FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Psychotherapy is a process that occurs within the context of a supportive, therapeutic (healing) relationship in which one person (the therapist) helps another person (the client/patient) to increase self-awareness and in doing so create positive change in themselves and their life. The process usually involves confronting and overcoming some particular challenges that the client/patient is facing, which may involve examining and modifying patterns of thinking, behaviours, ways of relating to self and others, and processing emotions.
The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) defines psychotherapy as: “Treating, by means of psychotherapy technique, delivered through a therapeutic relationship, an individual’s serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory that may seriously impair the individual’s judgment, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning.” Only certain regulated health professionals are legally allowed to practice the “controlled act of psychotherapy” (as defined above) and to use the title “psychotherapist.”
The fees for seeing a psychotherapist in private practice are not covered by OHIP.
Some extended healthcare plans offered by private/third party insurance carriers may cover the costs of seeing a Registered Psychotherapist (RP). If you have healthcare insurance offered through your workplace or you pay for private insurance yourself, you can consult your benefits package or contact your insurance company to see if they cover the costs of seeing an RP (usually covered under “paramedical expenses”). If your insurance company or employer does not list RPs under their list of paramedical practitioners, you can advocate for this coverage by writing a letter to your employer and insurer requesting this coverage. For a sample letter that you can use as a template for this purpose, please click here.
If you are able to see a psychotherapist through a program or organization that receives funding through the government or other granting bodies, then it may be possible to access psychotherapy without being charged for it. For example, some family health teams (FHTs), community health centres (CHCs), or non-profit organizations may employ psychotherapists and offer their services to their clients/patients. However, these services are unfortunately usually limited, sometimes difficult to access, and often have long wait-lists.
My fee for a 60 minute session of individual psychotherapy is $140 + HST ($158.20 total). My fee for a 90 minute couples counselling session is $175 + HST ($197.75 total). These fees factor in face-to-face session time as well as out-of-session administrative tasks such as record-keeping, appointment scheduling, and other tasks as required.
I do offer psychotherapy virtually (via a secure online video-calling platform). As a general rule, I do not conduct psychotherapy sessions over the phone.
The length of a course of psychotherapy varies by individual on a case-by-case basis depending on the severity and extent of the issues being addressed. Some people experience immense benefits from only a few sessions and choose to end therapy at that point, and some people choose to continue accessing services for a significantly longer period of time. There is no way to know for certain in advance how rapidly (or slowly) progress will be made in psychotherapy. How often to schedule sessions and for what period of time is something that can be discussed within the context of the therapeutic relationship.
I am able to offer a free 15 minute consultation in advance of setting up a first appointment to discuss how you may benefit from psychotherapy and/or if there are other services or supports that might be beneficial. Click here to schedule a free consult.
Click on the contact tab at the top of the page for my email address and phone number, or you can send a message directly through the form on the contact page.