Alberta Counselling Centre Reviews Analysis: What Clients Need to Know
Rod Mitchell, MSc, MC, Registered Psychologist
What Reviews Reveal About the Alberta Counselling Centre
This analysis examines 75+ Google and Yelp reviews of the Alberta Counselling Centre to help you understand what to expect. The reviews reveal a distinct pattern: strong praise for individual counselors alongside concerns about administrative operations.
Compiled by Emotions Therapy Calgary as part of our series examining counselling and therapy services in Calgary, this independent analysis reflects patterns found in publicly available reviews as of September 2025. We believe transparent information about client experiences helps people make informed decisions about their mental health care.
For those still exploring counselling options in Calgary, you may also find our companion articles helpful:
Calgary Counselling Centre Reviews: Critical Information Before You Book
Calgary Institute of Counselling Reviews Analysis: Everything You Need to Know Before Booking
Living Well Counselling Reviews: What 200+ Calgary Clients Really Say
Virtuous Circle Counselling Reviews: The Good, The Bad, and What to Expect
Table of Contents Hide
Individual Counselor Performance & Specializations
Some reviews name different counselors at the clinic. Here's who clients recommend by specialty:
| Counselor | Specialty Area (per reviews) | What Clients Say |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Couples counseling | "Wonderful asset to our relationship for 2 years" |
| Ursula | Individual therapy | "Best therapist I've had in years" |
| Katerina | Life transitions | "Helped me claim spaces in the world" |
| Mikaela | Psycho-educational assessments | "Excellent report and recommendations" |
Notable pattern: Multiple clients maintained relationships with the same counselor for 1-3 years. Several reviewers had tried other clinics before finding their match here.
Treatment Effectiveness & Approaches
No reviews complained about standard session pricing, and clients consistently reported positive outcomes with individual counselors.
Reported Treatment Results
Clients described concrete improvements with timelines:
Exceptional outcomes: One client with 40+ years of therapy experience ranked their counselor among the few who "helped me claim spaces for myself in the world"
Quick progress: "After just 6 sessions, I finally had tools to manage my anxiety"
Personal clarity: "Able to bring clarity into my life, provide valuable insight"
Session Structure
Several reviews describe active, engaged therapy rather than just talking:
Between-session homework: "She leaves me with a task to think about at the end of each session & we have a follow up"
Building self-discovery: "Makes it simple... shows you to discover yourself"
Bottom line: The therapy itself works well here. Cost concerns only arose with insurance complications, not regular sessions. Multiple clients found effective treatment in 6-12 sessions.
Child & Teen Services
Multiple parents praised the clinic's youth services. One parent captured the overall sentiment: "Giving him another safe place to land."
What Parents Valued Most
Kids actually want to go: "My 13 year old speaks volumes about her"
ADHD/ODD expertise: "If you have kids with ADHD or ODD, I strongly suggest Chelsea"
Safe environment: "My children feel safe coming here to talk"
Psycho-educational assessments: Professional reports for school accommodations
Youth Counselors by Specialty
Chelsea: ADHD/ODD specialist who "gave up her lunch time" for urgent cases
Angela: Works with siblings, praised by multiple families
Claire: Teen specialist with empathy for both "teenagers and parents"
Mikaela Logan: Psycho-educational testing and school recommendations
Bottom line for parents: Several counselors here specialize in children's mental health, not just general therapy. Parents consistently mentioned their kids didn't resist going - rare for teen counseling.
Accessibility & Accommodation
The clinic offers several practical advantages that reviewers repeatedly mention. These features matter when you need flexible scheduling or have insurance concerns.
Weekend and Crisis Availability
The clinic is open Sundays - unusual for Calgary counseling. One reviewer noted: "This is greatly appreciated and rare. This alleviates traffic, parking and crowds."
Reviewers highlighted multiple accommodation examples:
Emergency appointments: "She give up her lunch time to see my son"
After-hours support: "Called me back after a bad night with no judgment"
Saturday availability: Helped multiple clients with work conflicts
Virtual options maintained: "I love that the over computer appointments continued"
Insurance Processing
Multiple reviewers specifically praised the billing process:
They file insurance for you: "They filed everything for me"
Simple payment system: "Insurance claims and payment are very simple"
Several reviewers recommended the clinic specifically for easy billing
What this means for you: If you work Monday-Friday or struggle with insurance paperwork, this clinic removes common barriers to getting help. Sunday appointments alone set them apart from most Calgary counseling options.
Motor Vehicle Accident Support
The clinic offers specialized counseling for motor vehicle accident (MVA) claims. Important:
MVA-Specific Services
Insurance advocacy: "Advocates for you in your motor vehicle claim to receive the care you require"
Adjuster liaison: Staff help "liaise with insurance adjustors during what can be a stressful and confusing time"
Direct billing: They handle "filing everything for me"
Specialized treatment: Claire's approach specifically praised for accident recovery
Who this helps: If you're overwhelmed by insurance paperwork after an accident, the clinic handles the administrative burden.
Concerns with Leadership
Note: The following information comes from client reviews and represents their reported experiences. These claims have not been independently verified.
Two detailed reviews from 2024 describe incidents with Joyce Achtnig, the clinic's Owner and Clinical Director. Both reviewers reported similar experiences.
Reported Issues
According to these two reviews, clients experienced what they described as verbal attacks during sessions:
First review states: "I heard her on the phone attack my daughter verbally" — parent alleged Joyce made fabrications about family mental health diagnoses
Second review claims: "A switch seemed to go off in her" after mentioning AHS healthcare. Reviewer alleged Joyce used twisted confidential information against them
Both reviews describe: Sessions reportedly going well until a specific topic triggered what they perceived as hostile behavior
Specific Allegations in Reviews
Trust concerns: Reviewers claimed previous session information was "twisted and used against" them
Professional boundary issues: Reviews mention making clients cry, allegedly invalidating mental health concerns
Reported actions: Both reviewers stated they filed complaints with the licensing body
Important context: These represent 2 total reviews. Other reviews focus on different counselors with no similar complaints.
Administrative & Management Issues
While individual counselors received excellent reviews, multiple clients reported serious problems with clinic administration and management.
Pattern of Administrative Failures
Mass cancellations without notice: "They ended up canceling all subsequent ones (10-15 appointments) and ignored my calls and emails"
Five-week response delays: "Waited 5 weeks to hear back from a supposed liaison with my lawyer"
Unresponsive to clients: "Couldn't have been bothered with me" and "ignored my calls and emails"
Money prioritization allegations: After paying $4,000+ from accident settlement plus $800 out-of-pocket, client concluded clinic would "rather have the money than actually help"
What this means for you: The counselors themselves appear skilled and caring. However, some clients experienced administrative problems. Get your counselor's direct contact information, and document appointment confirmations. Have a backup plan if you suddenly can't reach admin staff.
Conclusion
Reviews of the Alberta Counselling Centre show a contrast between excellent individual counselors and management concerns. The therapists named in reviews consistently helped clients, with many maintaining therapeutic relationships for years.
This clinic works best for: Parents seeking specialized ADHD/ODD treatment, people needing Sunday appointments, or those who already know which specific counselor they want. Some clients who needed reliable administrative support experienced challenges, and some had concerns about the intake process with the owner.
Whatever path forward feels right for you, we hope this analysis helps you make an informed choice.
At Emotions Therapy Calgary, we prioritize stable therapeutic relationships and offer free 20-minute consultations to help you explore what approach might work best. Whether you choose the Alberta Counselling Centre, our clinic, or another option entirely, taking the step to seek support is what truly matters.
