top of page
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Can therapy help me?Yes! People seek out and benefit from therapy for many reasons. The ultimate goal of therapy is to help improve quality of life, stability, coping and functioning. It is not only for those in acute crisis or those suffering from severe mental health issues - it is equally recommended and helpful for any level of problem with mental health, physical health, social, relationship, occupational or life concern...from everyday frustrations to major struggles. The reality is, we can all benefit from a safe place to express ourselves and talk about our experiences. We can all benefit from extra support and guidance. We can all benefit from learning more effective coping strategies. We can all benefit from being respected and genuinely cared for while tackling life struggles and trying to imporve things.
-
What can I expect of the first session?The first session is about getting to know you and the issue(s) that brought you to seek out therapy. We have a conversation about your history and background, current situation, symptoms, struggles, relationships, interests, strengths and goals. It is about us establishing a connection - a therapeutic relationship - and making sure you feel safe, listened to and respected. You are able to ask questions and we will discuss the process, your hopes, needs and potential approaches to best help you. You should leave knowing if you want to continue, if you feel we are a good fit together, and if you believe therapy could be helpful.
-
How do I prepare for our first session?You do not have to do anything to prepare for our first session; you can simply book your appointment and show up. Attending is the most important step you can take, and it can sometimes be the most anxiety provoking. I encourage you to be corageous and brave. I will do my best to make it as comfortable as possible, and future sessions should be easier after you meet me, feel the space, tell your story, and get an understanding of how we will work together. Some people choose to write down important key points to bring to their first session. You are invited to do so if you wish, but this is not mandatory - we will be exploring your struggles, the contributing factors and your goals thoroughly when we talk in person.
-
What would subsequent sessions be like?Therapy is different for each person because each person is unique with different issues, needs, goals, circumstances, experiences, challenges, therapy approaches, and speed of progress. This said, sessions typically involve components of discussing recent relevant events, reviewing homework attempts and outcomes (if any), noting areas of progress and change in behaviour/mood/thoughts/insight, reviewing goals and making revisions to them, devoting time to learning and practicing new concepts and strategies, reflecting on progress, analyzing experiences, and regularly checking-in to ensure therpay is meeting your expectations. Your active engagement is important to maximize progress and the process of change. Homework may be recommended to enhance your understanding of a concept or to practice a strategy aimed at helping you - for example, you may be asked to journal about a specific topic, complete a worksheet, read an article, practice a strategy, or take a specific action towards a goal. It is to help you, but is not mandatory or conditional for our ongoing work together. If uncomplleted, we will discuss what the barrier(s) were and will problem solve from there - perhaps we can make time to complete it in session together, or we can leave it for you to try again, or perhaps we need to set a different goal or eliminate it as a goal task altogether, depending on your feedback. You and your needs are the priority!
-
How many sessions will it take to help me?Length of therapy varies greatly and depends on your specific needs, goals and circumstances. Some individuals initiate therapy with one very specific issue or concern to address and a brief 5 to 8 week solution-based intervention may be all that is required. Some come to explore deeper, more entrenched and complex issues that require more time, sometimes months of therapy support. Others choose to maintain therapy for longer or wish to continue on a reduced frequency basis as a prophylactic measure to ensure they maintain implementing healthy coping stregegies throughout time and ongoing life situations. You are in the driver seat when it comes to therapy duration; you determine how long you want to continue based on your own wants and needs. My job is to help you as efficiently as possible and to support you in every way.
-
Is therapy confidential?Absolutely. Confidentiality is one of hte cornerstones of therapy. Knowing you are in a safe and nonjudgmental space, able to say anything, and knowing it will be kept between us and not be shared with anyone else is fundamental. It helps build trust in our relationship and is paramount to the therapy process. I am legally and ethically bound to keep sessions completely confidential; however, there are a few exceptions to this rule - if there is reason to believe you are a danger to yourself or others, I legally and ethically must break confidentiality to ensure you and/or others are safe from harm, and there may be times when you wish for me to share informatoin wiht others (such as your family physican) or you would like to include others in your therapy session and therapy work (such as a family member). You would have to provide written permission for me to release your personal health informatoin to any specific party of your consent, and we would review what information you consent disclosure of specifically. This is informed consent and is a requirement by law.
-
Can I bring others to my session?Yes, I provide therapy services to individuals as well as couples/relationships and family systems. If you are seeing me as an individual but at some point wish to include another pertinent individual into your therapy session, please discuss it with me beforehand so we can plan for it and review consent prior to your session. If you need a support person to help you attend sessions, your support person can either remain in the waiting room to keep your session confidential to you, or you can have them attend your session after you provide permission and the necessary written informed consent.
-
Is there a minimum age of consent?There is no minimum age of consent for therapy in Ontario. Per legislation, clients under 18 years of age are assumed to be capable of providing consent unless they are deemed to not be of capacity to understand and appreciate the consequences of their decisions. For minors, consent is carefully considered on a case-by-case basis taking into account the young person's capacity, applicable laws, and maturity. One is not deemed capable of giving consent if one is unable to understand the information provided or if one is unable to appreciate reasonably foreseeable consequences of their decisions.
-
What if I don't feel therapy is right for me?A good therapeutic relationship is paramount to successful therapy. You need to feel comfortable and should find your therapist easy to talk with. You should feel well listened to and well supported, and feel they meet your needs. The first session is a great opportunity for you to decide if it seems like a good fit with your therapist and you want to continue on, or whether you feel it would be best to seek an alternate therapist or resource. This said, it is also important you know that you have the right to terminate services at any point in the therapy process, and likewise, TLC counselilng has the right to terminate services if deemed ethically appropirate, such as if your needs are deemed beyond our scope of practice. At TLC counselling we not only respect your wishes regarding therapy, but will attempt to faciltiate your ongoing success by providing you with a list of alternate resource options when possible.
-
What is the cancellation policy?As scheduling a therapy session involves securing time specifically for you, if you need to cancel a scheduled appointment, a minimum of 24-hours notice is required or the full session fee may be charged. Cancellations can be completed through the online booking system, by email, text or phone: www.tlc-counselling.com trina@tlc-counselling.com 905-442-7613 Please include your name and the session date/time you are cancelling. You may also reschedule your session via any of these methods as well. If you have trouble attending in-person sessions, you are encouraged to consider telephonic or video counselling options to allow you to receive support and/or not lose ground in therapy progress. Please note telephonic and video counselling options are available to residents of Ontario, Canada only.
-
Can you bill my insurer directly?TLC counselling is unable to bill insurers or Employee Assistance Program providers directly at this time. If you have benefits, you can submit receipts to your insurer/provider to seek reimbursement. See the Insurance Coverage section to help explore the terms of your benefit coverage4 and link you to government websites confirming out-of-pocket expenses can be included on your income tax return for a Federal Tax Credit.
-
What if I need help between scheduled sessions or cannot attend in-person but would still like help?TLC counselling offers telephonic as well as digital e-counselling/video counselling solutions to individuals in Ontario, Canada, as a resonsive solution to provide greater and sometimes quicker access to support when needed and to assist those who are unable to attend in-person sessions for any reason. To schedule a tele- or e-therapy session, please contact TLC couselling by phone, text or email for us to discuss your technology options/preference and schedule your session.
bottom of page