When the environment grew harder, we strengthened our systems, expanded our reach, and helped more people move forward. We deepened our commitment to quality through research and outcome measurement while investing in the next generation of counsellors.
For 64 years, Calgary Counselling Centre has adapted to meet the changing needs of our community. In 2025, thanks to the continued support of our staff, volunteers, donors, and partners, we emerged stronger and more prepared for what lies ahead.
8,389Cases
40,336Hours of individual, couple,
family, and group counselling
10,383Requests for service
62%CCC clients subsidized
6.5Average sessions
1,999Client group sessions
164Communities served
This year tested Albertans and revealed what Calgary Counselling Centre is built for. As financial pressures mounted and the need for mental health support grew, this organization responded with the strength and adaptability that has always defined it. For thousands of individuals and families, care was there when it mattered most.
We are deeply grateful for the trust our clients place in us, and proud of the exceptional high standard of care our staff brings to each person they serve.
Our sincere thanks go to our staff, volunteers, trainees, fellow board members, funders, donors, and community partners. Your commitment ensures that support remains accessible, responsive, and grounded in quality.
Together, we are helping people move through difficult moments and emerge with greater strength and confidence. It is an honour to support an organization that continues to respond, adapt, and lead in service of our community.
NEEDS APPROVAL
NEEDS APPROVAL
Rhonda DelFrari
RDel Insights
Mark Fitzgerald
Eavor Technologies
Wayne Foo
Community Volunteer
Spencer Forgo
ATCO Ltd.
Curtis Gratton
ENMAX Corporation
Matthew Hutchens
RSM LLP
John Lang-Hodge
Community Volunteer
Adam Legge
Business Council of Alberta
Tim Moro
Hill & Knowlton Strategies
Hugoline Morton
Community Volunteer
Cathy Pryce
Community Volunteer
Dawn Tinling (Chair)
Community Volunteer
Deanna Werklund
Community Volunteer
Robbie Babins-Wagner
Calgary Counselling Centre
2025 reinforced what we already knew: mental health support must be responsive, flexible, and grounded in evidence. As demand increased, our teams adapted to ensure care remained effective and accessible.
This year called for adaptation. As systems shifted and pressures increased, our teams strengthened how counselling, research, education, and outreach work together. Client feedback remained at the heart of how we deliver care. Through Feedback Informed Treatment, people stayed focused on what mattered most and saw progress sooner. At the same time, we expanded our capacity, deepened support for communities facing heightened stress, and invested in training the next generation of mental health professionals.
This work was made possible by the commitment of our staff, volunteers, trainees, donors, and partners. Together, we helped thousands move through difficult times and emerge with greater confidence and resilience. As we look ahead, our commitment remains clear: to continue adapting so mental health support is there when people need it most.
Robbie Babins-Wagner
Chief Executive Officer
Calgary Counselling Centre
127Volunteers
39,957Volunteer hours
87Full- and part-time staff
12Residents
83Interns
14Work experience students
20Consultants
Through Counselling Alberta, we continue to expand access to mental health support across the province, particularly in rural and farming communities where financial strain and uncertainty continue to grow. Our team includes counsellors who understand rural life and bring specialized experience to supporting the individuals and families navigating it.
In 2025, Counselling Alberta received 5,330 requests for service, supported 5,458 clients, and reached communities in 162 locations across the province. Proximity to care matters. Through partnerships with agencies across the province, we ensure clients can access in-person support in:
Global Village Centre, Brooks
The Family Centre, Edmonton
Momentum Counselling, Edmonton
Some Other Solutions, Fort McMurray
Catholic Family Services, Grande Prairie
Lethbridge Family Services, Lethbridge
Medicine Hat Family Services, Medicine Hat
Vantage Community Services, Red Deer
Vegreville Family & Community Support Services
As rising living costs deepen distress across the province, we remain committed to providing accessible, evidence-informed care, including through our partnership with the Canadian Red Cross supporting Northern communities still recovering from the 2023 wildfires.
The increased demand for services we saw in 2025 was not just a statistic, it was a reflection of what Albertans were living through. Rising costs and financial strain led more people to seek support, with anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges among the most common concerns.
We responded with flexible, accessible care available six days a week, including evenings and Saturdays, offered in-person, online, and by phone. In total, we supported 8,389 active cases, delivered 40,336 hours of counselling, and reached 47,772 people across Alberta.
Access means more than availability, it means feeling safe, seen, and understood. Our team includes Indigenous counsellors and professionals from diverse cultural backgrounds, with services offered in multiple languages. One of our primary measurement tools is available in 26 languages to support inclusive outcomes.
Group counselling continued to play an important role in care this year. 258 people participated in seven different group programs addressing concerns such as domestic violence, depression and anxiety, self-esteem, and support for children. Clients who transition from individual to group counselling see nearly double the improvement, highlighting the power of connection, shared learning, and practical skill-building in an open and supportive environment.
Strengthening family violence supports
In 2025, oversight of the Provincial Family Violence Treatment Program (PFVTP) transitioned from Recovery Alberta to Counselling Alberta. This shift prompted meaningful updates to intake processes, safety risk assessment, and how we engage with the individuals and families served. To lead this work, we appointed an Associate Director responsible for overseeing the program and support staff through the changes while ensuring consistent, safe, effective, and accountable service delivery.
When two externally funded programs serving men and boys — including male victims of abuse — were phased out, we responded quickly to preserve access to care. We developed online training to expand our internal clinical capacity ensuring these clients could continue receiving the specialized support they need.
We strengthen participation in group programs by sharing facilitator experiences and client outcomes across teams, continuing to foster our culture of ongoing learning and improvement. This was further reinforced through a two-day workshop led by Todd Augusta Scott focused exploring engagement, accountability, safety, and repair within families.
Even during a year of transition, our focus never wavered: responsive, steady support for those affected by family violence.
Depression and anxiety remain among the top reasons people seek counselling. As financial strain, loneliness, and global uncertainty continue to weigh on people, many are finding it harder to cope. Through initiatives like National Depression Screening Day, we offer a confidential way for individuals to assess symptoms and connect with support early.
Ongoing monthly consultation with leading depression expert Dr. Michael Yapko helps ensure the care our counsellors provide remains responsive, evidence-informed, and focused on helping people move forward with greater stability and confidence.
Young people today are navigating anxiety, relationship stress, academic pressure, and major life transitions at increasingly younger ages.
We provide in-person, group, and family counselling grounded in the understanding that children and adolescents do best when supported by safe, stable, and engaged caregivers. Our Responsible Choices for Children and Children of Divorce group programs offer structured, in-person skill-building and connection with a focus on strengthening family relationships whenever possible.
As the pressures facing young people continue to evolve, our approach remains steady—helping children, youth, and families move through challenges together and emerge with greater resilience and confidence.
|
12 and under |
12.7% |
|
13–17 |
14.1% |
|
18–24 |
73.2% |
Strong communities need skilled mental health professionals. Through our internship and Postgraduate Counsellor Residency Training Program, students and graduates gain hands-on clinical experience while contributing to client care.
Our training program is the largest in Western Canada and students have gone on to practice in hundreds of communities across North America and the globe.
In 2025, 83 interns and 12 residents trained at Calgary Counselling Centre under experienced supervision. Five new residents began the program, with one transitioning directly into employment at CCC — highlighting the program’s strength as a pathway into professional practice.
Training is supported by 17 intern supervisors and 3 resident supervisors, ensuring strong mentorship and clinical oversight.
Trainees also benefit from ongoing consultation with leading experts in psychotherapy, supervision, and outcome measurement, strengthening their skills in evidence-based care.
We were proud to host our first resident bursary event since COVID, raising awareness about the program’s impact locally and beyond.
By investing in education and supervision, we are helping ensure communities across Alberta have access to skilled, confident mental health professionals now and into the future.
83 Interns
12 Residents
Beyond counselling and training, Calgary Counselling Centre and Counselling Alberta support communities through partnerships, outreach, and collaboration. As needs evolve, we extend accessible, evidence-informed mental health care beyond our counselling rooms—helping individuals and organizations navigate challenges with greater stability and confidence.
From October 6–12, we carried out our annual National Depression Screening Day initiative where we offer a free quiz for Albertans to check in on their mental health. The campaign results are as follows:
As provincial health systems evolved, we worked with 211 and Recovery Alberta to develop coordinated service pathways, improving how people move between supports.
We partnered with the Calgary Chamber of Commerce to offer the Workplace Mental Health Navigator, a free and confidential service designed to help employers and employees quickly access mental health support, and community resources.
We continued our work with the United Way Action Table, alongside The City of Calgary and Calgary Police Service, coordinating support for individuals in urgent need.
New funding also supported development of a Suicide Loss Group Counselling Program, addressing a service gap in Calgary.
At Calgary Counselling Centre research isn't something that happens behind the scenes—it directly shapes the care people receive. For over 30 years, we’ve integrated research into everyday practice, providing a steady foundation through a year of change and growing need. Through Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT), we track progress session by session and adjust support in real time based on client feedback, helping people see meaningful results sooner.
Research isn’t something that happens behind the scenes — it directly shapes client care.
In 2025, our in-house research team led province-wide outcome measurement, strengthened supervision practices, and contributed to national and international research on family relationships, abuse prevention, depression, and grief. By continually measuring and refining care, we ensure counselling stays focused on what matters most.
30 Years of research in practice
How research shows up in client care
Track progress session by session
Adjust counselling based on client feedback
Focus on what helps clients feel better, sooner
2025 Publications
Jiwani, Z., Xie, Q., Curtin, J. J., Riordan, K. M., Babins-Wagner, R., Caperton, D., … & Goldberg, S. B. (2025). Is Employment Status Associated with Baseline Symptoms, Engagement, and Outcomes in Naturalistic Psychotherapy? Evaluation in a Large Community Mental Health Agency. Psychotherapy, 62(4):495–508.
2025 Presentations & Conference Papers
Wong, J. Z. S., Caperton, D. D., Holland, K. M. G., & Babins-Wagner, R. (2025) “I’m Fine”: Detecting masked depression in men who use family violence—a clinically informed machine learning approach. Poster presented at the 56th International Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Krakow, Poland.
Holland, K. M. G., Caperton, D. D., Wong, J. Z. S., Chan, H., Azmi, M., & Babins-Wagner, R. (2025) Mental health and social desirability bias in male family violence users: A comparative analysis of court-mandated and self-referred clients. Poster presented at the 56th International Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Krakow, Poland.
Edwards, A., Xiao, M., Caperton, D., Wong, J., Holland, K., & Babins-Wagner, R. (2025) Grief and loss: Examining sources and clinical correlates in a naturalistic setting. Poster presented at the 56th International Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Krakow, Poland.
Chan, H., Caperton, D. D., & Babins-Wagner, R. (2025) Readiness for change and treatment outcomes between substance use and non-substance use samples. Poster presented at the 56th International Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Krakow, Poland.
Caperton, D. D., Babins-Wagner, R., Keough, C., Ellis, M. V., & Wampold, B. E. (2025) Implementation and science of supervision strategies: Methods, challenges, and outcomes. Panel presented at the 56th International Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Krakow, Poland.
Babins-Wagner, R., Caperton, D., Keough, C. (2025) Therapist effects in the context of routine outcome measurement: A longitudinal examination of variance components. Panel presented at the 56th International Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Krakow, Poland.
Kuo, P., Hashtpari, H., Tseng, A., Acquaro, B., Vazquez-Ortega, I., Feng, T., Phan, B., Krizizke, J., Caperton, D., Calloway, A., Creed, T., Owen, J., & Tao, K. (2025). The Multicultural Orientation-Session Evaluation scale: A behavioral coding system and initial steps to developing a natural language processing based feedback tool [Panel presentation]. 56th Annual International Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Krakow, Poland.
Jiwani, Z., Curtin, J., Urmanche, A., Babins-Wagner, R., Caperton, D., Medinilla, V., & Goldberg, S. (2025, June 25–28). Substance use and trajectories of change in psychotherapy [Brief paper]. 56th Annual International Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Krakow, Poland.
Impact by the numbers:
2025 was a financially challenging year for many, but in the midst of these difficulties, our community continued to show remarkable care, compassion, and support.
We are deeply grateful for the generosity that helped advance our core priorities: providing subsidized counselling, offering impactful group programs, and supporting the training of our postgraduate resident students. To every individual, family, organization, and foundation who gave—thank you!
Every gift—large or small—helped neighbours, coworkers, friends, and families take meaningful steps toward better mental health. We are deeply grateful to everyone who gave. Together, you strengthened not just our work, but the well-being and resilience of our entire community.
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Grants | ||
| Grants from Funders | $11,898,551 | $7,224,636 |
| Fees for Services | ||
| Counselling | $2,644,393 | $3,013,159 |
| Recognition of deferred contributions related to property and equipment | $146,312 | $147,263 |
| Other | $45,905 | $92,409 |
| Fundraising revenue | ||
| Donations | $119,650 | $153,029 |
| Annual campaign | $104,095 | $95,140 |
| Special events | $65,163 | $81,126 |
| United Way of Calgary and Area donor choice | $46,603 | $20,671 |
| Conferences and workshops | $7,835 | $3,000 |
| Revenue Total | $15,078,507 | $10,830,433 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Salaries and benefits | $7,267,815 | $6,405,760 |
| Alberta Government — counselling program expenses | $5,347,935 | $937,388 |
| Administrative | $937,388 | $663,636 |
| Amortization | $484,876 | $548,532 |
| Occupancy costs | $414,663 | $407,439 |
| Advertising and promotion | $389,189 | $82,557 |
| Consulting fees | $240,646 | $420,737 |
| Bursary and residency payments | $217,266 | $343,973 |
| Legal fees | $68,209 | $4,840 |
| Accounting fees | $57,443 | $59,255 |
| Interest and bank charges | $54,560 | $77,704 |
| Goods and services tax expenses | $30,266 | $39,905 |
| Workshops and conferences | $8,743 | $3,401 |
| Printing | $7,901 | $5,621 |
| Bad debts | $7,604 | $23,418 |
| Repairs and maintenance | $3,181 | $3,103 |
| Fundraising | $1,269 | $197 |
| Expense Total | $15,538,954 | $10,910,563 |
| Deficiency of revenue over expenses | $(460,447) ᴬ | $(80,130) |
ᴬ As at the year end, accounts receivable include $550,000 (2024—$nil) due from the Minister of Health and Addictions (MHA) — Counselling Alberta. The receivable relates to funding approved under Amendment #1 to the Counselling Alberta grant agreement. Under the amendment, the Province authorized additional funding for general counselling services for the 2025/26 funding period (April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026), including amounts earned prior to December 31, 2025. The receivable represents approved funding not yet received at year end in accordance with the amendment and related correspondence. The amount was subsequently collected after year-end.
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