Frequently Asked Questions
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Dental anxiety counselling focuses on the emotional and psychological experiences associated with dental care. It provides a private, nonjudgmental space to understand your anxiety, explore what may be contributing to it and develop strategies that support greater safety, choice and confidence.
It does not involve dental examinations or treatment.
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No. Dental avoidance often develops for understandable reasons and can become difficult to interrupt. You will not be shamed for how long it has been since your last appointment, the condition of your oral health or the ways you have coped with anxiety.
My role is to understand your experience and support your goals, not to judge your past choices.
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No. Counselling is collaborative, and you will remain involved in deciding what we discuss and how quickly we proceed.
If approaching dental care is one of your goals, we can work toward it through gradual and personally meaningful steps. You will not be expected to do something simply because a counsellor thinks you should.
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No. You do not need an appointment scheduled before seeking support.
Some clients may want help preparing for a specific visit, while others may need time to understand their anxiety before deciding whether they are ready to approach dental care.
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The first session is an opportunity for us to become acquainted, discuss confidentiality and begin understanding what brings you to counselling.
We may explore:
What dental anxiety is like for you
Experiences that may have influenced it
Current triggers and avoidance patterns
What helps you feel safer
What you hope will become different
Any questions or concerns you have about counselling
You will not be required to share your complete dental or personal history immediately. We can proceed at a pace that feels manageable.
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No. You may seek counselling before choosing a dental provider, while preparing for an appointment or after a difficult dental experience.
If finding a provider is part of your concern, we can explore what qualities and accommodations might help you feel safer. However, counselling will not include selecting a dentist for you or guaranteeing another provider’s services.
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Counselling may be helpful if you:
Feel anxious when thinking or talking about dental care
Experience distress before, during or after appointments
Avoid or postpone care despite wanting to attend
Fear pain, needles, procedures or receiving difficult news
Feel embarrassed about your oral health
Worry about being judged or dismissed
Experience sensory discomfort or a strong gag reflex
Find it difficult to trust dental professionals
Feel powerless or unable to communicate during treatment
Have previous dental or healthcare experiences that continue to affect you
You do not need to have a formal anxiety diagnosis to seek support.
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Counselling will be tailored to your needs and may include:
Understanding your anxiety responses and triggers
Exploring previous experiences without judgment
Reducing shame and self-criticism
Developing grounding and emotional-regulation strategies
Identifying your needs, preferences and boundaries
Preparing questions for a dental provider
Creating a communication or appointment-support plan
Examining anxious expectations
Planning gradual, client-directed steps toward care
Processing an appointment afterward
Not every client will need or want every type of intervention.
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No intervention will be introduced without discussion and your consent.
Gradual behavioural work may be helpful for some people, but it should be collaborative, carefully paced and connected to the client’s goals. You will not be asked to confront your greatest fear immediately or continue an exercise that has not been agreed upon.
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My approach is grounded in person-centred therapy and informed by multicultural and existential perspectives. I also practise through trauma-informed principles that emphasize safety, transparency, choice, collaboration and empowerment.
Depending on your needs, I may integrate strategies from cognitive, behavioural, experiential, strengths-based and solution-focused approaches. Your culture, identity, experiences, goals and readiness will help guide our work.
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I have worked in dental since 2008. This experience has given me an understanding of dental environments, terminology, procedures, patient communication and the moments in which people may feel particularly vulnerable.
However, I will not assume that my professional experience tells me what dental anxiety means to you. Your individual experience remains at the centre of our work.
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Dental information may be discussed to provide context or help you prepare questions. However, dental anxiety counselling does not replace an examination, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified dental professional.
I will not diagnose dental conditions or provide individualized dental treatment recommendations in my counselling role.
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Any communication or collaboration with another healthcare provider would require discussion and your informed written consent, except where disclosure is otherwise required by law.
The purpose, information shared and limits of your consent would be clarified before contact occurs. You may also choose to communicate your counselling insights or support plan to your dental provider yourself.
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Your privacy is an important part of counselling. Information shared in sessions is generally confidential, with specific legal and ethical exceptions.
These exceptions and the limits of confidentiality will be explained before counselling begins so you can ask questions and make an informed decision about participating.
Please avoid submitting sensitive personal, dental or health information through the general website contact form.
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There is no universal number of sessions for dental anxiety. The length of counselling will depend on your experiences, goals, level of distress, upcoming dental needs and preferred pace.
We will review your goals together and discuss whether the work continues to feel helpful. You are not required to commit to a predetermined number of sessions.
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Counselling cannot guarantee that all anxiety will disappear. Progress may instead mean understanding your reactions, experiencing less shame, communicating more confidently, feeling greater control or becoming able to approach dental care while some anxiety is still present.
You will help define what meaningful progress looks like for you.
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I am a Licensed Dental Assistant with nearly two decades of dental experience, hold a Bachelor of Science and am completing a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University.
My graduate education includes humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioural, multicultural, systemic, crisis and trauma approaches. I am also completing additional professional development in life transitions and youth mental health.
My current registrations and memberships are listed on the About page.
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Dental anxiety counselling services are anticipated to begin in January 2027.
Appointment formats, location, availability, session length and fees are still being finalized. Join the waitlist to receive updates when these details become available.
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Fees, receipts and potential insurance eligibility will be clarified before services begin. Coverage varies between insurance providers and plans, so clients should confirm eligibility directly with their insurer once the counsellor’s designation and supervision arrangements are available.
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Dental Anxiety Counselling is not an emergency or crisis service, and website messages are not monitored continuously.
Please visit the Help Resources section for urgent, local, Canadian and international support options. If someone is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services available in their location.
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You can join the waitlist or use the Contact page to ask a general question. You do not need to provide sensitive health information through the contact form.
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Finding a counsellor who feels safe, supportive and well suited to your needs is important. You are welcome to discuss any concerns about our work, ask for changes or decide that you would prefer to work with someone else.
If your needs fall outside my areas of competence or scope of practice, I will be transparent with you and, when possible, offer information about other counsellors or appropriate services. Although I cannot guarantee another provider’s availability or suitability, I will aim to support a thoughtful transition.
Choosing another counsellor will not be viewed as a failure or taken personally. You have the right to make decisions about your care and to seek a provider who feels like the best fit for you.
Find a counsellor in BC or a counsellor in Canada