Frequently Asked Questions

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Counselling starts by booking your initial session. This initial session is commonly called an “assessment” or “intake” session when you and your counsellor will spend time discussing the following:

• What can be expected from counselling in terms of confidentiality, payment, and scheduling. 
• Your previous experiences doing counselling including what worked and didn’t work for you. 
• A thorough exploration of your current challenges, thoughts, and feelings and how they impact your day-to-day life. 
• A history of your current concerns and a brief overview of your      family background.
• An exploration as to why you might be feeling or behaving the way you do. 
• What we can do in counselling to help you start feeling better and improve your situation. 
• Any questions or concerns you might have about the process. 

Our fees vary depending on the services provided:

• Psychotherapists 
  • Individual Counselling: $110/50min
• Sessions may be extended past 50min at a fraction of the hourly rate.
• Preferred payment by credit or debit (*we do not normally accept e-transfers).
• Payment is provided at the end of sessions.

Our services can be covered under most health insurance plans that cover the services of a Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Registered Social Worker, or a Registered Psychologist. It is your responsibility to call your insurance provider prior to your first session to determine the details of your coverage. Questions you can ask your insurance provider include:

• Do they cover Registered Psychotherapists or Registered Social Workers?
• Do they cover a therapist **supervised** by a Registered Psychologist? *
• What is the total amount of coverage you have left for the year (e.g., $500/year).
• How much is covered per session (e.g., 100%, up to a certain amount, etc.).
• What details are required on the receipt?
• Are your family members included in the coverage?
• Is a physician’s referral/note required?

When choosing your counsellor from our clinic, please ensure you’ve picked a counsellor with the credentials your insurance provider will cover (i.e., Registered Psychotherapist or a Registered Social Worker). See our counsellors website profile for details or contact us anytime for further clarification.

If your provider only covers a Registered Psychologist, then ask if they will cover services of a qualified professional who is supervised by a Registered Psychologist. Most of our counsellors (excluding intern counsellors) are supervised by a Registered Psychological Associate.

Note: Insurance claims that are rejected are not refundable nor can they be retroactively changed to a Psychologist should one be required for coverage. It is therefore important to clarify coverage ahead of time.

These details can be very confusing and so please do not hesitate to contact us any time with the information you’ve collected from your health insurance company and we would be happy to match you with the appropriate counsellor or further explain the process.

We offer professional counselling services in Arnprior, Ottawa Vally, and Ontario for both adults and youth ages 5 and up. Our services are available to any individual, couple or family regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age or economic status. We offer:

• Child & Youth Counselling
• Adolescent Counselling
• Individual Counselling
• Couples & Marriage Counselling
• Family Counselling

Our counsellor(s) cover a wide range of issues that you might be struggling with. There are a number of specific issues that are associated with these experiences that our counsellor(s) can help you work through:

• Depression: feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, loss of energy and pleasure.
• Anxiety: feeling on edge, panic, unable to sleep, heart racing, fear of dying, irritable, need to escape.
• Grief and Loss: persistent sadness, guilt, loss of energy, yearning, confusion, numbness, anger, flashbacks.
• Suicidal thoughts and self-harm: thoughts of ending your life/pain, impulses to cut, burn, or otherwise hurt yourself  to cope with overwhelming emotions or numbness.
• Relationship Conflict: frequent fighting, anger, mistrust, inability to assert oneself, communication problems.
• Post Traumatic Stress: distressing flashbacks, nightmares, feeling disconnected, unreal, numb, afraid, easily triggered,  unsafe, mistrustful of others.
• Addictions: using alcohol, drugs, gambling, internet, or porn or other addictive things to distract from overwhelming emotions or flashbacks.
• Low Self-esteem: being self-critical, feeling like a failure, alone, unacceptable, unattractive, flawed, or unlovable.
• Life Purpose and Identity: needing to develop a more positive identity based on one’s hopes, strengths, and aspirations instead  of past limitations, pain, and loss.
• Sport psychology: helping athletes develop a growth mindset on and off the field of play. 
• Eating Disorders & Body Issues: endless intrusive thoughts about your appearance, self-worth,  and eating habits, restrictive or binging eating behaviours that take a  toll on your physical and emotional health.
• Emotional Self-regulation: feeling on the edge of an emotional “breakdown,” fear of going “crazy” at work, in school, or at home, inexplicable outbursts of anger, sadness, or fear.
• Post-Partum Issues: feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed after giving birth and feeling shame and fear in asking for help.
• Parenting Support: needing expert guidance and advice in dealing with your children’s emotions and behaviours at home and  in school.
• Acquired Brain Injury, Chronic Illness, Concussion: learning to cope and overcome the challenges associated with newly acquired injuries or illnesses that impact your mental health,  self-concept, and relationships.

Our counsellors use a range of helping approaches and will work to find an effective combination for your unique issues and preferences. These include such evidence-based therapies as,

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Person-Centred Therapy (PST)
• Emotionally Focused Therapy
• Mindfulness-based Therapy
• Existential Therapy
• Gestalt Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Music Therapy 
• Gottman Method Couples Counselling
• Family Systems Theory
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Attachment Based Therapies

Currently, No.

We will be adding interns to the team in the future to offer reduced rates for those choosing to see a supervised counselling intern(s) (i.e. a counsellor in training who is supervised by an experienced clinician). These reduced rates will be half of our regular hourly rates.

• $55/50min for individual counselling

Missed appointments and late cancellations impact your counsellor’s practice. They cannot replace your spot with another client on short notice and are not paid by anyone else for your missed sessions. At the same time, we understand that there are circumstances outside of your control that can prevent you from attending. Learn more about our cancellation policy below:

• 24 hours notice at minimum is required to cancel or reschedule your appointment.
• You can change or cancel your appointment yourself online 24/7 if more than 24 hours notice is provided.
• You may also contact your counsellor or our administration team to change your appointment.
• If you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice or do not show up for the appointment you are responsible for the full session fee which will be debited from your credit card or deposit that was collected at the time of your registration and first appointment.
• Exceptions to this policy may apply if you’re experiencing a crisis or for medical reasons (e.g., death in the family, accident, illness,  etc.). Please inform your therapist or our administration team as soon as possible to discuss your circumstances.
• If you miss your scheduled session, please confirm any future scheduled      sessions with your therapist within 24 hours. Failing to do so will result in the cancellation of any future scheduled sessions.
• You are responsible for recording and managing your appointments even though you may receive automated e-mail and text reminders.