Your Questions, Answered with Care

It’s natural to want to understand what’s available before reaching out. We offer individual psychotherapy, group programs, community workshops, peer support spaces, consultation, and clinical supervision. Each offering is grounded in relational care, somatic presence, and a commitment to practices that honour complexity, dignity, and personal agency. You’re welcome to browse our current offerings or reach out for guidance in choosing what’s right for you.

It’s a thoughtful question—timing matters when you’re reaching out for care. Availability depends on the offering. Individual therapy openings shift throughout the year, and group programs follow a seasonal rhythm. The best way to find out what’s currently open is to visit our Booking Page or reach out directly. We’ll be transparent about what’s available and help you find a next step that feels supportive.

Yes—and we’ve found that virtual care can be both grounding and effective. All of our sessions, groups, and consultations are currently held online using the secure, privacy-compliant Jane App platform. This approach supports continuity, comfort, and access, especially for those balancing whole lives or living outside major urban centres. If you’re unsure whether virtual care will work for you, you’re welcome to try a consultation first.

It’s wise to check, as coverage varies by policy, plan, and provider. We don’t offer direct billing, but many extended health benefits plans reimburse for individual therapy with our clinicians. We provide detailed receipts upon payment that you can submit to your insurance provider. If you’re using U.S.-based insurance and require a superbill for reimbursement, please reach out to your therapist directly.

It’s a thoughtful question—and the answer isn’t about identity so much as resonance. We work with adults who are seeking meaningful change, deeper connection, or a slower, more embodied relationship with themselves and others. That includes people of many lived experiences—queer, trans, straight, neurodivergent, disabled, racialized, or none of the above. What matters most is how you’re showing up now: curious, open, and willing to explore. If our approach speaks to you, you’re welcome here.

That depends on the group, and it’s a good idea to check the description. While our practice is open to anyone, some groups are specifically designed for individuals with shared lived experiences. These affinity-based spaces help foster a sense of safety, resonance, and support. Each group clearly outlines who it’s intended for. If you’re unsure whether a group is the right fit, you’re always welcome to reach out and ask.

That’s completely okay—many people arrive with uncertainty. You don’t need to have it all figured out. We offer a free consultation where we can explore what’s coming up for you and consider which offering might meet you where you are. You’re invited to reach out anytime. We’ll take it one step at a time, together.

We offer a limited number of sliding scale spots—and they tend to fill quickly. While we’re committed to reducing barriers wherever we can, we also work within the limits of what’s sustainable for our small practice. Group offerings sometimes include free or low-cost spaces, depending on capacity and funding. If cost is a concern, we encourage you to check our Resources page, where you’ll find links to low-barrier counselling and community-based supports. You’re also welcome to reach out if you’re unsure what’s possible—we’ll do our best to point you in a helpful direction.

It’s possible—and we’re always open to meaningful, well-aligned collaborations. We partner with therapists, facilitators, and community organizers whose values resonate with ours—especially around embodied care, creative process, and justice-rooted practice. If you’re imagining something thoughtful and relational, feel free to reach out and tell us more. We approach collaborations with care and take time to ensure it’s a good mutual fit.

Yes—we offer virtual therapy to clients across Canada and in select U.S. states. Clayre is licensed to practise in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and across Canada as an RP (CRPO), RCT (NSCCT), RCAT, and ATR-BC. She is also a CCC (CCPA), and many extended health benefits in BC, AB and other unregulated provinces recognize CCCs. Laura is licensed as an RSW in BC and Nova Scotia, and also practises in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont as an LCSW/LICSW. If you live in a region where we’re not licensed to provide therapy, we may still be able to work together through coaching, consultation, or group offerings. Feel free to reach out to see what’s possible based on where you live.

Our standard session fees are:

• $225 for a 50-minute session with Clayre
• $200 for a 50-minute session with Laura
• $360 for an 80-minute extended session

We offer a very limited number of sliding scale spots, prioritizing clients navigating significant financial hardship or unexpected life changes. These spots are currently full, as e’ve been operating at capacity with an active waitlist That said, we’ll soon be welcoming additional practitioners and a practicum student. This will expand our capacity to offer sessions at lower rates, starting at or below $150 per 50-minute session. If you’re seeking reduced-fee therapy, feel free to reach out, review our Resources Page, or keep an eye on our Booking Page for updates.

Yes—we offer collaborative, respectful assessments and letters (and in BC, the required forms) to support access to gender-affirming medical care. Both Clayre and Laura are WPATH GEI SOC8 Certified Members with advanced training, supervision, and peer consultation in gender-affirming care. We follow current WPATH standards and take a non-pathologizing, client-centred approach to documentation. The process involves a single session of up to 100 minutes to explore your gender journey, any hesitations or excitement, and your expectations and hopes for the future. If you’re seeking an HRT readiness assessment or a surgery readiness assessment, feel free to reach out—we’ll walk you through what to expect.

We offer relational, experiential, and creative therapy that honours the complexity of being human. Our approach is grounded in somatic awareness, deep attunement, and a commitment to co-creating spaces where healing can unfold at your pace. We draw from a number of integrative modalities, including:

• Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
• Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST)
• Focusing-Oriented Therapy
• Parts work and inner systems exploration
• Art Therapy and expressive arts
• Trauma-sensitive yoga and body-based practices
• Grief therapy and complicated loss processing

We also draw on frameworks shaped by social justice, trans-inclusive feminism, relational neuroscience, and the neuro-sequential model of healing. Our work is always adapted to your unique context and rooted in consent, accessibility, and embodied presence. If you’re curious whether this kind of therapy may support what you’re carrying, you’re invited to reach out or book a consultation.

Payment is due at the time of the session. For first-time bookings, payment is required in advance to confirm your session. You can pay by credit card through Jane App or via e-transfer to info@clayresessoms.com. If you’re paying by e-transfer, please send your payment prior to the session to avoid any disruption in care.

We require 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule a session. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice—and no-shows—will be charged the full session fee. This policy helps us maintain a consistent, respectful schedule for everyone.

We do not bill insurance directly. However, we provide detailed receipts (often referred to as superbills) that include our credentials and registration numbers so you can apply for reimbursement through your extended health insurance provider.

Important: Every insurance policy is different. It’s your responsibility to confirm whether your provider covers services from:

• Registered Psychotherapists (RP)
• Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC)
• Registered Social Workers (RSW)
• Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC)
• Registered Canadian Art Therapists (RCAT)
• Board Certified Art Therapists (ATR-BC)

We recommend calling your provider before your first session to confirm eligibility.

All sessions are conducted online through Jane App, a secure and privacy-compliant video platform. You’ll receive a unique session link via email before your appointment.

Before your session:

• Please use the latest version of Google Chrome for the best experience.
• Check that your microphone and camera are working.
• Test your setup in advance to minimize any technical disruptions.

At this time, all sessions are online. Walk-and-talk therapy may become available in Vancouver in the future. Sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on in-person offerings as they unfold.

Yes—with some limitations based on your location.

• In British Columbia, we cannot provide surgery readiness letters due to local interpretation of WPATH Standards of Care 8, which limits letter-writing to physicians or nurse practitioners.
• Outside of BC, we offer comprehensive assessments and support letters for surgery readiness in accordance with WPATH SOC8 guidelines. Clayre and Laura are both WPATH GEI SOC8 Certified Members with years of experience in gender-affirming care across North America.

Yes, depending on where you live and the kind of support you’re seeking. We offer psychotherapy to clients in the regions where we’re licensed. If you’re located in an unregulated province or outside of Canada, we can provide coaching, consultation, or group support, which do not fall under the scope of psychotherapy.

Most of our workshops and groups are hosted online via Zoom or Jane App. Instructions and links will be provided ahead of time. These spaces are designed to be low-barrier and accessible—just bring yourself, a working internet connection, and a quiet place to land.

Our Community Groups are gently facilitated spaces for connection, co-regulation, and collective care. They are not therapy groups, but rather spaces where we gather to create, share, and be in relationship with no pressure to perform, fix, or explain. Community Groups are open to anyone looking for belonging and softness in uncertain times.

Our Peer Support Groups, by contrast, are small, therapist-facilitated programs that follow a more structured therapeutic arc. They’re designed for folks actively working through trauma, grief, identity, or nervous system overwhelm. These groups are closed, run over multiple weeks, and integrate frameworks like TIST, art therapy, and somatic awareness.

While many of the folks who attend our groups are Two Spirit, trans, nonbinary, gender expansive, queer, or navigating identity-based harm, our groups are open to anyone who resonates with the values of collective care, rest, and justice. If you’re feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or just hungry for community, you’re welcome here. We don’t gatekeep based on identity.

No. You’re never required to speak, share your story, or disclose anything personal. Many participants choose to listen, create, or simply witness. All forms of participation are valid. Silence is welcome.

For Community Groups, attendance can range from 6 to 15 participants, depending on the format. These groups tend to be more open-ended and drop-in friendly.

For Peer Support Groups, we cap participation at 8 people to ensure depth, safety, and shared attunement. These are closed groups that meet weekly for a defined number of sessions.

All of our current group offerings are held online, using secure platforms like Zoom or Jane App. We hope to offer in-person circles in Vancouver in the future as our practice expands.

Community Groups are by donation. No one is turned away for lack of funds. Donations help us cover facilitator time and tech costs.

Peer Support Groups are fee-based, with limited sliding scale availability. These programs reflect the clinical skill and time commitment involved, and include structured content like therapeutic workbooks or art-based practices.

Yes. We’re always developing new offerings based on what our community needs. To stay in the loop, join our newsletter for the latest updates.

We offer several ways to work with us as a therapist or clinician:

• Clinical supervision (for practicum students and early-career therapists)
• Peer consultation (for therapists seeking support, mentorship, or case reflection)
• Workshops and continuing education (on trauma-informed, somatic, and justice-rooted practices)
• Mentorship and collaboration (for building aligned practices and collective offerings)

These offerings are designed to nourish you—not just help you “keep up.” We’re here for the slow work of integration, depth, and staying in the work without losing yourself.

Clinical supervision is a formal relationship designed to meet regulatory or credentialing requirements (e.g., CRPO, BCACC, CATA, CCPA, or state licensure). It includes structured feedback, ethical oversight, and guidance as you develop your clinical identity.

Peer consultation is more spacious and collegial. It’s about deepening your clinical work, moving through blocks or burnout, and expanding your capacity in a grounded, non-hierarchical way. It’s especially helpful for more experienced clinicians navigating complexity or transition.

Clayre Sessoms (RP, RCAT, CCC, ATR-BC) offers supervision and consultation grounded in art therapy, somatic practice, and Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST).

Laura Hoge (LCSW, LICSW, RSW) brings more than 20 years of experience in trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, and systems-based work. She has trained and supervised clinicians across North America.

Both Clayre and Laura are Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapists, bringing lived experience, ethical clarity, and relational depth to all their work with clinicians.

Yes. Clayre is a Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) and Registered Canadian Art Therapist (RCAT). She provides supervision for those working toward ATR-P, ATR, or RCAT credentials, as well as those interested in integrating expressive arts into their clinical work.

Occasionally. When there’s enough interest, we offer small-group options for peer consultation and supervision. These are ideal for folks wanting community and connection in their professional growth. Join our newsletter or reach out to let us know if this is something you’re looking for.

Possibly. We love co-creating with therapists, artists, and facilitators who are aligned with our values. Collaboration starts with a conversation—reach out and let us know what you’re dreaming up.

Yes, if we’ve worked together in a meaningful way. We’re invested in helping emerging and justice-oriented therapists thrive—and that includes supporting your professional journey beyond our work together.