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​416-450-6127

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What should I expect when I start therapy?
Starting therapy is a brave step. I want to ease your concerns and support your process every step of the way.

First, contact me to schedule a 15 minute intake call or schedule it online. Here, you can let me know what you want support with and I can make sure it is something that I can help with. It is also an opportunity to ask me any questions that you may have and get a sense of how I work. 

Then, prior to the first session, you will be asked to complete the following electronic forms: 

• An Intake form - asks some basic demographic information
• A Consent to Treatment Form - asks for agreement with my general operating policies and your consent to participate in psychotherapy
• Informed Consent for Online Psychotherapy - provides information and considerations specific to this form of therapy
• Information about Your Privacy - If you are interested in additional details about how your information is stored and used

​You will also be asked to complete some questionnaires about some of the things you may currently be experiencing. These can be used to take a 'snapshot' of how you are doing initially, so that your progress throughout therapy can be monitored. If you prefer not to complete these prior to meeting, they can be done at the first appointment. However, please keep in mind that this will take time away from other tasks in the session.

Over the first several sessions, together we will develop a collaborative plan for how to address your challenges. In the first few sessions, we will explore what has brought you to therapy, the context of the issues, your life circumstances, and your goals for therapy.  This will include exploring your past experiences, how these have shaped your view of yourself, how you relate to others and the world, and in turn, how this contributes to your current distress. This will help us to create a roadmap for therapy which leads to healing and wellbeing.


How much therapy will I need?
This is a very difficult question to answer because it depends on so many things. A few factors to consider include the frequency of the sessions, the type and intensity of the problem, how long you have been struggling with the problem, your goals for therapy including whether you are looking for some improvement, full recovery, or ongoing self-awareness. Although some people will feel significantly better after a few session (5-8), most require more. Research shows that 16 sessions can be effective in improving symptoms of moderate depression and anxiety in the majority of clients.  Those have been struggling for years, whose day-to-day functioning is impaired, or those with issues related to childhood trauma or neglect may require much longer (a year or more). Most typically, once per week therapy is recommended. This helps to develop a relationship of trust as well as to maintain the gains between sessions. Once significant improvement is achieved, some people opt to decrease the frequency of the sessions before ending therapy.


Will I feel better right away?
Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Although some people feel better right away through having been heard by a supportive person, it is actually common for some people to initially feel worse before they feel better. This can be because people often suppress uncomfortable emotions - the same emotions that are stirred up in therapy. Although feeling emotions that have been buried is a necessary part of the process, like cleaning an old wound, it can be uncomfortable. Ultimately, however, it does provide relief, healing and transformation.  Having said this, therapy should not throw you into crisis nor be unbearable - you will work with your therapist to make sure that the pace feels right and you feel safe throughout this process. 


How do I know if I am working with the right therapist?
The relationship with the therapist is a crutial change factor in therapy. Although trust in the relationship takes time to develop, you should never feel judged or criticized.  People open up at different rates and the therapist should respect this and help you build your comfort level at a safe pace. You need to feel confident that the therapist knows how to guide the process towards recovery. Also, if you have questions or concerns about the therapy, the therapist should always be willing to discuss this with you in a respectful way.  


What are the fees?
Typically, sessions are $190 and are 50 minutes in length. However, the first assessment session fee is $228 and is up to 60 minutes.  The preferred method of payment is via eTransfer and is payable immediately following the appointment.


Do I have to pay HST?
As of June 20, 2024 Registered Psychotherapists (RP) were added to the CRA list of providers that are exempt from HST! This is wonderful news meaning that you no longer need to pay HST for psychotherapy services from an RP. This is thanks to all of the organizations and individuals that advocated for this change in order to reduce barriers to accessing this mental health service.


Are services covered by insurance?
Many insurance companies provide coverage for the services of a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) through their extended benefits plans. Some insurance providers can be billed directly, avoiding the step of taking your receipt to your insurance provider for reimbursement. You will still need to pay any remaining balances not covered by your insurance at the time of your appointment. To sign up for this service, please request an insurance form at your next appointment. This gives permission to the release your information to your insurance provider through OWL Practice and Telus eHealth. 
 
If your insurance company does not cover the services of a Registered Psychotherapist, you may want to learn more about what you can do to change this by going to the linked website. 


What is the cancellation policy?
If you have a contagious illness, but are well enough to participate in therapy, please consider changing your session from in-person to online rather than cancelling.

If you need to cancel an appointment, please do so as soon as possible. This allows me to offer the session to another client that may need it. Cancellations with less than 48 hours notice will result in a charge of 50% of the session fee and cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will result in the full fee being charged. 

I understand that sometimes life happens last minute - emergencies, serious illness, work and childcare responsibilities, deaths in the family, etc. therefore I will waive the cancellation fee twice. After this, the cancellation will be applied without exception. This is not intended as a punishment, but rather it allows me to stay in business so that I can continue to operate and offer this service to you and others. 

If you plan to end therapy, it is helpful to have at least one session to discuss this and provide closure. However, this is not mandatory and you have the right to stop at anytime and without prior notice although this cancellation policy still applies. You are always welcomed to reconnect at a later time.


Will what I discuss in therapy be kept confidential?
What you share is confidential and it is not shared without your permission. However, there some rare exceptions including the following:

• If I have information about risk of abuse or neglect to a child 
• If I believe that you are at risk of serious harm to yourself or another person 
• If I am required by law to release information, e.g.  such as receiving a subpoena
• If I perceive the need to report another professional to their professional body
• If I must defend myself against a complaint filed with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario or any other court action​

There may be times where I share anonymous information about a client within the confidential context of consultation, for the purpose of providing the highest quality care in the benefit of the client. However, no identifying information would be discussed.