FAQ
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What is therapy?
Therapy is an opportunity to discuss/talk about issues that are important to you while having a trained objective person (Therapist) help work through not only the current situation but in dealing with similar situations in the future. Therapy can be about one specific problem, or it can be about multiple. Therapy is a collaborative event, it requires an active role from both the patient and the therapist for change to occur.
Why do people attend therapy sessions/why is counselling beneficial?
People see a therapist for a wide range of reasons. Sometimes an event occurs that causes an individual to seek out help, while others may attend therapy because it provides a trained objective person to help them work through some issues they may have been struggling with for years. Counselling can be beneficial because a patient may feel a sense of control in their life and have the tools to be able to make better decisions or changes in their life, specific problem, or it can be about multiple. Therapy is a collaborative event, it requires an active role from both the patient and the therapist for change to occur.
Why would I speak to a Therapist instead of a friend?
A Therapist has professional training and firm professional boundaries. A therapist has objectivity and confidentiality. A therapist can prioritize you and your feelings, and you don’t have to feel guilty about taking up a therapist’s time specific problem, or it can be about multiple. Therapy is a collaborative event, it requires an active role from both the patient and the therapist for change to occur.
What are some signs that it might be time to see a Therapist?
• you just don’t feel like yourself
• your relationships are suffering
• your emotions feel out of control
• you’re altering aspects of your life to accommodate your feelings
• you’re spending a lot of time thinking about your emotions and challenges you’re engaging in high risk, or addictive behaviours
How can therapy help me?
There are too many benefits of participating in therapy to list!
Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and coping strategies for a wide range of issues.
Therapists, being objective, can provide a different or fresh perspective on a problem that you have been struggling with.
The benefits of therapy depend on your commitment and level of readiness. Some benefits can include, boosting self-confidence or improving self-esteem, improving communication skills, learning/finding new coping skills, attaining a better understanding of yourself, changing old patterns and developing new ones, or managing your emotional feelings such as sadness, anger or other highly charged emotions you may be feeling.
What is the first session like?
The initial appointment will be an assessment to discuss your history and needs for treatment. During this first session, you will have the opportunity to see how therapy will work, review office policies, privacy, and confidentiality, as well as determine whether or not they you are comfortable with the therapist.
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How should I prepare for my first session?
• Keeping an open mind about therapy, and being open to the possibility that it can help you
• Writing down specific topics and issues you want to cover
– it can be easy to draw a blank if you’re a bit nervous during your first session
• Being prepared to speak your mind about what’s bothering you
– your needs, thoughts, and opinions are just as important as your therapist’s
Is therapy confidential?
Yes, therapy is completely confidential. Teletherapy sessions conducted over Zoom are PHIPA and HIPPA compliant, and all data is encrypted and secure. What you discuss during your therapy sessions is kept confidential. No contents of the therapy sessions, whether verbal or written may be shared with another party without your written consent or the written consent of your legal guardian.
Exceptions are:
a) duty to warn or protect; if you disclose a plan or threat to harm yourself or others, the appropriate authorities will be notified
b) if you disclose, or it is suspected that there is abuse or harmful neglect of children or vulnerable adults (i.e. the elderly, disabled/incompetent), the appropriate agencies and authorities will be notified
c) parents or legal guardians of minor patients have the right to access records
d) requests ordered by the court of law
How long is therapy?
Therapy sessions are typically 60 minutes in length. Patients typically meet on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis depending on the their individual needs. The length of time while in therapy will depend on the individual patient circumstance. Some treatment plans are based on situational/short term therapy, while others are based on longer indepth healing work. The therapist and patient will determine that together. You are free to start and stop therapy at any time you wish. However, some consistency will yield better results. Some patients will benefit from regular long term therapy, and some patients will come and go, in and out of therapy throughout their lifetime as needed.
How does online/Teletherapy work?
Teletherapy is a way to meet with your therapist through a video platform. You will need a reliable internet connection. Sessions can take place on any device of your choosing including a phone, tablet or computer. Therapeutic treatment is exactly the same as it would be in person and just as effective. As well, Teletherapy allows more convenience, accessibility and sometimes lower rates. Once your appointment is booked, a link willbe sent to your email for your Zoom session.
What is the difference between seeing a therapist, a psychologist, and a psychiatrist?
As mental health therapists/counsellors, the scope of treatment is typically talk therapy. Each therapist/Practitioner will have their own skill set, training and scope of practice based on education and regulatory bodies. While psychologists also provide counselling services they also provide psychological testing for schools, courts, and other entities. Psychiatrists tend to limit their talk therapy/counselling services and are typically available for medication management. If your therapist feels that you may need medication, they will provide you with a referral to doctors that they may recommend. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in behaviour. If medication is necessary, typically in these patients, medication and talk therapy are used together. Medication therapy is not a replacement for talk therapy.
How do therapists work with other healthcare providers?
To preserve the continuity of care, it’s important to work with school counsellors, paediatricians, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, etc. With written permission, therapists can provide treatment plans or answer questions that other professionals may have. If a patient needs their therapist to work with other professionals in their life, please don’t hesitate to ask.
FAQ
most frequent
What is Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Therapies?
Complementary alternative medicine and therapies can be classified into five major categories of practice:
• Whole medical systems
• Mind-body techniques
•Biologically based practices
• Manipulative and body-based therapies
• Energy therapies
Some examples of complimentary alternative medicine & therapies are reiki, sound healing, tai chi, yoga, acupuncture, massage, naturopathy, mindfulness, counselling, hypnotherapy, spiritual healing, etc
What is Reiki?
Reiki (ray-key) is a Japanese healing technique for stress reduction and relaxation based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, or focus (distance healing) to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being. The knowledge of an invisible energy that flows through all living things has been part of the wisdom of many cultures for thousands of years. When our life force energy, or Bio-field is low, it impacts our wellbeing and personal health. Reiki is an energy that works on the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual level. The technique increases one’s life force energy that brings the body back into balance promoting a healthier life. Reiki is a very safe, gentle and effective form of CAM therapy.
What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnosis is a type of mind-body medicine. Hypnotherapy, is a state of deep relaxation and focused concentration. Altered states of consciousness or trance have been documented by several cultures for thousands of years throughout the world from medicine and healing ceremonies to spiritual/ritual practices. Modern hypnotherapy was brought into clinical and therapeutic practice by several physicians/scientists/therapists throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Pioneers include Franz Mesmer, James Braid, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and Milton H. Erikson to name a few. Hypnotherapy is a widely used therapeutic practice that continues to be used in psychological treatment today. One of the primary advantages of hypnotherapy is its ability to access the subconscious mind. Suggestions during hypnosis can cause dynamic changes in brain activity. Areas responsible for processing cognition and emotion show greater activity during hypnosis, as well as hypnosis-induced changes in functional connectivity between anterior cingulate cortex and the large neural network. Hypnotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for several conditions and issues.
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a structured, goal-oriented form of talk therapy. Dr. Aaron Beck is globally recognized as the father of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and one of the world’s leading researchers in psychopathology. The key idea behind cognitive behavioural therapy is that what you think and do affects the way you feel. CBT is ‘present focused’, meaning it works with your thoughts and feelings in the hereand- now. A CBT therapist will try to understand a situation by looking at separate parts i.e. thoughts, behaviours, emotions, and bodily sensations. During CBT, a mental health professional helps you take a closer look at your thoughts and emotions and actions as well as core beliefs that drive behaviour. Through CBT, you can unlearn negative thoughts and behaviours that keep us “stuck” and learn to adopt healthier thinking patterns and habits. You will learn to respond better to stress, pain and difficult situations. It is a collaborative therapy and needs your active participation in order to be helpful. CBT is highly effective.
How do I keep making progress in therapy?
• Keeping up with any homework your therapist assigns
• Maintaining the momentum with consistent therapy sessions
• Being open and truthful about the issues and challenges you’re facing
• Asking questions and giving feedback to your therapist
Do I need a referral?
You do not need a referral to book an appointment or start seeing a therapist. It is however, a good idea to keep your primary care physician/family doctor up to date with all treatment you are receiving
Do you accept insurance?
No direct billing to insurance companies is provided. However, many extended health care plans may cover mental health therapy and/or holistic services. Please check with your individual insurance company. Record of treatment and invoices are available upon request.