Adjunct Counselling Service

The Adjunct Counselling Service (ACS) is offered to all students at Regent College who are taking a minimum of 9 credits per term, and for their families. The service is also available for all staff and faculty and their families.

How the program works

The College does not provide clinical counselling on site but refers students to qualified professionals in the Christian community in the Vancouver area. Book a consultation with our Adjunct Counselling Coordinator at Regent, and you will be offered a choice of two or more ACS counsellors who would be appropriate for your needs. All counselling then takes place at the counsellor's office to ensure client confidentiality.

The cost

The counselling therapists have agreed to provide clinical services for Regent students at $60 per session, which is far below their professional rate. We are able to offer this rate through the generosity of the professionals we work with. Regent College then pays for half this rate, for a maximum of eight sessions. The net cost to the student is $30.

You will need to pay the full $60 fee up front at each session, then apply for reimbursement. To get reimbursed, you need to hand in your evaluation form (which you’ll receive during your initial consultation), include your student ID number, and include all receipts. The form should go to the Assistant Dean of Students.

The counsellors

We have selected the counsellors we partner with on the basis of their evangelical Christian confession and their clinical experience and competence.

The ACS counsellors and therapists may have experience in:

• marriage and family therapy
• vocational and spiritual guidance
• prayer counselling or inner healing
• personal counselling (depression, fears, etc.)
• sexual and substance addictions
• issues related to family of origin and growing up
• codependency issues
• parenting and other family advice

They may be members of these professional associations:

• American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
• Canadian Psychological Association
• British Columbia Psychological Association
• Christian Association for Psychological Studies
• British Columbia Association of Social Workers
• British Columbia Association of Registered Clinical Counsellors

The College does not provide medical or psychiatric assistance or hospitalization. For psychiatric help, contact your medical doctor. For information on medical services, please refer to the Medical page.

Book a consultation

Kerry MacFarlane Bell, the Adjunct Counselling Coordinator, is available for brief referral appointments on Wednesdays, from 8:30– 9:30 am. If you would like to book an appointment, please sign up with your name or student ID number on the sheet posted on the door to Room 227.

You will meet for 15–20 minutes so that the Coordinator can assess your needs and direct you to the appropriate counsellor. There is no charge for this consultation.

You will need to provide the following information during your consultation:

• Basic details including name, age, address, and phone numbers.
• The nature of the problem(s) that led you to request counselling.
• Your expectations for the type of counsellor you’d like or the counselling process (male or female, area of expertise, knowledge of specific languages, etc.). 

Confidentiality guaranteed

The faculty and staff of the College will protect and respect the confidentiality of those seeking counselling help. Faculty and staff have no access to counselling records. The Adjunct Counselling Coordinator does not consult or inform Regent faculty or staff about a student receiving counselling. The College and/or the administrator do not consult with the ACS therapist without the signed request or consent of the person receiving counselling.

Other Options

UBC Counselling

As a member of the Alma Mater Society of UBC, you have access to counselling services and group programs. These counsellors are supervised Masters and PhD students in the Counselling Psychology program at UBC. The counselling is free. However, keep in mind that the students who provide this service may not share your Christian faith. 

Under the UBC Health Plan, you have $300 available for community-based counselling outside UBC. One counselling hour through this service costs about $100–$150. You can access this service directly through the UBC counselling website or by phone: 604.822.3811.

A professional psychiatrist

In order to see a psychiatrist in British Columbia, you need a referral by a medical doctor. Their services are free through your MSP plan. Please note that it could take up to three months to get an appointment.

Spiritual Direction

Spiritual direction is “soul care,” or a nurturing for the unique way God transforms us into His likeness.

The spiritual direction relationship offers:

• opportunity to verbalize understandings about God with a trained individual who can help reflect back God’s particular and personal work of love in our lives
• a focus on development and nurturing of a personal relationship with God
• a coming together of heart knowledge and head knowledge

Kathy Kiesser, coordinator of the spiritual direction service, is happy to meet with you and offer a list of Regent Spiritual Directors who participate in this program. Contact Kathy at spiritualdirection@regent-college.edu.

Regent reimburses half the cost of a session to students who are taking 9 credit hours or more. Each session costs $50, and you get reimbursed $25.

Living Well Forums

Each term, we offer two to three Living Well Forums on student life issues and spiritual nurturing. Some of the topics we have covered so far include spirituality in the daily life of students, how to cope with depression, and the art of fundraising.

Visit the Events page for information on upcoming forums.