In-home therapy

Many people seek therapy when stress, anxiety, depression, or past experiences affect their daily lives or relationships. For example, therapy can help anyone wanting to improve emotional health, navigate challenges, or find balance in life. Often people come to therapy without a clear goal, but know they need something to change.

Counselling Therapist/Psychotherapist: Counselling therapy and psychotherapy are the same thing in Canada. They are both terms for mental health therapy. This can be “talk” therapy, but also art therapy, animal-assisted therapy, wilderness therapy, group therapy, and more.

Different provinces have different “protected titles” for therapists. 

Counselling Therapy/Psychotherapy is not yet regulated in all provinces and territories. You can check regulation status and the protected title for where you live here.

Psychologist: Psychologists have graduate-level education in psychology and are specifically trained in research, assessment, and providing mental health diagnoses. Psychologists can provide counselling therapy/psychotherapy.

Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with extra training in mental health. They can prescribe and manage prescriptions. Some may be trained in counselling therapy/psychotherapy as well.

Psychologists and psychiatrists sometimes have longer wait-times and higher appointment fees (in correlation with their specialized training). If you are seeking therapy, but not a diagnosis or medication, a counselling therapist/psychotherapist may be a fit for you.

Some signs that therapy is having an impact include:

• Feeling less reactive around other people and stressful situations

• Better understanding of one’s own behaviour and emotions

• Feeling closer to loved ones

• Increased ability to notice thoughts and feelings while they’re happening

• Stronger sense of self

• Communicating healthy boundaries

• Feeling less shame and self-judgment

• Greater capacity to think about the future

• Hope

Not unless you’d like them to be there. If your parent(s)/guardian(s) would like to meet all together during therapy, your therapist will ask your permission first. Your therapist won’t bring other people into sessions without your consent unless they believe there’s an imminent risk to your safety (in that case, they’ll still let you know first). Same goes for sharing anything from your sessions. Your therapist will only share information with someone if (a) you give them permission to, (b) they believe your safety (or another person’s) is at risk, or (c) if they’re required to by a court of law.

Your therapist will only share information from a session with your parent(s)/guardian(s) if they believe there is a clear and imminent risk to your safety or the safety of another person. They would tell you this was happening, and in most cases you would have a chance to discuss your preferences for how this disclosure would be made. This approach aligns with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers standards regarding confidentiality and its limits.

• Are they accepting new patients?

• Does the therapist have experience working with or is a member of a group that is important to your identity, such as being queer-affirming or BIPOC-friendly?

• Do they specialize in working with people who present with similar issues or challenges that you are experiencing, such as depression, anxiety, relationship issues, substance abuse concerns, or other topics important to you?

• How many years have they been practicing?

• What are their areas of expertise?

• Do they have experience treating issues similar to yours?

• What is their approach to treatment?

• Have their methods been proven effective for your specific concern?

• Do they conduct in-person and telehealth therapy?

• What are their fees for services?

• Do they offer a sliding-scale policy for affordability?

• Inquire about their policies for missed appointments and any other concerns important to you.

We do not provide emergency or crisis services, psychiatric or medical care, medication management, formal psychological or educational assessments, or services intended for court, custody, disability, or insurance determinations.  Requests for legal letters, court reports, or testimony may be declined or limited to basic attendance summaries in accordance with professional standards.

Your privacy is very important to us.  All records and documentation are stored securely in the Jane App practice management system and handled in accordance with Ontario privacy legislation (PHIPA) and the professional standards of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

Information shared in counselling is confidential and will not be released without your written consent, except in rare situations required by law, such as risk of serious harm to yourself or others, concerns about the safety of a child, or court orders.  These limits to confidentiality are reviewed with you before beginning therapy.

When using virtual services, we use secure video platforms and encrypted systems whenever possible.  While no online system can be guaranteed completely risk-free, we take reasonable steps to protect your information and maintain professional privacy standards.

If you have questions about how your information is stored or used, please ask at any time.

We know therapy requires trust.  Protecting your privacy is part of caring for you.