Serving online therapy to clients throughout British Columbia
Online Health Advocacy in BC
What if the biggest risk to your health isn’t a diagnosis, a test result, or even a broken system—but staying silent during your next doctor’s appointment?
One sentence. One question. One moment of speaking up could change everything.
ARE YOU FEELING:
Overwhelmed and lost in a health care system that feels confusing, rushed, and hard to navigate
Unheard or dismissed, like your symptoms are being minimized or explained away
Exhausted from advocating for yourself, especially when your body or mind already needs rest
Intimidated by doctors or specialists, unsure how to speak up without being labeled “difficult”
Afraid of making the wrong medical decision, especially when advice feels conflicting
Guilty or ashamed for needing help, wondering if you’re “sick enough” to deserve support
Frustrated by accessibility barriers, feeling like the system expects you to adapt instead of offering accommodations
Alone in carrying the emotional weight of medical appointments, results, and uncertainty
You don’t have to navigate this alone.
Support is available—at a pace that respects your capacity.
I can help you create habits and routines to have feeling more confident navigating the health care system. Helping you:
feel more confident coming up with questions and empowered to ask them
feel calmer before and during your appointments
have a safe place to debrief with a therapist who has navigated the same system
You are the expert on you!
You’ve been studying your body, mind and spirit your entire life.
You know what works.
You know what doesn’t.
You know when something isn’t right.
No one—no matter how trained—will ever know your lived experience better than you do. The challenge isn’t your lack of knowledge.
It’s learning how to communicate that knowledge effectively within a system built on power imbalance.
Assertive or Aggressive? Why it Matters
There is a very clear and unmoving power imbalance that exists in the health care system, making communication exhausting on good days and soul-crushing on bad days.
The health care system is one of the few places where what we say—and how we say it—can put someone’s life at risk.
As a patient, you’re probably already not at your best when dealing with the health care system—whether at the hospital or during an appointment.
Symptoms, stress, sleep deprivation, and more can make it nearly impossible to stay calm and present.
You know your medical team is human, but when you’ve been overlooked and under-appreciated for what you have to offer, it’s hard to feel heard, and it’s easy for your tone to become aggressive.
Let me tell you: that often accomplishes the opposite of what your gut is telling you when survival feels like it’s on the line.
What works better—for everyone—is learning how to communicate assertively.
Mostly, this means speaking with confidence (you are the expert on you, remember). Knowing what works for you and what doesn’t is a big part of this.
You can develop your voice by, among other things, understanding the ins and outs of your health care needs and condition, and by practicing conversations about your needs with family and friends.
You’re Not Doomed to Scream Your Fears, Feedback And Frustrations Into an Empty Void and Simply Hope You Survive
After surviving mistake after mistake, being ignored or talked down to, it’s easy to think the health care system is just… broken—and to feel like all you can do is hope you survive.
Yes, the health care system is at its breaking point, but that doesn’t mean you have to fall through the cracks.
Your health and safety aren’t just up to your medical team—you play a vital role, too.
Nobody can be a more steadfast advocate than you.
You just need to learn how to use the magic you already possess as a “professional patient”.
It’s daunting, I know—but remember, you’re not alone.
This responsibility isn’t all on you or your medical team, who may sometimes seem unfeeling.
Your family and friends are also (hopefully) there for you through thick and thin.
You’re human, too, and some situations carry a lot of trauma and fear.
And guess what?
You’re being a powerful advocate for yourself when you bring someone with you as a second set of ears or ask to record an appointment because you know you may shut down or forget important information needed to make decisions moving forward.
Learning About Health Advocacy Can Improve the Way You Navigate the Health Care System
I know it’s not always easy to take the first step. There are many different ideas about what it looks like to navigate the health care system and learn how to advocate for yourself.
At Counselling & Health Advocacy by Jenna Reed-Côté, I offer health advocacy support to help you develop tools for navigating the health care system. We’ll work toward recognizing when and how to use those tools most effectively in different circumstances. You’ll also learn where you may be struggling to find your voice and how to identify what works for you—and what doesn’t—so you can determine the best path forward when you feel stuck.
At Counselling & Health Advocacy by Jenna Reed-Côté, I offer health advocacy support to help you find—and trust—your voice, even when the stakes feel high.
Common Questions
Why do I have to learn about health advocacy? Isn’t it my health care team’s job to advocate for me?
First, great question. Second, just like you, your health care team is human.
That means they can make mistakes.
They may have different priorities for your care than you do, and they may not understand what works for you and what doesn’t.
They may have trained for a decade on a condition, an organ, or a body system—but you have been studying your body, mind, and spirit your whole life.
No one knows you better than you do. Nobody knows your goals, needs, or limits better than you.
There’s no better time to learn how to use your voice and communicate effectively within the health care system.
How can I make an impact in my health care if I’ve never been trained in a health care field?
Just as I said above—you have lived in your body, mind, and spirit your whole life.
That expertise belongs to you alone. You know what works and what doesn’t.
Empowering your voice and learning how to communicate your needs effectively will have the biggest impact on your health care journey—trust me.
What if I make a mistake as I learn to advocate for myself?
Here’s an important reminder: you’re human.
You may be the expert on you, but every good expert knows they don’t know everything.
That’s why teams exist—to make sure nothing is missed or misunderstood.
As much as I teach you to advocate for yourself, remember that you have a team behind you.
Some members are health care professionals; others may be family, friends, or caregivers.
You don’t have to do this alone.
What if my health care team doesn’t agree with me or my approach?
That’s a tough situation—and one where improving communication can make a real difference.
This may be an opportunity to clarify your goals more effectively, and I can help with that.
It’s easy to feel frustrated when many people are involved in something as important as your health care—especially when everyone has good intentions but different ideas, approaches, and priorities.
I’m someone who will have your back and help you clarify, both for yourself and for others, what you want, what works for you, and what doesn’t.
About Counselling & Health Advocacy by Jenna Reed-Côté
Hello! I’m Jenna Reed-Côté, of Counselling & Health Advocacy by Jenna Reed-Côté (RSW, MSW), and I became a therapist to be one of the helping professionals I needed growing up with chronic health issues.
Navigating life and the healthcare system can feel overwhelming. Emotions pop up, seemingly counterproductive to what you're trying to do.
My goal is to create a calm space to meet you where you're at, in any given session. Therapy can feel daunting, especially when you've rarely felt welcome to collaborate in your own healthcare…maybe you’ve even felt like a piece of meat? We’ll work together to help you reclaim your power.
I specialize in supporting clients with chronic illnesses. I can help you feel like the expert on you and find your voice. I can provide you with tools tailored to your unique needs, be it communication or advocacy.
Outside of work:
I have been an ambassador for the Rick Hansen Foundation since 2017.
I give presentations (largely) to kids and communities across Canada, educating the importance of accessibility and inclusivity. Furthermore, we talk about the steps they can be taking to be more inclusive of people with disabilities.
In 2021, I led the Vancouver team participating in the largest survey ever conducted on accessibility for Canada by AccessNow.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Before booking a session, please make sure that your health benefits cover services provided by a registered social worker (which I am).
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Ontario and British Columbia, Canada.
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I only provide virtual services.
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An hour-long session is $135.
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I have my Master of Social Work degree from Dalhousie University (2018) and my Bachelor of Social Work degree from University of Victoria (2012).
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Disability-affirming therapy has a therapist working with a client with a disability, without the focus on the condition. The goal is to empower the client based on their strengths, while taking a holistic approach, recognizing the body, the mind and the spirit work together.
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If you have navigated the healthcare system, you know it’s not easy!
Whether you’re wondering if you’re allowed to speak up, how you’re supposed to manage your symptoms or medication, the anxiety of preparing for appointments or procedures/surgery - not only are you not alone, you are the EXPERT on you!
I can help you process what can be an overwhelming process - mind, body and spirit - how to find your voice to communicate with your healthcare team, family and friends and find ways to reframe and get creative to cope.
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I find it important to acknowledge that your family and even close friends can also “have” your diagnosis.
How? Why? They are on this journey with you but are experiencing it from a different vantage point. If you are having surgery, your family and friends, who are there supporting you, are also watching you navigate it and - it ain’t easy to watch someone you love going through pain.
Your support system also needs support, though it may look a little (or a lot) different. They more they can get their own unique support, the better able they can be to support you.