Question 1

How much does therapy with me cost?

Accepted Answer

I charge $195.00 for individuals (50 min), $250 for couples (80 min) and $300 families (80min). To keep therapy affordable I also offer discounts to people who would like to work with me, but do not have insurance or the financial ability to pay this fee. Please talk to me about financing.

Question 2

Do you direct bill?

Accepted Answer

I offer direct billing for Greenshield and Blue Cross Medavie (VAC) only. Most insurance companies require clients to manually bill. I can provide an immediate receipt upon receiving the service with all of the information necessary for you to be reimbursed as soon as possible.

Question 3

How much does my Insurance cover?

Accepted Answer

Every insurance company is different in terms of how much they cover. I recommend you to call your insurance company to find out how much they cover per calendar year. When  we meet we will work out a treatment plan that works with your coverage.

Question 4

Does Alberta Health Care cover psychotherapy services?

Accepted Answer

At this time Alberta Health Care does not cover the costs of psychological services. However psychological services are eligible to be used as a medical expense for tax purposes. Therefore, save your receipts so that whatever portion of your expense can be used as a tax deduction.

Question 5

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

We will work together to determine how many sessions will most benefit you as every person’s therapeutic needs are as unique as each individual.  However, in general according to the 2013 sixth edition of the "Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change" there are statistics around how many sessions are beneficial.  In the chapter called "The efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy", Michael Lambert reviews relevant publications and concludes (p.204) "Therapy is highly efficient for a large minority of clients, perhaps 30% of whom attain a lasting benefit after only three sessions." and when monitoring for "reliable improvement ... it appears 50% of patients respond by the 8th session and 75% are predicted to need at least 14 sessions to experience this degree of relief."

Question 6

Are there risks to therapy?

Accepted Answer

According to research, counseling has been shown to be effective in meeting people’s goals whether they are to increase self-esteem, improve relationships, heal trauma, or to stop self sabotaging behaviours. However, sometimes when addressing parts of us that have been hurt, difficult feelings can come up. Yet having these feelings come up in a safe therapeutic setting of empathy, acceptance, and non-judgment allows a space for healing, letting go and moving forward.

Question 7

How do I know if your treatment is right for me?

Accepted Answer

It is important that you feel comfortable working with me and that it is a good fit for you. According to research most of the benefits that can come from therapy are due to a positive trusting therapeutic relationship, shared therapeutic goals and motivation to change. Only a small amount is due to the techniques used. Therefore my goal is for you to feel safe working with me and considering this research, I will offer various treatment modalities that I have been trained in so that we can collaboratively decide what works best for you. Please book a 15 minutes free consult to get to know me.

Question 8

How do I know if I need therapy?

Accepted Answer

People come to therapy for many different reasons. Sometimes people are just going through a rough patch and others have more long-term challenges that they wish to overcome. Aside from feelings of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and stress there are some people who come to therapy in order to understand self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviours that are negatively impacting their lives. While some people have an interest in self-growth and development, others may have more debilitating symptoms that are making it difficult to get through each day. As a psychotherapist I have experience and training in a wide range of issues. We will work together to determine what your needs are.

Question 9

What makes you a qualified psychotherapist?

Accepted Answer

I believe in the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle and I truly love working with people. I have years of very diverse experience with people from all over the world as well as 2SLGBTQ+  community, and honour the diversity within humanity. I have done all of the schooling and registration processes required by the province of Alberta, and also continuously gained more professional training and certifications, and grown as a person in my own life.

Question 10

What is Body oriented psychotherapy?

Accepted Answer

Body Oriented Psychotherapy is a holistic therapy which approaches human beings as a united bodymind, and offers embodied relationships as its central therapeutic stance. It is a branch of therapy focuses on the interactions between the body and the mind. Body oriented psychotherapy is founded on the principle of the body and mind working in functional unity. Body psychotherapy incorporates touch, breathing, and movement techniques to address a wide range of mental and physical health concerns that may lead people to seek therapy. Body psychotherapy, which is considered a branch of somatic psychology, is based on the concept that people experience the world not only through their thoughts and emotions but also simultaneously through their bodies.This approach to treatment is considered to be more experiential than traditional forms of therapy. Among its influences are Gestalt psychology, dance therapy, art therapy, family systems, biology, neurology, and Far Eastern philosophy. Hakumi, Somatic Experiencing are examples of branches that developed out of Body Oriented Psychotherapy.

Question 11

What is Art Therapy?

Accepted Answer

Art therapy is a psychotherapy modality that integrates theories of personality, counselling skills, and visual media and processes into an integrated treatment modality. The “creative act”, whether it is painting, sculpting, building, writing poetry, or recording music or video, is central to the therapy, not an adjunct. Art therapists view the creative, artistic process within the bounds of a therapeutic setting and the therapeutic relationship as an opportunity to actively engage with the issues brought to therapy. By working with the sensory properties of the materials, by taking action (creating something tangible), and by literally “forming” their responses to life circumstances, clients are invited to self-reflect, make choices, navigate limitations and frustrations, express, and to explore solutions. The engagement of non-verbal (non-discursive) processes allows clients to access other, often underutilized, ways of accessing inner resources.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions