Do you accept my insurance plan?
While I do not offer direct billing, some insurance providers cover my counselling therapy services. I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Every provider is different so check the fine print in your plan. I will issue you a receipt specifying that I am a Psychotherapist with a Masters degree. The receipt also indicates that I am a member of CCPA (#10001876).
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancelling should not be a regular occurrence but if you do need to cancel, a 24-hour cancellation policy applies. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours of notice will be charged the full session fee except in the case of sudden physical illness. Online sessions are available and a switch to online from an in-person session can be accommodated on short-notice. If you are 15 or more minutes late for your appointment, without notice, it is considered cancelled.
What is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)?
It is a type of therapy that helps the brain make sense of information in new ways. While EMDR is best known for alleviating the distress associated with trauma, it can be a helpful intervention for many issues that cause emotional distress. For more information, check out my EMDR page.
Do you use other techniques besides EMDR?
Yes! Depending on the needs of each client, I draw from various modalities in addition to EMDR including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Ego States therapy, Inference-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (for OCD), Coherence Therapy, and elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
What type of clients do you work with? Ages/demographics?
I work with adult clients. Although I am trained in couples therapy, I am not taking couple clients at this time.
I have never been to a therapist/counsellor before. What can I expect in the first session?
It can take a lot of courage to make that first appointment. My hope is that you will feel comfortable and that counselling will be a positive experience for you.
The first session is an opportunity for us to connect and to talk about what has been happening in your life. You will also have the chance to ask me any questions that you might have. At some point during the first session, I will ask you about your goals for counselling. These goals will help us stay on track in future sessions.
I see that you graduated from a seminary program. Do you integrate faith into your counselling approach?
My clients come from a variety of backgrounds and I use mainstream therapy techniques that are common to the field of counselling psychology. If clients want, faith can become a topic to explore in relation to the issues at hand. I do not discuss faith in the counselling room unless the client initiates this discussion, indicates on their intake form that religion/faith is an important part of their life, or if it is relevant to their presenting concern.