Individual Psychotherapy

Research consistently demonstrates that evidence-based therapy is helpful in treating many mental illnesses, but you do not need to have a “diagnosis” to benefit from therapy. People seek therapy for many reasons:

• Emotional challenges (e.g., anxiety, depressed mood, grief, anger)

• Difficult life experiences (e.g., problems in relationships, major life changes)

• Behaviours that may have resulted in problems with the law, work, or relationships (e.g., violence, addiction, social skills deficit)

Regardless of the reason(s) that led you to consider psychotherapy, you and I will work together as a team to figure out what is keeping you stuck. We will create a “roadmap” so that we know where we are and where we want to go.

Therapy should never take a one-size-fits-all approach. My theoretical orientation is integrative, meaning I integrate several evidence-based therapeutic approaches in a way that makes sense for you. I primarily draw from acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and dialectical behavioural therapy, as well as an insight-oriented, relational approach.

Sometimes people are reluctant to start therapy because they are afraid of the uncomfortable stuff that will show up when they start talking about the things that are bothering them. If the goal of treatment is to kick your symptoms (or emotions, memories, etc.) out of the driver’s seat so that you can take back control and build a meaningful life, that means we will need to bring up those painful things in session so that you can practice new ways of handling them. Because of this, therapy is uncomfortable at times, but I will support you. You are always free to say no to anything I suggest.

This is a common question, and it is difficult to answer because it is largely dependent on the individual and the nature of the problem. Generally, problems that have been around for a long time (e.g., persistent depressed mood), complex issues (e.g., multiple diagnoses), and conditions that affect all aspects of a person’s functioning (e.g., personality disorders) require more sessions than circumscribed difficulties.

That is not always true, however. Your willingness to experiment with new strategies and practice these outside of session will affect how quickly you progress in therapy. It is also likely that I will develop a better understanding of you and your difficulties as we start to work together. This improved understanding may alter the recommended course of treatment. We always discuss this if that is the case, and we will regularly revisit the “roadmap” we created to ensure we are meeting your goals.

When you have a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder, or your brain has been injured in some way (e.g., traumatic brain injury, stroke), you might experience cognitive impairment, which is just a fancy way of saying problems with your thinking. This includes things like paying attention, remembering things, and making good decisions. Your brain is responsible for these functions.

As a clinical neuropsychologist, I have specialized training in the relationship between the brain and behaviour. I understand the types of thinking problems caused by conditions that affect the brain, and I will tailor my approach to try to maximize how much you get out of our sessions. Without a neuropsychological assessment, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what areas you might be having problems with, but we will work together to figure out what may have gotten in the way of you benefitting from therapy in the past. Alternatively, if you think you would benefit from a neuropsychological assessment for treatment planning, you can find out more about that here.

All sessions will be conducted over a secure, videoconferencing platform that complies with Canadian privacy laws for telehealth. To participate, you will need the following:

• Secure Internet connection

• An electronic device that connects to the Internet and has a webcam (while a computer or laptop is preferred, a cell phone could be used)

• Private location where others do not have access/cannot overhear you

• An email address to access the client portal

Although a significant amount of research is emerging regarding the effectiveness of online therapy for many different conditions and problems, conducting therapy online does present with certain challenges we do not otherwise encounter in person. As such, an initial consultation will be completed to ensure that your difficulties can be adequately addressed via online services prior to beginning therapy.

Imagine that you are a coach for a hockey team. The game is intense; it is moving at a fast pace; and you need to make quick decisions. You have only a few minutes to coach your players while they are on the bench. Coaching on the fly during a hockey game is akin to phone coaching in therapy. It is meant to provide you with support in the here-and-now to help you when you are in the middle of the game, navigating your everyday life. The primary purpose of phone coaching is to help bridge the gap between our sessions and real life to increase your confidence and improve skills generalization (i.e., apply skills effectively in different types of situations and with different people).

Traditional therapy sessions are 45 to 50 minutes in length (typically called the “therapy hour”). My clients always receive a full hour, which is charged at the rate of $225.

Psychological services are not covered by OHIP, but many extended health care plans offer full or partial coverage for psychological services. You will receive a receipt, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. I do not submit directly to your insurance company.

Psychologists set their own rates, and it is true that my rate for psychotherapy is often below the “average” in Ontario. Psychologists receive the most training in the assessment and treatment of mental health difficulties relative to other mental health professions, yet because psychological services are not covered by OHIP, many people cannot afford a psychologist. This means that people go without help or they seek services from a mental health professional who might be less qualified to treat their particular difficulty. I want to change that. My vision for the Centre for Meaningful Living is to provide high-quality psychological services that are affordable and accessible.

Having the knowledge and expertise of a psychologist is particularly advantageous for individuals experiencing severe mental illness (e.g., psychosis) or complex mental health difficulties (e.g., multiple diagnoses). It is important to note that not all psychologists have training and experience in severe, complex mental illness. I have concentrated my training and career on assessing and treating complex clinical concerns.