FAQ

FAQ

FAQ2022-11-28T06:18:17-05:00
What is Psychotherapy?2022-09-13T18:27:20-04:00

Psychotherapy is essentially talk therapy aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing. Psychotherapists receive extensive training to apply evidence-based techniques to support the clients in achieving their therapeutic goals.

How am I able to pay for my session?2022-09-13T18:20:20-04:00

We accept all major credit cards, debit visa, or e-transfer.

Is psychotherapy covered by insurance?2022-09-13T18:20:40-04:00

Psychotherapy is not covered by OHIP. However, most private insurance companies (through work) do cover psychotherapy. Contact your insurance provider for details.

Does Serenity Psychotherapy Clinic accept direct billing to insurance providers?2024-01-01T23:50:08-05:00

Unfortunately, we do not accept direct billing. Once the fees are paid we issue an invoice which can be claimed through your insurance provider for reimbursement.

What is the cancellation policy?2024-01-01T23:52:42-05:00

We require a 24-hour notice of cancellations. Late cancellations prevent other clients from accessing the essential service of psychotherapy and will result in late-cancellation fees (the total session fee).

Is information disclosed in session kept confidential?2022-09-13T18:23:51-04:00

Yes, the therapist has the ethical and legal obligations to keep everything discussed in session confidential between the therapist and client.
There are however some limitations to this confidentiality, the therapist has the ethical and legal obligation to release only relevant information if:

  • There is clear and imminent risk of serious harm to themselves or others (i.e. suicide or homicide).
  • The federal or provincial court of law orders the therapist to facilitate in an investigation or inspection or if information is subpoenaed by the court of law (i.e. court warrant to release information).
  • The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario requests access to certain information under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991.
  • The client is unable to give consent or is unable to reasonably be a decision-maker, the therapist may contact a substitute decision-maker (i.e. relative). This may be the case when working with young children or individuals who are incapacitated.
Does Serenity Psychotherapy Clinic offer sliding scale (low-cost) therapy?2024-01-01T23:53:52-05:00

Yes, we offer sliding scale (low cost) therapy. Please contact us for details.

Who can benefit from therapy?2022-09-13T18:24:55-04:00

Everyone can benefit from attending therapy. Choosing to go to therapy does not mean “there is something wrong”. Psychotherapy can help us understand our emotions, thoughts, or behavior better, it can help us improve our communication and our relationships, it can help us strengthen healthy behaviors, it can help us process certain events, or it can be a safe space where we get to explore ourselves and gain new insight and perspective. No matter the reason, therapy is a process with YOU at the center to ultimately improve your quality of life.

What can I expect in the first intake consultation session?2022-09-13T18:25:34-04:00

The objective of the intake consultation is for you to see if the therapist is a good fit. This first meeting will focus will be on gathering information about you in order for the therapist to be able to best support you.

You will discuss topics such as: family history, diagnoses and medications, substance use, cultural values, important relationships, what brought you to therapy, and goals.

What can I expect from therapy?2022-09-13T18:25:58-04:00

Therapy is a process which typically takes weeks for yourself or your therapist to notice results. The objective of therapy is not to create change overnight, but rather create sustainable long-term change. In some cases, this may require you to visit some uncomfortable thoughts, emotions, or events. In other cases, this may require you to complete homework between sessions. And in most cases, change happens outside of the session as you reflect on your experience and acquire insight. However, in all cases you are doing the work even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Does Serenity Psychotherapy Clinic operate virtually or in-person?2024-01-01T23:54:52-05:00

We offer psychotherapy sessions in-person as well as virtually.

How do I prepare for virtual sessions?2022-09-13T18:26:51-04:00

The most important element in therapy is privacy, ensure you are somewhere private and quiet. Ensure that the internet connection is stable, and that your electronic device is charged or plugged-in. We also recommend to have a light snack or beverage.

Go to Top