Frequently Asked Questions

No, you do not need a referral for psychological assessment or treatment. Simply call our office for an appointment!

We will keep it casual. This is an opportunity to see if we are the right fit for each other. Generally, your therapist will ask you what has brought you to the decision to pursue counselling, and what your goals are for therapy. They will tell you about their practice and how they work with clients with similar goals. You are also welcome to ask any questions you have at that time. This is not a counselling session but a chance to see if you "mesh" with the therapist.

This is a difficult question to answer. People have different therapeutic needs, scheduling constraints, and financial resources. A session schedule will be discussed during your first session, but this will always be your choice. Some examples of frequency are weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly. 

Some of our therapists have wait times because of their specialization. We have a cancellation waitlist in place for existing clients, so once you have seen a therapist you may be able to book an earlier session on a first come, first serve basis.

The length of an assessment or therapy session varies, depending on the type and purpose of the appointment. For example, adult ADHD assessments  generally take anywhere between 2-3 hours. Breaks are offered throughout the assessment. Therapy sessions usually run from 50 minutes for a standard session to 80 minutes for a Gottman Method therapy session (each with 10 minutes at the end for note-taking and administrative tasks). Complex family workshops may run for up to 2 hours. A gender readiness assessment typically takes 3 hours.

Please note that if the talk portion of your session runs 15 minutes or more longer than your scheduled appointment, you will be charged for the additional time in 15-minute increments of the therapist's hourly rate.

The length of therapy depends on a number of factors and is different for each individual. For some people, a single session is enough to deal with a specific problem, while others may need more than 20 sessions to reach their goals. Many clients attend between 6-15 sessions. 

Many people continue therapy after their initial concern is considered "dealt with" and they want occasional "mental health check-ins." You can stop therapy any time and we encourage open discussion surrounding continuing or terminating therapy.

A Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) is a highly qualified mental health professional whose credentials have been evaluated and approved by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). 

These are the requirements to become a Canadian Certified Counsellor:

• Successful completion of a minimum Master’s level graduate degree with specific coursework in counselling. 
• Completion of 150 hours of direct client counselling during a supervised practicum course or 800 hours direct client counselling with references from a recent clinical supervisor. 
• Application to become a Canadian Certified Counsellor, including presentation of a supervision plan to CCPA.

A CCC is a highly qualified mental health professional whose credentials have been evaluated and approved by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). The CCPA is the largest national non-statutory, self-regulatory body for the counselling profession in Canada. They have over 5,500 members across the country who work in education, employment and career development, social work, business, industry, mental health, public service agencies, government, and private practice.

Some health insurance plans have decided that services provided by Canadian Certified Counsellors are  eligible for reimbursement. Currently, there is coverage under some plans from:

• Alberta Blue Cross
• Equitable Life
• Greenshield
• Sunlife (does not direct bill)

If you are planning to submit your receipts for reimbursement to your insurer, we strongly encourage you to contact your insurer before your first session, to confirm that your specific plan covers the services of a CCC.

In Alberta, the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) is the regulatory body for the profession of psychology. 

Their requirements to become a Registered Psychologist in Alberta are:

• Successful completion of a minimum Master’s level degree from an approved Psychology program (which includes a 200-600 hour practicum)
• Completion of a minimum of 1600 hours of supervised hours in the practice of Psychology.
• Successful completion of the Examination of the Professional Practice of Psychology and passed the oral exam.

Their requirements to become a Registered Provisional Psychologist is:

• Successful completion of a minimum Master’s level psychology or related degree and is practicing to become a registered psychologist. 
• Completion of a practicum placement of 200 to 600 hours of counselling in order to obtain their graduate degree. 
• Application to become a registered provisional psychologist, including presentation of a supervision plan to CAP.

Many registered provisional psychologists have significant experience, are of varying ages, and can already have specializations or areas of unique expertise.

It takes generally 1-2 years (or more) for a registered provisional psychologist to become a registered psychologist.

While some people prefer the experience of being in the room with the therapist during traditional in-person therapy, our clients find there are distinct advantages to online therapy.

• Accessibility: Clients with limited mobility often struggle to arrange transportation to and from their home or to navigate professional buildings that often have difficult parking and building design. Online therapy eliminates this physical and financial cost.
• Convenience: Couples seeking therapy have the added challenge to schedule sessions around two busy schedules. With online therapy, they can attend sessions even if they are in different postal codes due to work-related travel. Additionally, sessions are more easy to access when emergencies arise, even if you are not near your therapist's office.
• Economy: Scheduling therapy means budgeting the expense and time to travel to and from the location. It also can mean arranging childcare and the related travel time. Online therapy eliminates some if not all of these considerations.
• Familiarity: It is often easier to open up about difficult subject when you are more comfortable. With online therapy, you can literally attend with all the comforts of home.
• Privacy: Sometimes it is hard to discuss problems in a relationship when the person is sitting beside you. Couples therapy and Family therapy can often benefit from a little physical distance during a difficult conversation.
• Safety: Commuting is no longer a hindrance to therapy during bad weather. Icy roads and snowstorms will not cause traffic delays and won't create the backlog of appointments during the day.

Yes! We do all assessments and therapy sessions using video chat software, screen sharing, and remote administrational of psychological questionnaires. We follow provincial and federal legislation regarding privacy and security, and we continue to update our knowledge.

There is usually no preparation is needed for most assessments. If you have previous psychological reports, medical documents, or other relevant information, you can have them ready to send us via email. However, in terms of the testing, the purpose of the assessment is to determine your current cognitive and academic skills and abilities, as well as current mental health status. Therefore, please come as you are!

You know your child. If they are the kind of kid that prefers to know things in advance to manage stress, feel free to tell them in advance that there's an assessment happening. You can let them know that it is different than a school test. The assessment isn't looking at "right" or "wrong" answers but are identifying strengths and weaknesses, so they will be tested beyond their abilities and knowledge.

It's important for your child to know they will be working alone with the assessor. This is part of the standardization of testing to limit outside influence. However, they are welcome to bring a fidget you or comfort item.  If they need glasses or hearing aids, make sure they have them handy. Try to ensure they sleep well the night before the exam and have eaten enough that they won't be hungry during the exam. We want to limit distractions that might skew the assessment.

In most cases, assessments are completed over a single day.. However, if your child has significant attention or anxiety issues, or other concerns that could limit their ability to stay engaged for the full assessment period, we may complete the assessment over multiple appointments.

Once you have booked your first session, you will receive an email from us, containing several online intake forms and a link to our Client Portal website. 

You will need to fill out and submit the forms. They usually just take a few minutes each to complete.

As least one day prior to the session, you will need to log in to the link we have sent you to create a Client Portal account. You will use your email address to create a unique password and enter your payment information. This way, you'll be able to book and reschedule your appointments after the first session.

On the day of the session, you need:

• A computer or smart device with a full battery charge
• A web browser (Google Chrome and Apple Safari offer excellent web security),
• A strong internet signal and/or a secure WiRi signal

For the best therapy experience and to comply with provincial law, the conversation between a patient and a therapist is confidential and should happen in a quiet, secluded space. Technology allows us to undertake therapy outside the walls of the therapist's office. With online therapy, you can ensure your own privacy and comfort with a few simple steps:

1. Use a secure (password-protected) WiFi connection for the virtual meeting. Public hotspots are not protected and could compromise your privacy.
2. Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. This can be a room in your house or any secluded space to avoid interruptions and the potential for someone to hear your conversation. Consider turning off any smart speakers or personal home assistants (e.g. Alexa, Google Nest, Siri) during your meeting.
3. If you are not alone in the home, advise others you are not to be disturbed. You can lock the door if you are concerned you will be interrupted. Close windows to ensure sound does not travel outside.
4. If you prefer headphones with a microphone, connect them to your device.
5. Get a glass of water or have your favourite beverage handy and open your Client Portal in a web browser (you can bookmark it for quick reference). You will see your session listed under "My Account" once you log in. Up to 30 minutes before the session, you can click on the green "Join" button. Your therapist will join the session at your scheduled time.
6. If possible, keep your phone on Do Not Disturb (DND) mode to avoid other calls from distracting you.

After the first session, if you have any concerns or just feel that the relationship is no the right fit, we will be happy to support you in suggesting other community groups, therapists, or ways forward.

We take confidentiality seriously. Your personal information is confidential and we will not share your status as a client or information shared during a session without your informed written consent. However, there are limits to confidentiality under the law. 

Therapists have a Duty To Report in cases of abuse or neglect. 

Therapists also have a Duty To Disclose Related To Client/Public Safety, where they believe disclosure of information will prevent imminent and grave harm to the client, another person's mental or physical health or safety, and/or public safety.

We accept MasterCard, Visa, e-transfer, and PayPal. We also offer direct billing to many health insurance providers. Also, fees you pay for psychological services may be claimed under deductible health care expenses on your personal income tax return.

We offer direct billing to several health care providers. Check out our Fees page for a list of insurance plans that will direct bill part or all of your session fees. Some insurance plans will have clients pay at the time of the visit then submit their receipts for reimbursement.

Please note that each plan is different and allows reimbursement for different psychological service providers. You will need to check with your insurance plan directly to confirm what they cover.

Psychological services are not generally covered under Alberta Health Care. Keep in mind that fees you pay for psychological services may be claimed under deductible health care expenses on your personal income tax return.

Some health insurance plans have decided that services provided by Canadian Certified Counsellors are  eligible for reimbursement. Currently, there is coverage under some plans from:

• Alberta Blue Cross
• Equitable Life
• Green Shield
• Sunlife

If you are planning to submit your receipts for reimbursement to your insurer, we strongly encourage you to contact your insurer before your first session, to confirm that your specific plan covers the services of a Registered Psychologist or CCC.