How many sessions will I need?:
The number of sessions that you will need depends on your personal situation and goals. Some clients benefit from a single session or require only a few sessions to gain some tools and get things off their chest, while others attend for months as they enjoy having on-going support in their lives. Clients will often return to therapy from time to time for “tune ups” when in need of support. Therapy can be one of the tools in your personal care toolkit that you access when needed during times of challenge or duress in your life.
What are your fees?
My fee for Individual Therapy is $140 for a 50-minute session.
Sometimes 50 minutes isn’t enough time. I also offer Therapy Intensives for established clients for longer, deeper work.
My fee for Couples Therapy is $247.50 for an initial 90-minute intake session and $165 for subsequent 50-minute sessions.
Will your services be covered under my benefits?
Counselling services provided by a registered social worker are covered under most benefit plans.
How do you work with Couples?
Typically couples will come in for an initial 90-minute intake appointment in which you will share your personal history of the relationship and any issues that you are struggling with as a couple.
Within a short time period following this first appointment you will be scheduled for individual appointments separately. Each partner will also be asked to complete an assessment called the Gottman Relationship Checkup which will provide detailed insights into the relationship. Your third appointment will be a couples appointment where we will reconvene to discuss the results of your assessments and the intervention plan to help you work towards your goals for the relationship.
Research shows that couples benefit from front-loaded counselling in which they meet frequently with their therapist at the beginning to get right into the interventions that can support the couple and then are able to reduce or eliminate the need for the therapist as they are able to use the tools they have acquired from counselling on their own. My goal is for you to no longer need me!
My partner and I are discussing separating, how can you help?
Contemplating or making the difficult decision to separate is not something most people take lightly. If you’re going through this, you can find support from individual or couples counselling to help you separate in a way that aims to support each other and any children involved through the process. Counselling during and after separation can be helpful to maintain positive coparenting and amicable relationships with an ex-partner.
Do you have any tools for couples to assess the relationship?
The Gottman Relationship Checkup not only automatically scores a couple’s strengths and challenges, it also provides detailed clinical feedback and suggestions for a treatment plan with specific recommendations for intervention. Fully HIPAA compliant, the questionnaire consists of 480 questions about friendship, intimacy, emotions, conflict, values, and trust, as well as parenting, housework, finances, individual areas of concern, and more.
Developed from over 40 years of research, this relationship assessment relies on intensive, detailed, and evidence-based information on why relationships succeed or fail. Click here to request your personal invitation to complete this confidential assessment.
What if I don’t click with the therapist?
This is a very important question. You are dedicating time and resources and want to be sure you are picking the right person. You should consider logistical factors (office location, availability) as well as personal factors ( training and expertise, personality, and ‘the feel’ you get). An initial phone conversation should be able answer some of these questions – I suggest that you think about the questions that will inform your decision. Sometimes you have to meet with someone before you truly have a feel for the person. The first couple of face-to-face sessions can continue to inform your decision and we can talk about any ongoing reservations or concerns you might have. I recommend trying 3-4 sessions and being open to share with your therapist if something isn’t resonating or you are feeling a misattunement or lack of rapport. These can be very powerful opportunities for discussion and a chance to foster an even deeper understanding and connection. If at any time, you’ve made the decision that it’s not a fit, please don’t hesitate to share that information and you will be referred to another therapist. As with any relationship, it can take time to find the right person.
What usually happens at the first appointment?
The first appointment is not a typical session. There will be logistics to go over about policies, payments and confidentiality agreements, etc. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions you have about any of these things. In the first session you will share what brings you to therapy and what goals (and/or reservations) you have for working with a therapist. Being as open and honest as you can from the beginning will help you to get the most out of therapy but don’t be afraid … your therapist is sensitive to the courage that it takes to schedule your first appointment and will ease you in. It can take time to develop a rapport and feel comfortable so move at your own pace and don’t hesitate to share how you’re feeling about the experience – that’s what you’re here for! I liken it to a massage appointment, where you tell the therapist how much pressure you would like… some people want to start off slow and gentle and others like to dive right in. As with any relationship, it is a bit of a dance where we learn about each other and how to move in synch … we may take steps backwards at times and are working together at moving forward – in the direction of your goals. I call it a cha-cha!
Will my therapist be able to fix my problems?
It is not the role of a therapist to fix your problems or to have all the answers. Therapy offers a safe place for people to share their issues and concerns in a non-judgemental and empathetic space. Therapy is about learning new strategies and tools, reflecting on past or current events and gaining insight into yourself and your experiences.
Therapy can be challenging work. Often times people come to therapy because they recognize the need to do this work and are feeling ready to do so.
More questions?
Being a good fit is important. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions. It’s precisely why we offer a free 30-minute phone consultation.