FAQ

1. How much does a therapy session cost?

My fees for service follow the recommended fee schedule set out by the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta, $220 per 50-minute session.

2. Am I able to get therapy fees reimbursed by my health care benefits?

Most health insurance plans will reimburse a portion of the therapy fee when you see a Registered Psychologist. I will provide a receipt for this purpose. Contact your insurance company to enquire about the terms of your policy. Additionally, psychological services may be used as a Tax Deductible Medical Expense.

3. How do I get started?

If you are interested in working with me, please complete the intake form to help me assess how I can be of help to you and your child or teen. I will then follow up with you via email to provide more information about my practice and to answer any questions you may have. If we both feel it will be a good fit for the child or teen, we will then book our first session.

The child or teen and at least one caregiver should attend our initial session. We will meet as a team to discuss the best session format and to begin building rapport together. I usually work for a short time individually with the child during this session. The goal of our initial session is for everyone to feel safe and comfortable and to begin working on the areas of concern outlined during the intake process.

4. How do I pay for my appointment?

Payment is made after each session by electronic funds transfer or credit card.

5. What should I do if I need immediate help because I am in crisis or having an emergency?

I am not able to offer immediate emergency care. In case of crisis or emergency, please call the Distress Centre at 403-266-4357, visit an urgent care centre (South Calgary Health Centre or Sheldon Chumir Health Centre) or visit the emergency centre of your closest hospital.

6. How does family-focused therapy work?

Family-focused therapy, counselling, or psychotherapy is a collaborative endeavour between you, your child or teen, and your psychologist. To gain an understanding of the nature of the concerns that brought you to seek help for your child or teen, I will first ask you and your child a series of questions about your concerns, such as when the they started, when they are most problematic, and what has been helpful in addressing the concerns. Information about your child’s history, family background, present circumstances, and current relationships is also helpful. I find that a good information gathering conversation is also helpful to caregivers in gaining insight into their child or teen’s experience and perspective.

I then work with the child or teen and parents together to create a strategy to make changes and address their concerns. For some families, change arises naturally after gaining insight and understanding into the problem. For others, the concerns require intentional change across several life domains. Change can be difficult, so the speed of our progress will vary depending on a number of factors.

7. How does psychological assessment work?

I am not currently conducting psychoeducational assessment. I would be happy to provide a referral for other psychologists who can support you with psychoeducational assessment services.

8. What are the risks and benefits of obtaining psychological services?

When investing time, energy, and money in the process of therapy or assessment for your child or teen, it is important to understand the associated risks and benefits. While therapy has been shown to be effective in helping children and teens deal with a range of issues, there is no guarantee that therapy will be effective for your child or teen. However, it is well established that the factors that make therapy effective are a good relationship between the client(s) and the psychologist, as well as clients’ motivation to create change.

A risk to be aware of is that over the course of therapy, we may discuss painful or upsetting emotions or memories. This is often a natural part of the healing process, and when emotions and memories are acknowledged and dealt with collaboratively, there will be improvement over time. All feelings are respected in our work together.

Psychological assessments carry with them the benefit of developing a thorough, current understanding of a child or teen’s functioning and needs across areas of development. There is a risk of fatigue and frustration during testing for the child or teen, as well as the risk of obtaining unexpected information (e.g., a diagnosis the family or school team had not yet considered) through the assessment process.

The benefits of psychological services often outweigh the risks. I will work with you and your child or teen to ensure that everyone understands the risks and benefits of obtaining psychological services with me.

9. How is my privacy protected?

What clients share with me during sessions is private and confidential. I do not release information about you or your child or teen to anyone without your written consent.

The only exceptions to this practice are:

• If clients share information with me that leads me to believe that they or another person is at imminent risk of serious harm

• If clients share information with me that leads me to believe that a child (17 and under) or dependent adult is being abused or neglected

• If clients become involved in a court case and therapy records are subpoenaed by a court of law

For children and teens under 18 years of age, legal guardians have the right to information that we have discussed in session. With this in mind, I always discuss privacy with all caregivers and their children or teens, to set out privacy guidelines that are mutually acceptable and comfortable for everyone.

If caregivers would like me to share information about sessions with other professionals, I require a written release of information from all legal guardians.

10. Is therapy right for my child or teen? Does seeking help mean I am a bad caregiver?

Life can be very challenging at times and seeking help by seeing a psychologist can be an important way for children, parents, and families to make change. A psychologist can offer support, teach new tools to assist clients in handling various situations, or assist clients in gaining greater perspective. I believe that psychological services can be important tools to help people get the most out of life. Seeking psychological help does not mean you are bad parent or that your child or teen is damaged. In fact, seeking psychological help can be an important step in supporting your child or teen as well as yourself. If you are unsure whether therapy might be helpful for you, please contact me to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.

11. How many sessions are required?

Therapy is individual to each child or teen and family. The number of sessions required depends on many factors including the nature of the concerns, the complexity of the issues, the amount of work completed outside of sessions, and the motivation to make changes. Clients have the right to withdraw from therapy at any time without prejudice.

I typically see children or teens for 60- to 90-minute sessions. Families determine the frequency of our sessions, usually biweekly or monthly. Sometimes at the beginning or our work together, people prefer to see me more often to develop some momentum in the change process. It is up to each family to decide how frequently they would like to see me.

12. How do I make an appointment for a consultation or a session?

If you are interested in booking a consultation you can complete the Intake Form on the Contact page or send me an email for more information.