Here are some questions we often get asked about our organization and services. Please contact us if you’re curious about anything else.
Anyone is welcome to use our services regardless of their age, as we don’t provide medical or counselling services. In Nova Scotia, there is no age for medical consent. Instead, practitioners make a judgement call about whether you’re a mature minor. You must be able to give informed consent to treatment. It basically means you must be aware of the benefits and risks of any medication, for example. Generally, once you are about junior high age, you are old enough to access services on your own, such as seeing a doctor or mental health professional. However, it is entirely up to the professional. Talk to them first to see if they consider you a mature minor.
That’s a tough question to answer because in Nova Scotia, there is no regulation of the words counselling or counsellor. Anyone can call themself one. Instead, you have to be a smart consumer and look for people who are registered with a respected body or have the letters MSW (Master of Social Work) or RCT (registered counselling therapist) after their name. There are different types of counsellors. Ask where people are registered, and you’ll know if they have qualifications and guidelines they must follow. We do not have any licensed practitioners onsite to offer counselling, so we prefer to say we offer support or peer counselling. However, we are trained to offer guidance in sexual health, are trauma-informed, and adhere to best practices in our field. We are also active listeners and non-judgmental.
No. Our services are completely confidential unless you’re under 16 and you’ve told us that you’re being hurt by someone. This has to be reported to the Department of Community Services. If you’re under 19, we may have to report the situation if you’re being harmed by a parent or caregiver. However, this means you can ask us about condoms or anything, and we won’t tell another person.
No. We are not funded to provide clinical or medical services. STI testing requires access to a doctor, nurse practitioner, or nurse. Visit Sugar Health for the option nearest to you.
We may be able to come to you. If you’re in school, we can arrange to meet with you in a private office. This might be a guidance or student support office. We come to different communities and can also do drop offs at a location that is ok with you. We will meet people in any safe and private space at an organization or agency of your choice.
You don’t need a referral from anyone. You can make a call yourself to the Nova Scotia Choice Clinic, and they will make arrangements with you for the procedure. The number is toll-free 1.833.352.0719. Abortions are done in Halifax as well as in some smaller communities like Bridgewater.
Mostly. We don’t charge individuals for our services or supplies including gender-affirming gear. The only things we charge money for are our therapeutic toys as well as our Pride stock.
No. We are not a religious organization or linked with any church group. A crisis pregnancy centre is a place that is usually run by faith groups hoping to push a pro-life agenda, which may include telling you misinformation about abortions so you will carry the pregnancy to term. We are pro-choice, which means we will encourage you to make a decision that aligns with your own beliefs.
We are only available weekdays. However, if you need emergency contraception after hours, you can purchase it at any drug store, or visit the emergency room at the hospital.
No, it is not a medical device, so anyone can use a binder safely with the appropriate education. That means we will give you some pointers if it’s your first binder, as well as washing tips. We also encourage you to return it for a different size if you outgrow that one.
Yes. We have a small staff and they are sometimes out in the community doing deliveries or giving presentations.
We can do sales many ways, including debit and credit when the system is working fine. We can also now take e-transfers to southshoresexualhealth@gmail.com
We don’t offer medical services, thus don’t keep medical files. In fact, to keep our services discreet, we don’t keep personal files at all, other than the emails you may send us or messages on Facebook.
We think being “sex positive” is seeing your sexuality as a natural, pleasurable thing to be enjoyed safely and without shame or coercion. We believe in practicing safer sex. We believe in reproductive equality including being pro-choice and respecting everyone’s decision to determine if and when they want to have sex or children. Being sex positive is supporting, non-judgmentally, the sexual practices of consenting adults. This is a pretty neat description of sex positivity. We also keep in mind that healthy sexuality includes asexuality and other sexualities like demisexual and grey sexual.