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What are the Risks and Benefits of Psychotherapy?
As with any treatment, there are some risks as well as many benefits with psychotherapy. You should think about both the benefits and risks when making any treatment decisions.For example, in psychotherapy, there is a risk clients will have for a time uncomfortable levels of sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, frustration, loneliness, helplessness, or other negative feelings. Clients may recall unpleasant memories. These feelings or memories may bother a client at work or in school. Some people in your community may mistakenly view anyone in psychotherapy as weak, or perhaps as seriously disturbed. Also, clients in psychotherapy may have problems with people important to them. Family secrets may be told. Psychotherapy may disrupt a marital relationship and sometimes may even lead to a divorce.Sometimes, too, a client’s problems may temporarily worsen after the beginning of treatment. Most of these risks are to be expected when people are making any important changes in their lives. Finally, even with our best efforts, there is a risk that psychotherapy may not work out well for you. Psychotherapy is not an exact science and cannot guarantee specific outcomes. Some benefits that people have found with psychotherapy include improved interpersonal skills, more confidence in their control over stressful life events, and better management of emotions. These benefits can lead to more productivity at work, improved interpersonal relationships and increased self-esteem. Psychotherapy can also help with specific health-related behaviours and reduce stress.
What is the Length and Cost of Therapy?
For most problems, people are helped in 6 to 10 sessions. I recommend that you use the first two sessions to evaluate whether or not you think we can work well together. The need for additional sessions can be discussed in an ongoing fashion. You may decide that weekly sessions are of most help to you, but other frequencies are also possible. Payment is expected at each session. The current fee is $160 per hour, and an hour of service usually involves 50 minutes of client contact with 10 minutes for my own note-taking. This fee is considered your responsibility, even if you have extended health coverage that will pay for psychological services. I am happy to assist you in obtaining insurance reimbursement; sometimes this means divulging some confidential information (e.g., diagnosis, treatment plan) to your insurance company, but I will only do so with your written permission. Payment is due at the completion of each session. A charge will apply for cancellation of an appointment with less than 24 hours notice. Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notice are subject to 50% of the session fee, and no-shows are subject to the full fee. Should there be difficulty collecting payment, the services of a third party collection agency may be utilized.
What are the Risks and Benefits of Psychotherapy?
I take confidentiality very seriously. Your understanding that you can talk about anything in therapy, and that it will remain confidential and private, is paramount if therapy is to be helpful.I follow the confidentiality requirements of the College of Psychologists of Ontario, and I will be pleased to discuss the rare exceptions to confidentiality, as required by law, during our first meeting. Aside from these rare exceptions, everything that we discuss will remain completely confidential unless you request that I share certain information with another party (in which case I will ask you to sign a consent form providing me with permission to release information).
Who covers your services?
We are covered by many extended health care insurance plans; not by OHIP. Please refer to your insurance company for coverage.
Can I cancel my appointment?
Yes, you are able to cancel your appointment as long as you contact our office 24 hours before your scheduled time.
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