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Our mission of empowering underserved communities through accessible counselling is made possible by people like you. Thank you for donating or sponsoring Moving Forward.
Registered Charity #: 760671891RR0001
Our mission of empowering underserved communities through accessible counselling is made possible by people like you. Thank you for donating or sponsoring Moving Forward.
Moving Forward is a non-profit charity organization that offers free short-term and affordable long-term counselling options to folks across British Columbia.
Our services are delivered by supervised students in social work and counselling programs across Canada, who are in the final months of their education, as well as registered therapists willing to offer sliding scale services to low income clients. Counselling through our team is available in-person (if in the lower mainland of BC, minimal fees apply), and through online platforms and telephone.
Together, we strive to create a world without sorrow, where no one is denied counselling based on financial constraints.
Low-income individuals, couples, families, who who cannot afford private therapy are welcome at Moving Forward Family Services.
Last year, our team provided over 22,000 counselling sessions. Of these, 15,000 sessions were offered at no cost. For paid sessions, the average fee ranged from $5 to $7 per session.
For service options and wait times, please visit the Get Started/Services page on the banner at the top of this screen.
Consider donating to our agency.
$20 can make a significant impact: it can provide a free therapy session, fund a bursary for a counselling intern to attend training of their choice, contribute to counselling outside of our agency when advanced support is needed, or support a community workshop open to everyone!
Public services are designed to help as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. They also tend to be restrictive in who they serve and typically have long wait times. Private services are more open with minimal waits but are expensive.
Moving Forward attempts to bridge the gap between these two models by offering low-cost services for long-term healing.
Moving Forward is your low-barrier entry to mental health services. While we may not be a great fit for everyone, our goal is to provide mental health services to those who slip through the cracks in our healthcare system. For Canadians without an extensive health benefits plan or cannot afford private therapy, we’re ready to help. However, if your benefits include mental health coverage or you earn a high income, we can refer you to an experienced registered counsellor in our network.
Moving Forward offers a wide range of counselling, social work, and mental health services. Our unique model allows us to complement existing services instead of competing with them, thus reducing overall pressure on our healthcare industry. Our services are provided by Clinical Counsellors, Social Workers and supervised interns in the following areas:
Find a solution to life’s challenging situations with a dedicated counsellor who understands you. Our diverse practitioners provide mental health therapy to the 99% who can’t afford it. Everyone is accepted. Every part of you is welcome.
Get Started
Gain practical counselling experience and complete your program by helping people who can’t get help otherwise. Take ownership of your practice — our clinical supervisors will support you every step of the way.
Learn More
Please make a difference in your community by giving low-income families a chance to resolve their mental health issues through therapy. For $5 donated, we can provide up to 15 minutes of counselling services.
Donate Today
Hello!
I’m Gary Thandi, the founder and Executive Director of Moving Forward.
I believe everyone has some form of struggle, and while it isn’t always a bad thing, everyone should have equitable access to the support needed to address it. That’s why I started Moving Forward. We support everyone, including the most vulnerable in our communities, especially those who may not be eligible for services in the public sector. We know how difficult it can be to find help promptly, especially without an extensive benefits plan. This is where Moving Forward can help.
We believe early intervention and prevention can benefit our society as a whole. Shorter wait times mean your needs are addressed quickly, helping you overcome your struggles. Plus, early action can lower resource investment on the other end of the spectrum, such as policing, corrections, or long-term hospitalization.
We are passionate about helping people and want to help out any way we can. We have a variety of services offered in over 20 languages meaning everyone is welcome, even you!
– Gary
Be the first to know when we organize special events and workshops where you can discover strategies for coping with life’s daily struggles and access resources to improve your mental health.
