Calgary Counselling Centre

What Calgary Counselling Centre does

Calgary Counselling Centre is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1963 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It delivers affordable mental health counselling services — individual, couples, family, and group — both in-person at its Calgary headquarters and online across the province. The organization's distinguishing technical platform is the Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) methodology, in use since 2004, which pairs session-by-session administration of the OQ-45 outcome measure with an in-house research team to track client progress and continuously refine practice. Empirically, 50.4% of clients improved or recovered in 2023, outperforming the 35% industry benchmark by approximately 40%.

The organization runs multiple product extensions beyond core counselling, including the Quotie children's emotional learning tool, the Living Fully mental health podcast, the National Depression Screening Day initiative (areyoufeelingok.com), the Overcoming Eating Disorders 14-week group program, and a suite of corporate/government consulting offerings under the Mental Health Navigator brand. Through Counselling Alberta, launched in June 2022 with CAD $3.53 million in Alberta Health funding, the centre extended virtual service delivery province-wide, including rural, remote, and Indigenous (NIHB-eligible) populations.

Revenue mechanics are those of a registered charity: government grants (Alberta Health, Victims of Crime Assistance Program, federal NIHB Program), charitable donations (notably CAD $1.15 million from the Calgary Flames Foundation in 2020 and recurring Bell Let's Talk and Sinopec Canada grants), client fees on a sliding scale with no financial barriers, and corporate training/consulting revenue. Distribution is hybrid — direct online self-service registration, in-person sessions, and a regional virtual channel — supported by earned-media marketing, a podcast, and community events. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, employs 51–100 staff, and maintains research collaborations with the University of Calgary, University of Wisconsin, ICCE, RESOLVE Alberta, and PolicyWise.

Name

Calgary Counselling Centre

Legal name

Calgary Counselling Centre

Website

https://calgarycounselling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Calgary Counselling Centre is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1963 that provides affordable mental health counselling — individual, couples, family, and group — in-person and online across Alberta, Canada, with 51–100 staff and a province-wide delivery model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Counselling Services

NAICS

Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (62133), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outpatient Mental Health & Counseling Clinics (HLAFABAC), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Mental Health Counseling & Psychotherapy Services (EDALAFAB)

Keywords

• Mental health counselling
• Counselling services
• Family therapy
• Telemental health services
• Eating disorder treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Counselling Services: Registered provider of victims of crime counselling services through Alberta's Victims of Crime Assistance Program. Provides mental health counselling under the federal Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program for eligible First Nations and Inuit clients.
2. Research Grants and Partnerships: Collaborations with educational institutions (University of Calgary, University of Wisconsin) and research networks (RESOLVE Alberta) for research initiatives. Student placement programs.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Receives donations from individuals and organizations including Sinopec Canada ($20,000), Bell Let's Talk Community Fund ($15,000), Calgary Flames Foundation ($1.15 million). Revenue supports student education program and general operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Calgary Counselling Centre is a registered nonprofit charity that delivers affordable, evidence-based mental health counselling to individuals, couples, families, and groups through in-person and online channels, with no wait list and no financial barriers. The Centre also operates the Counselling Alberta provincial virtual initiative, specialized group programs (including eating disorder programs), corporate/organizational consulting, graduate training programs, and a research function built on Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) using the OQ-45 outcome measurement tool.

Product overview

Calgary Counselling Centre operates as a charitable mental health organization offering a portfolio of counselling services centred on its core counselling program. The organization provides individual, couples, family, and group counselling in-person and online, supplemented by specialized programs including the Quotie children's emotional learning tool and the Overcoming Eating Disorders 14-week group program. Key brand extensions include Counselling Alberta (expanding virtual services province-wide), the Living Fully Podcast for mental health education, and the National Depression Screening Day initiative featuring a free online screening tool. The Centre also operates training programs (Graduate Internships, Postgraduate Residency) and corporate consulting services, positioning itself as both a service provider and a centre of excellence in counselling research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Counselling Alberta: A provincial initiative launched by Calgary Counselling Centre to provide counselling services to all Albertans through virtual and in-person sessions, expanding beyond Calgary to serve the entire province of Alberta.

Products and services

• Counselling Services (Individual, Couples, Family)
• Counselling Alberta
• Overcoming Eating Disorders Program
• Eating Disorders Workshop for Family and Friends
• Corporate and Organizational Consulting
• Mental Health Navigator
• Graduate Internship Program
• Postgraduate Residency

Quantifiable outcome

• 50.4% of clients improved or recovered (vs 35% industry benchmark)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• HomeFrontcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalgary-based organization working with law enforcement, justice, and community to reduce domestic violence. Calgary Counselling Centre works with HomeFront as a treatment provider for their programs.
• Calgary Domestic Violence CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative focusing on issues affecting families in Calgary through information sharing, awareness, and government advocacy. Connects Calgary Counselling Centre to YWCA, Alberta Works, and Connect agencies.
• Calgary Police Services - Domestic Conflict UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership vital to community well-being. Offenders and victims are referred to Calgary Counselling Centre to initiate conversation and lead them on path to recovery and well-being.
• Immigrant Services Calgary – Language BanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides interpretation services when Calgary Counselling Centre cannot offer counselling in a client's first language. Funded by The United Way, ensuring conversations can start with all clients.
• RESOLVE AlbertacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-prairie research network that coordinates and supports research aimed at ending Domestic Abuse. Key research collaborator for Calgary Counselling Centre research initiatives.
• University of Calgary Faculty of Social WorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research collaboration with University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work on counselling best practices, mental health research, and student education programs.
• University of Calgary Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education & ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with University of Calgary Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education & Research on mental health research initiatives.
• International Centre of Clinical Excellence (ICCE)supportingTechnology or IntegrationChicago-based organization providing clinical excellence frameworks and methodologies. Supports Calgary Counselling Centre's evidence-based treatment approach.
• University of WisconsinsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research collaboration on mental health research and counselling effectiveness studies.
• Canadian Mental Health AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency helping to connect and provide resources for individuals to improve their mental health. Collaboration on mental health advocacy and support.
• PolicyWisesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organization that develops evidence to inform social public policy. Supports research initiatives and policy development for mental health services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Distress Centres Calgary: Calgary-based nonprofit providing 24/7 crisis support, counselling, and suicide prevention services. Directly comparable as a community-based mental health support organization serving overlapping client populations in the same metro area.
• Canadian Mental Health Association - Calgary Region: Local CMHA chapter delivering mental-health programs, advocacy, and community support in Calgary. Comparable nonprofit model, similar mission, overlapping clientele, and competing for the same provincial and donor funding pools.
• Wood's Homes: Calgary-based nonprofit providing mental-health services for children, youth, and families, including counselling and residential programs. Overlaps with CCC's family and children segments (e.g., Quotie) in the same geography.
• Family Services Calgary: Calgary nonprofit delivering counselling, family support, and community programs on a sliding-scale model. Closely comparable operating model, funding sources, and client segments.

Broad incumbents

• Kids Help Phone: National Canadian nonprofit providing e-mental-health services to young people via phone, text, and chat. Comparable mission and digital-distribution mindset, but national scope and youth-only focus distinguish it from CCC.
• Alberta Health Services - Addiction & Mental Health: Provincial publicly funded provider of mental-health and addiction services across Alberta. Overlaps on service lines and geography but operates at much larger scale with hospital-anchored delivery.
• TELUS Health MyCare: Canadian virtual care platform offering mental-health counselling, therapy, and psychiatry on demand. Comparable telehealth delivery model and provincial reach, but for-profit, app-led, and broader in scope.
• BetterHelp: Global online therapy platform connecting individuals to licensed counsellors via subscription. Comparable online individual counselling offering and accessibility positioning, but commercial-scale and digital-first.
• Morneau Shepell (LifeWorks): Major Canadian Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and mental-health services provider. Comparable corporate/organizational consulting offering and employer-funded revenue model, but national and for-profit.

Others

• 211 Alberta: Provincial helpline and resource-referral service connecting Albertans to community, social, and mental-health supports. Comparable as an access/routing layer in the Alberta mental-health ecosystem but does not deliver counselling directly.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@calgarycounsellingcentre
• Facebookfacebook.com/calgarycounsellingcentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calgary-counselling-centre
• Xx.com/YYC_counselling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Calgary Counselling Centre