneth Guye (virtual only)
Kim Cardinal
Lyndsy Stevenson
Samantha LeBlanc
Sarah Callin
What Does Affirmative Therapy Offer?
People often seek therapy because they feel dissatisfied with their current lives. But when someone is part of a population that experiences injustice and oppression, they have to manage this dissatisfaction with other barriers, including discrimination, bullying, ostracization, family alienation, and other traumatic experiences.
For 2SLGBTQIA+ folks who are exploring their identity, therapy can help you understand and celebrate your gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, sexual attraction, and romantic attraction.
For those who are secure in their identity but require a safe space, therapy can help you build self-esteem, navigate mental health struggles, social relationships, and enjoy more healthy, attuned relationships.
Your therapist can support you in giving yourself the permission you need to truly be yourself in everything you do.
Common Issues to Work on in Therapy
No two people are identical, and no two therapy treatment plans are exactly the same, either. Wherever you are, we will meet you there. That said, here are some of the goals we often work on with 2SLGBTQIA+ folks.
Internal conflict: Many folks come to us grappling with the intense effects of systemic discrimination. Whether it's a family conflict or societal rejection, you may feel alone in your experience. Therapy balances a sense of compassion, support, and guidance to manage these difficult problems.
Low self-esteem: Low self-esteem is the manifestation of many awful societal messages. Low self-esteem can make it seem like you're living "small" in your life. It can also perpetuate problems with depression, anxiety, and poor coping skills. Therapy can help you harness your strengths and feel more grounded in yourself.
Dating and relationships: Navigating dating can feel overwhelming, especially if you are newly coming to terms with your gender and sexual orientation. Regardless of how you identify yourself, therapy offers a space for deeper exploration.
Depression and suicide: Members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ are more likely to experience suicidal ideation due to stigma and discrimination. Therapy alone does not solve this systemic barrier. However, it can help you develop healthy coping skills to manage complex feelings, and it can encourage you to feel more connected to your queer community.
Other mental health concerns: Affirmative therapy is paramount for working through other mental health concerns, including anxiety, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and school/work performance. Our therapy approaches are both evidence-based and compassionate. You will be accepted for who you are, and we will work together to help you achieve your most important goals.
Support for 2SLGBTQIA+ Folks in Fort McMurray
If you are experiencing distress due to gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or sexual attraction, affirmative therapy can help. We can work together to explore the emotional barriers impacting your well-being and help you wholeheartedly embrace your authentic self.
If you're experiencing distress due to experiencing discrimination for who you are, we are here. While therapy alone does not fix discrimination and oppression, or change your sense of external safety, it can offer a non-judgmental space to process your fears, needs, and desires.
We are here to support our community. Please check out our resources for information on local, provincial, and national supports for 2SLGBTQIA+ folks.
Affirmative Therapy in Fort McMurray
How to Start Affirmative Therapy
Beginning therapy with Boreal Therapy Collective is easy and requires no referral. You can book your initial assessment here.
Understanding Length of Therapy and Treatment
Your first appointment will be 90-minutes long. For all future appointments, you can choose to book for 1 hour or 90-minutes. During your first appointment, your therapist will ask you questions to better understand you and your areas of struggle. This is known as an assessment. Depending on how much you share, the assessment phase can last anywhere from one to three appointments. The assessment is critical. It helps you and your therapist understand your goals, and it helps your therapist develop a treatment plan to support you in achieving these goals.
After the assessment is complete, treatment begins! In the treatment phase, you will be introduced to a variety of skills to support your mental health and wellness. Most people will have a therapy session every two weeks, and we recommend this for optimal treatment. Effective therapy typically takes somewhere between six to twelve appointments (for some more, others less). Many choose to continue therapy once formal treatment is complete. This is referred to as maintenance. People who do this typically have an appointment once every six to eight weeks. This is not a requirement and is a matter of personal choice.
Affirmative Therapy at Boreal Therapy Collective
Where We Are Located
We’re located at 8530 Manning Avenue, Unit 104. You’ll find us in the Service Canada building (on the side of the building that faces the Clearwater River). To check out our space, click here.
Parking is located at the front and back of the building. The front parking lot is closer to us but tends to fill up quickly. There is also an empty dirt lot adjacent to our office that many use for parking. If you park at the back (where Service Canada is located), you can walk around the building to reach our office. To learn more about parking, click here.
Importantly, you do not need to be in town for treatment. We offer in-person and virtual therapy and our therapists are happy to provide whatever option works best for you!
Rates & Benefit Coverage
Initial assessments are billed at a rate of $330.00 for a 90-minute appointment. Follow-up sessions are billed at a rate of $220.00/hour or $330.00/90-minutes (you can choose your preferred appointment length when booking).
Our social workers offer direct billing to 25+ benefit providers. Many benefit providers will cover a portion or the whole amount of your therapy session. With your consent, we will always direct bill your benefit provider first. Please note that our Registered Psychiatric Nurses are typically ineligible for direct billing.
If we are unable to direct bill, you can pay via email money transfer or credit card. You will be given a receipt once payment has been collected. For more information on benefit coverage, click here.
