Excellence in
Evidence-Based Care
Welcome to the
Vancouver CBT Centre
Treatment in CBT, MBCT &/or ACT
We are a group of mental health professionals, including psychologists, counsellors, and doctoral psychology students with extensive and specialized experience in evidence-based treatments, including Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). The Vancouver CBT Centre was originally founded by the clinical team from the former University of British Columbia (UBC) Anxiety Disorders Clinic’.
We specialize in treating complex and severely disabling anxiety and anxiety-related disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, health anxiety (illness anxiety disorder), and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as clinical depression and chronic health conditions. Our approach is personalized and holistic, considering each individual’s unique experience and needs.
Vancouver CBT Centre
About Us
The Vancouver CBT Centre provides private (fee for service) assessment and treatment for adults and teens experiencing anxiety, depression, as well as chronic health conditions including persistent pain. To treat these disorders, members of our clinical team have specialized training in CBT, MBCT and/or ACT.
Therapeutic Services at the Vancouver CBT Centre
Online and In-Person Psychological Therapy
The Vancouver CBT Centre is pleased to offer both online and in-person psychological treatment services. Our clinic is located at 8th Avenue and Burrard in Vancouver, B.C. which is just off the Broadway Corridor.
Many of our clinicians offer in-person services, as well as a combination of in-person and virtual (online) sessions according to your preference. Clinicians at the Vancouver CBT Centre are pleased to offer virtual services to people who are located throughout British Columbia. All teletherapy services are provided through secure and encrypted online servers.
Evidence-based Psychological Care
What We Do
All our clinicians prioritize staying up-to-date with the latest research and developments in our respective areas of expertise. In addition, many of our providers deliver workshops and training to other mental health professionals.
What is CBT
How It Works
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, or CBT, is an evidenced-based psychological therapy. With hundreds of research studies investigating it over several decades, CBT has been found to be one of the most effective treatments for a number of problems, including anxiety and anxiety-related disorders, depression, chronic pain, and trauma.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Online Group
Dr. Mark Lau is offering an online 8-week course through teletherapy designed to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
CBT Workshops for Professionals
Professional Workshops
Dr. Melisa Robichaud and Dr. Maureen Whittal are directors in Bespoke Mental Health Canada, an online training company that provides workshops and webinars for mental health professionals on evidence-based psychological therapies provided by global experts. Bespoke Mental Health Canada provides workshops on a wide range of topics.
MBCT Workshops for Professionals
Dr. Mark Lau of the Vancouver CBT Centre is proud to offer a number of workshops on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). MBCT is an established, empirically supported psychological intervention used to prevent depressive relapse as well as to treat current symptoms of anxiety and depression.
MBCT is based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. MBCT combines the ideas of cognitive therapy for depression with meditation practices from MBSR designed to cultivate mindfulness.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Does CBT actually work?
Do I need a referral from a physician to see a CBT therapist?
As we are a private (fee for service) clinic, you do not need a referral from your family doctor to see one of the therapists at our clinic. However, we do provide a referral form that your physician can complete with contact information and details about the reason for referral.
How is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy different other psychological therapies?
There are a number of factors that make CBT different from other psychological therapies. In brief, CBT is a collaborative process between the client and clinician.
CBT is not focused on finding out the ‘root cause’ of the difficulty, but instead typically focuses on current thoughts and behaviours that may be inadvertently contributing to the problem. CBT is typically, but not always, present-focused (as opposed to a historical or childhood focus). This means that we tend to focus on what is keeping the problem alive now, rather than how it might have originally developed.
Another important difference between CBT and other psychological therapies is the use of assignments that are completed between appointments. Much of the work and change in CBT comes from what is learned from these between session assignments, where new skills and understandings are strengthened and consolidated.
Is the fee for sessions covered by health care?
Is there a waiting list?
We often have several therapists who are available to see new clients almost immediately, whereas others can have a waiting list varying from a week to several months (depending upon the therapist).
When contacting the clinic, individuals can request to see a particular therapist or to see the therapist who is available soonest.
How long does treatment take?
Many people understandably want to know how long treatment will take. As you might imagine, it is a difficult question to answer with precision.
The length of treatment will depend upon many factors, including complexity and severity of the presenting problem and readiness for change. While it is typically not sufficient to address presenting concerns, you will have a good idea after 3-4 appointments if it isgoing in the right direction and if the approach taken by your provider is suitable for you.
What is the cost of treatment?
How do I get a referral to the Vancouver CBT Centre?
Because we are a private practice, interested individuals can contact us directly by either calling us at 604-738-7337 or emailing us at info@vancouvercbt.ca. Referrals can also be made through your family doctor or other health professional by faxing our referral form to 604-738-7339
What does a first session at the Vancouver CBT Centre involve?
A first session at our clinic is an assessment session, and this typically will last between 1 to 2 hours depending upon the clinician. The goal of the assessment is to identify what problems you are struggling with and to develop a collaborative treatment plan. For example, if you are experiencing problematic anxiety, the assessment session will allow us to determine what, if any, anxiety disorders, you are struggling with, and what we can offer you in terms of treatment.
Is there a reduced fee available at the clinic?
As we are also a training centre for mental health professionals, we typically have doctoral-level psychology students working at our clinic. The doctoral students completing a practicum at the Vancouver CBT Centre are supervised by psychologists within the clinic. We offer the option of seeing a student for treatment at a reduced rate.
What forms of payment are accepted?
Currently we accept e-transfer, cash, or cheque.
Credit cards are not accepted at this time.