Program FAQs

Are all the counsellors at VBT&AF Black?

Yes! We are so honoured to work with an all-Black team of contracted therapists who are all extremely experienced in supporting members of our community.

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I have low/no income, but I deeply need therapy. What are my options?

We offer free and low-counselling to folks with financial barriers! Please see our Programs page for more information and how to apply.

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Do you provide mutual aid support? I am currently experiencing financial hardship and need help.

Unfortunately, we have limited capacity for mutual aid at this time as we work on securing more funding to ensure our programming can be sustainable. If you are in need of financial support, please share any GoFundMe links and/or posters and we are happy to share these on our social media to generate community support. You can also email us at hello@vancouverblacktherapyfoundation.com to be connected with one of our patient navigators who can help you find community resources outside of our foundation.

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What is the waitlist for counselling?

Our low-cost counselling program currently has a waitlist of approximately 3-6 months. Our free counselling program does not operate with a waitlist, as we only open up applications once a year.

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Do you provide crisis counselling support?

No, we do not offer crisis counselling support. If you or someone you know is in need of crisis resources, please contact 911 or use the Crisis Resource Page on our BC Resource List.

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What if I can’t wait for counselling, and need it immediately? Is there a way to bypass the waitlist?

We work as diligently as we can to get folks connected with therapy as quickly as we can. Unfortunately, due to the importance of our service, there are a lot of folks who need support and our therapists all have limits to their capacity. You are welcome to email hello@vancouverblacktherapyfoundation.com with urgent requests for support, but we are unable to guarantee that we can get you connected with services immediately. However, we may be able to help you find some other resources in the community who can support you quickly and effectively.

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I am a social service worker, and I have a client who I think would be a good fit for your program. Are you accepting referrals?

We do not have a standard referral service, however, we are happy to tell you about our programming and help you explore what offerings may be appropriate for your client. Please email hello@vancouverblacktherapyfoundation.com with a brief description of your client’s demographics, counselling needs, access needs and financial capacity.