Counselling

Request counselling

Call 905-666-6239 or toll-free at 1-888-721-0622 extension 5.

Intake workers are available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

An intake worker will take your call and assess your situation. They will set your first appointment with a counsellor. Your appointment will usually be at the location closest to you. The intake worker may not think our services are fitting for you. If so, they will offer you referrals to other community resources.

During your first counselling appointment, your counsellor will spend time getting to know you. They will gather information about your situation.

You and your counsellor will work together to find out what you want to achieve through counselling. You can attend up to 11 more sessions to work toward this goal. Each session takes about 50 minutes.

Many types of counselling are offered, including:

• Solution-focused therapy
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Emotionally focused therapy
• Narrative therapy
• Trauma therapy
• Feminist-informed therapy
• Dialectical behaviour therapy 
• Psychoeducation
• Mindfulness
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing 

Counselling can help you find solutions to many types of problems, including:

• Abuse (past or current)
• Anger
• Anxiety
• Bullying
• Communication and conflict resolution
• Couple or family conflict
• Depression
• Drug or alcohol problems
• Grief and loss
• Parenting
• Relationship problems
• Self-esteem
• Self-harm
• Separation and divorce
• Sexuality or gender issues
• Social problems
• Stress
• Trauma

Information you share with intake staff and your counsellor will remain confidential. We will only release it if we are legally required to tell other professionals.

FSD cannot take a position in third-party matters, which may include situations involving:

• Employers
• Family members
• Legal issues
• Insurance claims

FSD offers counselling to parents/caregivers and families with children of all ages. FSD offers individual counselling to children aged six and older. If parents are separated or divorced, both parents' consent may be needed.

Children age 12 and older have the legal right to consent to counselling on their own behalf. We cannot share information about their counselling with anyone without their written consent. This includes parents and caregivers.

The Canadian Centre for Accreditation (CCA) accredits Family Services Durham.

Our counsellors are:

• Social workers
• Psychotherapists
• Couple therapists
• Family therapists

They have Masters-level training. Each counsellor is a member of at least one of the following:

• The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers (OCSWSSW)
• The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)

605 Rossland Road East
Whitby, Ontario L1N 6A3
Phone: 905-666-6239 or toll-free 1-888-721-0622 extension 5

Hours:

Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

339 Westney Road South, Suite #103
Ajax, Ontario L1S 7J6
Phone: 905-666-6239 or toll-free 1-888-721-0622 extension 5

Hours:

Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

234 King Street East, Unit #4
Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 1P5
Phone: 905-666-6239 or toll-free 1-888-721-0622 extension 5

Hours:

Monday, Thursday and Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday: 1 to 9 p.m. 

OHIP does not cover counselling fees.

Fees are based on your income and family size. Your counselling fee will be discussed when you call, and set by the intake worker. If you cannot afford your fee, you can discuss this with your counsellor. If your income changes, so will your fees.

You will pay your fees at the beginning of each appointment. Receipts are provided. We accept cash and cheques at all offices. A service fee of $48 will apply for non-sufficient funds (NSF) returned cheques. We only accept debit at the Whitby (Rossland Road) and Ajax (Westney Road) locations.

You can claim counselling fees as a medical expense on your income tax return. Some private health insurance plans also cover counselling fees. Registered Social Workers and Psychotherapists are considered medical practitioners for purpose of the Medical Expense Tax Credit.

To provide a caring, compassionate environment where people can recognize and develop their own capacity for change.

Our philosophy is the foundation upon which we strive to:

• Improve the well-being of our community.
• Contribute to our field of practice.
• Promote our expertise and reputation in the community.
• Encourage continuous quality improvement and learning.

Our service philosophy, vision, and mission are guided by the following values:

Client-focused

• Creating a positive and satisfying service experience by focusing on individual needs and strengths, promoting self-reliance and individual empowerment.

Professional

• Maintaining high service standards, including confidentiality and ethics.
• Using evidence-based/informed approaches, and measuring client satisfaction to ensure responsive services.

Respect

• Recognizing the inherent value and worth of each individual.
• Promoting open communication, mutual and shared understanding, and commitment.

Excellence

• Inspiring people to be the best they can be.
• Maintaining service excellence for our clients and our community.

Continuous learning

• Encouraging creativity, learning and growth, and sharing specialized knowledge and expertise with others.

Accountability

• Following responsible and ethical practice, and making efficient use of resources.

Quality

• Focusing on continuous improvement by monitoring and evaluating how services make a difference for clients and the Region.

Inclusiveness

• Embracing diversity and providing responsive services in meeting client needs.
• Providing services to all residents and employees of Durham Region regardless of income or ability to pay.

Collaboration

• Working together with community partners to support client and community well-being.