Question 1

How do I know if I need a therapist?

Accepted Answer

At times, we all encounter distressing problems and situations. Most often, we manage to navigate our way through. But there are times when we become overwhelmed, stuck in negative patterns of unhealthy behaviors or habits, relationship difficulties, overwhelming, and unmanageable symptoms, negative ruminations, and/or forecasting worst-case scenarios for the future.

We all have good days and bad days, and most of the time, we can enjoy the good days, and manage the more challenging days as best we can. But sometimes, we find ourselves struggling more than usual and feel overwhelmed by life. We can lose hope and feel as though life is spinning out of control.

Many people struggle in silence with anxiety, mood, trauma triggers, substance abuse, workaholism, gambling, or other problematic behaviors, and even lose interest in life. As a result, many people withdraw or shut down. Others struggle with undiagnosed underlying mental health issues.

Unfortunately, due to the stigma that still exists around mental health, many people who would benefit from the guidance and support of a mental health professional do not seek help. And many who would like to seek help, have no idea how or where to begin.

When this happens, it can be highly beneficial, healing, and life-enhancing to seek the help of a mental health professional.

The decision to seek the help of a therapist is often the first step of a powerful healing journey. It is a sign of strength and belief in yourself, and an investment of your time and energies that will pay dividends.

Just as going to the doctor when you require medical attention is beneficial and wise, seeking the help of a mental health professional is good self-care. The benefits of working with a therapist can be life-changing and life-long. Taking care of your mental health can help you live a more authentic life at your highest and best!

Here’s the good news … help is just a call away.

Question 2

Why do people seek therapy?

Accepted Answer

People seek the help of a therapist for many reasons, including relationship difficulties, major life challenges, like job loss, processing grief, or trauma, help dealing with a substance use disorder, anger management, and help navigating challenging life transitions.

Many people struggle with anxiety, mood, trauma triggers, substance abuse, workaholism, gambling, or other unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Many people struggle with pervasive problematic thoughts and self-limiting beliefs. Some people struggle with a loss of interest in life. Others struggle with undiagnosed underlying mental health issues.

Many people seek the help of a therapist to work on their healing and personal growth.

Whatever the reason for seeking the help of a mental health professional, choosing to focus on your mental health is an investment in your long-term well-being, personal growth, and happiness.

Question 3

What should I do if a loved one is in crisis?

Accepted Answer

If you or a loved one is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical support, call 9-1-1.

If you or someone close to you is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Distress and crisis phone lines are open 24 hours a day. Crisis hotlines offer free, confidential, anonymous telephone counselling and information:

Toronto Distress Centres: 416 408-4357 or 408-HELP
Gerstein Centre:  416 929-5200
Spectra Helpline: 905 459-7777 (Brampton & Mississauga residents)
Assaulted Women's Helpline: 416 863-0511; Toll-free: 1 866 863-0511
Kids Help Phone: 1 800 668-6868; Languages: English and French
Community Crisis Line Scarborough and Rouge Hospital: 416 495-2891 for 24/7
Durham Crisis and Mental Health Line: 905 666-0483
Oakville Distress Centre: 905 849-4541 for residents of Halton Region
(Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville)

Question 4

How do I book my first appointment?

Accepted Answer

To book your first appointment, you can fill out the Contact Us form on our website, or call the Start Living Psychology clinic at 416.291.7373. Our clinic administrator will contact you to book your first appointment.

Before your first session, you will be asked to complete a contact information sheet, and a consent form outlining confidentiality and other office policies, and you’ll receive a comprehensive information package outlining my full range of our clinic’s services, and office policies.

Question 5

What can I expect during my first appointment?

Accepted Answer

Your first session will begin with a brief introduction, and your therapist will answer any questions you may have regarding confidentiality, office policies, and/or treatment approaches. Next, you will be asked some questions about yourself and your life… information that will help your therapist make an initial assessment of your situation and understand you better.

Typically, these questions will explore why you are seeking therapy, your personal history, and your current situation and symptoms.

Sessions are typically 50 minutes in length. At the end of your initial session, you will discuss next steps with your therapist. Together, you will determine the frequency of our contact/appointments.

Beyond the initial session, your therapist will devise a multifaceted treatment plan to teach and enhance skills to live the ideal life you want, bridge the gap between where you are and where you would like to be in life, and alleviate your symptoms.

Question 6

What is the typical wait time for a first appointment?

Accepted Answer

The wait time between your initial contact with our clinic and your initial appointment will vary, depending on clinicians’ availability and flexibility at the time of your initial contact.

Our clinic administrator will do their best to schedule your first appointment as soon as possible, and will advise you of your wait time.

Question 7

Do you have a cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

We expect clients to honour their appointment times, and request that they cancel at least 48 hours before a scheduled appointment. Appointments may be cancelled by phone or by contacting our clinic administrator via email.

Clients seeking to cancel or reschedule appointments in advance of 48 hours of a scheduled appointment will not be penalized.

Clients submitting cancellation requests 48 hours or less in advance of a scheduled appointment are responsible to pay in full for the cancelled session.

Question 8

Are your services covered by OHIP and/or extended health insurance plans?

Accepted Answer

Clinic fees are not covered by OHIP. Most private health insurance plans provide some/full coverage of our fees.

Clinic fees are in line with what has been recommended by the College of Psychologists of Ontario and the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA). Depending on the service type, duration, and clinician, fees may vary.

As with most professional health services in Ontario, psychologist expenses qualify as a deductible medical tax credit.

Question 9

Must I choose in-person or online appointments, or could I alternate between the two?

Accepted Answer

Start Living Psychology offers both online and in-person sessions. Clients are able to schedule either option or a combination of the two.

Question 10

Are your clinic’s online sessions secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Start Living Psychology uses Jane, a leading, end-to-end encrypted platform for session scheduling and online client sessions.

Question 11

Will my sessions be confidential?

Accepted Answer

All sessions are confidential, and information is shared only with client consent or request, or as required by law.

Therapists in Canada are governed by provincial regulatory bodies and are required to maintain secure and confidential records of client sessions. In Canada, there are legal and ethical limits to confidentiality, including:
• when there is a serious and immediate risk of harm to a client or others
• when there is evidence or suspicion of child abuse or neglect
• when required by court orders or in legal proceedings

Question 12

How long does therapy last?

Accepted Answer

The length of therapy varies widely. Some clients remain in therapy for a short time — a few months —  while some clients engage in therapy for a year or longer, to work on their healing, personal growth, and long-term goals.

Once therapy is complete — by mutual agreement of the client and therapist — clients have the option of scheduling less frequent or occasional follow-up sessions to help them stay on track, reinforce their skill sets, and support the life-long healing benefits that therapy provides.

Question 13

How does therapy work?

Accepted Answer

Therapy works in many ways. It:

• provides clients with a non-judgmental, confidential, and compassionate mental health professional with whom — and where — they can confide their deepest worries, fears, and struggles, without fear of reprisal 
• helps clients break free of problematic and destructive habits, including substance usage, over-eating, gambling, problematic online usage, and overwork
• provides the skill sets to challenge, reframe, and replace pervasive negative thoughts and self-limiting beliefs that can lead to depression and anxiety
• helps clients recognize, understand, and manage symptoms
• introduces, supports, and guides clients through the process of healing past hurts and trauma
• gives clients the tools, skills, and knowledge to connect to their authentic selves, and set goals in alignment with what they truly want to achieve in their lives

Question 14

How can I get the most out of therapy?

Accepted Answer

A therapist can only be as good as an individual client allows them to be.

Therapy is a collaborative process, where the client and therapist work together. It is important to understand that both parties are active participants in this complex process of self-reflection, self-discovery, healing, and growth.

To get the most out of therapy, clients need to:
• be as honest and forthcoming as possible about their struggles, fears, and personal history
• invest in and focus on the sometimes-uncomfortable process of self-reflection
• do the homework prescribed by their therapist
• realize that the work of therapy is not relegated to the therapist’s office alone, and that the skills, knowledge, and routines discussed in session need to be integrated into everyday life
• ask questions when feeling confused or unclear about their therapist’s directions
• take steps to integrate the self-care as identified by their therapist
• work on setting goals that align with their authentic selves
• be patient, compassionate, and kind to themselves and their therapist
• recognize, appreciate, and celebrate their therapeutic milestones
• realize that the benefits of doing the challenging work of therapy will last a lifetime

Question 15

What are some of the most effective, evidence-based forms of therapy available at present?

Accepted Answer

There are a number of effective evidence-based therapies that help people address symptoms, develop core strengths and abilities, and provide transformative, life strategies and healing. The benefits of therapy can continue long after therapy ends. Besides individual therapy, therapists can also work with workplaces, couples, or families. Therapists often incorporate multidisciplinary approaches to treating symptoms. Here’s a brief overview of several well-known types of therapy, and how they work.

Question 16

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT):

Accepted Answer

CBT is a structured, problem-focused, and goal-oriented form of psychotherapy. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, patients learn to identify and challenge negative thoughts or cognitions and facilitate positive change in attitudes and beliefs. As well, there is a focus on behavioural reactions from negative thoughts and support to shift maladaptive behaviors through exposures, and revise habits to healthier, more positive, adaptive ones as one challenges maladaptive thoughts.

Question 17

Behavioral Therapy (BT):

Accepted Answer

In Behavioral Therapy, patients work to identify and change maladaptive, distressing, and harmful behaviors in their lives. BT reinforces exposures to desirable, healthy behaviours to eliminate unwanted ones in order to enhance one’s quality of life.

Question 18

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT):

Accepted Answer

In Dialectical Behavioural Therapy people are taught acceptance and change. Acceptance of experiences and behaviours and learning to positively change to manage emotions and relationships better to move forward in a healthy manner. There is a focus on emotional regulation, mindfulness, and responding versus reacting, distress tolerance, learning how to cope better in stressful situations or when triggered, and interpersonal effectiveness to maintain healthy bonds with others. Such skills can be both individual and group therapy and both are helpful in enhancing healthy coping.

Question 19

Psychodynamic Therapy:

Accepted Answer

In this psychoanalytic form of therapy, with roots in Freudian therapy, the patient and therapist engage in depth talk therapy, examine memories, dreams, emotions, relationships, and thought patterns, and explore the connection between their unconscious and their behaviors with the outside world.

Question 20

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Accepted Answer

Explores personality and relationships. This helps emotional and behavioral dynamics between couples or within families/workplaces. It examines the interplay of emotions and corresponding behaviors, the effect of these behaviors, attachments, and interactions on relationships. Participants learn strategies to change negative cycles and establish stronger, more positive interpersonal dynamics and relationships.

Question 21

Mindfulness Meditation:

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness Meditation is a practice to facilitate being present in the “here and now,” and acknowledge where you are, what you are feeling and thinking, and accept as is feelings, thoughts, and sensations without judgement.

Question 22

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR):

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teaches one to sit with symptoms as they are than trying to get rid of them. It allows one to work on focusing on the breath to ground oneself and be in the now and training oneself to slow down racing thoughts and let go of judgement of self and thoughts and the negativity one is plagued with and just be in that moment, through breath. It allows one to feel calmer in one’s mind and body.

Question 23

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT):

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy combines cognitive therapy with mindfulness-based meditation techniques in a group setting. Patients learn meditation techniques and cognitive therapeutic strategies for managing mood, anxiety, and difficult emotions.

Question 24

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR):

Accepted Answer

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing is a psychotherapy treatment that alleviates the distress associated with traumatic or distressing memories. EMDR facilitates the healing and clearing of adverse life experiences, reducing the intense feelings one experiences. EMDR can facilitate healing resulting from life-threatening traumas, including wartime experiences, sexual assault, intimate partner abuse, childhood abuse, sudden losses, and other life-threatening events. Eye movement or other bilateral stimulation, in concert with replaying life-threatening memories, is proven to reduce the intensity of overwhelming emotions, depersonalize concepts that are unhealthy for one to hold onto, and process accurately the hurts of traumatic memories and experiences. With EMDR many times affective distress is relieved, negative beliefs and cognitive distortions are reframed, and physiological arousal is reduced and alleviated.

Question 25

How important is rapport with a therapist?

Accepted Answer

Finding the right therapist can take time and effort, but like any working relationship worth having, it is worth the effort. A therapist who is a good fit for you will connect with you, and make you feel safe, understood, and heard. They will take the time to understand your issues and goals, and will provide you with a sound treatment plan to help you reach your goals. They can also help you articulate and understand difficult feelings and situations, help you reframe negative automatic thoughts, and provide life-changing skills and strategies that will remain valuable throughout your life. If in the course of working with a therapist you feel unsupported, unsafe, or uncomfortable for any reason, make your feelings known. Your therapist will work with you to resolve any issues and refer you to another therapist or alternative resources. It is important to understand that a therapist is only as good as you allow them to be. They are service providers and can only work with you in the process. Hence, it is important to be transparent, honest, and sincere in your efforts to be present in sessions.

Question 26

What can I, as a client, do if I feel that my therapist is not a good fit?

Accepted Answer

If, in the course of working with a therapist you feel unsupported, unsafe, or uncomfortable for any reason, it is important — as well as your right and your responsibility — to make your feelings and concerns known.

It is important to understand that a therapist is only as good as you allow them to be. They are service providers and work in concert with you in your healing process. Hence, it is critical to be transparent, honest, and sincere with your therapist, even when it involves your relationship with your therapist. 
Your therapist will work with you to resolve any issues and refer you to another therapist, and/or alternative resources.

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