Welcome to Five Star Wellbeing, we look forward to working with you!
**NOTICE: Beginning December 1, 2025, session rates at Five Star Wellbeing Counselling and Mental Health will increase from $150 to $175 per 60-minute session. This adjustment is in line with standard rates (between $160.00-200.00) for Counselling Therapy in Nova Scotia and reflects the rising costs of maintaining professional counselling services, clinical supervision, and administrative operations to ensuring continued quality of care.
We remain committed to providing ethical, compassionate, and accessible support to individuals, couples, and families. If you have questions or concerns about this change, please don’t hesitate to reach out before your next appointment.
Thank you for your understanding and continued trust.
Add your name to our waitlist (https://fivestarwellbeing.janeapp.com/wait_list/new?discipline_id=1) to be notified immediately of last-minute cancellations. Please schedule additional session(s) at weekly or bi-weekly intervals to ensure continuity of care.
We can bill most insurance companies directly. NEW CLIENTS, please add a photo or screenshot of your insurance information on your intake form, and we will direct bill your insurance company whenever possible.
Want to be sure we’ll be a good fit to help you heal and achieve your goals? Book a free online counselling or workshop consultation.
In-Person Counselling Therapy
With therapeutic counselling, we support clients in the areas of mental health, addiction, healthy relationships, grief and loss, and career and life transitions.
Our job is to do more than help you recover, it’s to help you thrive. Whatever the challenges you face, we'll help you take stock, set goals and make the changes you need to be healthy and well.
Online Counselling Therapy
With therapeutic counselling, we support clients in the areas of mental health, addiction, healthy relationships, grief and loss, and career and life transitions.
Our job is to do more than help you recover, it’s to help you thrive. Whatever the challenges you face, we'll help you take stock, set goals and make the changes you need to be healthy and well.
NOTICE: Catherine MacDow's caseload for Individual Counselling is currently full. Returning Individual Counselling Therapy clients may book here. For new clients seeking Individual Counselling, please book with Derrick McEachern or Shane MacDow.
Returning Clients-Couples/Family Counselling
Catherine MacDow's Couple and Family Counseling caseload is currently full. For new clients seeking Couples/Family Counselling, please book with Derrick McEachern. Returning Couples/Family Therapy, clients may book here.
The perfect gift for any occasion
Create a gift card code you can send to a friend or loved one for products or services at Five Star Wellbeing.
Shane is a Registered Counselling Therapist Candidate (RCT-C) in Nova Scotia, and a Canadian Certified Counsellor. Shane has extensive experience working with marginalized youth with the Department of Justice for 14 years. Doing that work, he developed the skills to help children, at-risk youth and young adults work through trauma, develop skills to manage emotions, make healthier choices, be more compassionate with themselves, and navigate their social lives.
Shane takes a strengths-based approach with the aim of building hope and lasting resilience. He draws on Narrative, Acceptance and Commitment and Dialectic Behaviour Therapy in his work.
Shane is a Registered Counselling Therapist Candidate (RCT-C) in Nova Scotia, and a Canadian Cert...
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Catherine MacDow
I am a Registered Counselling Therapist Candidate (RCT-C) in Nova Scotia.
I offer a safe, welcoming and compassionate space, while providing my expertise in an
array of therapeutic approaches. Specializing in solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral
therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based approaches, I am able to help you explore and
find solutions that support you in your healing journey. With a focus on wellbeing, health
and connection, I create a space to reflect and discern, while offering tools to help
nurture your path of growth.
As a parent, school counsellor, and former teacher, I offer a diversity of lenses to
support youth and families. In the early stages of my career, I had the opportunity to
teach in China, Nunavut and many years for the AVRCE. Born and raised in the
beautiful Annapolis Valley, I have deep understanding of the importance of connection
to the land and community.
My interests comprise of spending time in nature, growing food and connecting with
friends and family. I am also a certified yoga teacher, which I incorporate in my daily
wellness practice. I currently live in the Annapolis Valley with my husband Shane, son
Angus, and several furry animals. Offering my services at our home office in Berwick, I
am able to provide therapy indoors, or outside, in our scenic, private setting.
