Counselling for Sexual Assault

Saffron provides counselling for anyone who has been impacted by sexual violence. This includes people with direct experiences and the loved ones who support them (e.g., caregivers, partners, or siblings). Sexual violence includes sexual assault, abuse, exploitation, and harassment. If you have been impacted by sexual violence and feel that you could benefit from support, we encourage you to reach out to our centre by calling (780) 449-0900 or emailing info@saffroncentre.com.

Reaching out for help can be overwhelming, but knowing what to expect can help ease anxiety. When you call Saffron to start counselling, one of our friendly administrators will offer to register you on our waitlist. This phone call should only take a couple of minutes as they ask for your basic information (e.g., name, birthdate, address, and contact information) and book you an appointment with one of our intake workers. After you’ve been registered and placed on our waitlist, you will be sent a couple of forms via email to complete at your earliest convenience (e.g., consent form, sliding fee or benefit information).

The intake appointment is typically done over the phone and takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete. During this call, the intake worker will ask you more about yourself to help us determine how Saffron Centre can best support you. Once that is complete, all that is left to do is wait until you get a call from us to book you in for your first session!

Note: You are not expected to talk about the details of your trauma during the intake appointment; instead, we are interested in how your experiences impact you and how we can help.

Saffron Centre uses a sliding fee scale to ensure that counselling is accessible and affordable for everyone. By considering your income and the number of dependents supported by that income, we determine the cost per session. 

We are committed to reducing barriers to accessing mental health support. If the fee you have been assessed based on our sliding fee scale is not affordable, we are happy to discuss how we can reduce any financial barriers to ensure you receive the support you deserve.

Our main office is in Sherwood Park, at #110- 222 Athabascan Ave, where most of our counselling happens. We have a satellite office in St. Albert, #218-200 Carnegie Drive, where sessions are offered in person one day a week. St. Albert is open by appointment only.

No, a referral is not required to access any of the services provided by Saffron Centre.

Healing after trauma can be a long journey. We understand that each person will be ready for counselling at their own time, and, for some people, that is years or decades after the experience of sexual violence. Saffron Centre’s counselling is available for anyone impacted by sexual violence, regardless of when it occurred. Whenever you are ready, we are here to support you.

No, you are generally not required to report your experience of sexual violence to police or children’s services to access counselling at Saffron Centre. However, there are some circumstances where reporting is mandated by law, and thus reporting to access counselling is required. These situations may include:

• If you are a minor (under 18 years old) and in imminent danger of it happening again (e.g., if you live with the person or are forced to be in contact with the person that harmed you).
• If you are a minor and were harmed by a guardian who still has legal guardianship defined by the Family Law Act.
• If the person that harmed you is a regulated health professional (e.g., doctor, dentist, physiotherapist).

In these cases, support with reporting is available with Specialized Criminal Justice Navigators from our Specialized Police and Court Support department.

Yes, the Victim’s Assistance Program (VAP) funding covers the cost of your counselling at Saffron Centre and, in most cases, can be billed directly. This program offers funding for people who have reported a crime, such as sexual assault, to the police. If you want to know if you are eligible for VAP funding or are interested in applying, please call our centre, and we will be happy to guide you through the process.

Our individual counselling sessions are delivered in-person or virtually (video/phone), based on the client’s preference. However, most of the group therapies offered by Saffron are delivered virtually or in a hybrid format (i.e., alternating in-person and virtual sessions) to reduce barriers people may experience when trying to access these services.

Saffron Centre’s main office in Sherwood Park is an accessible facility. With two accessible parking stalls, a safe drop-off and pick-up curb cut-out entrance, an automatic door, and an accessible restroom, we ensure you are able to access our facility in person.