FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim your services through my health insurance provider?

All of our associate therapists are licensed with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, and Psychotherapy services are covered under many extended health benefit plans! However, it is always best to check with your particular provider and plan for exact coverage details. Every plan differs, and many different plans exist within the same insurance company, or even the same workplace. Check with your provider before booking a session to make sure Psychotherapy is covered under your unique plan! Unfortunately private therapy is not covered by OHIP.

Please note that our clinical intern therapists may not yet be eligible to apply for their license with the CRPO. If this is the case, the license number of their supervisor will appear on their receipts, and you may be able to submit claims under the supervising psychotherapist's license (please check with your insurance provider to confirm that this is allowed under your plan).

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How much do you charge, and what methods of payment do you accept?

All of our associate therapists have a fee of $170 for individuals, and $190 for couples/ family sessions. Our clinical interns offer a reduced rate of $100 for individuals, and $125 for couples/ family sessions.

A credit card will be saved to your file at the start of therapy, and this will be charged after your sessions. Receipts are sent promptly by email. If you do not have a credit card, we can also take payment by secure EFT (electronic funds transfer), which is a direct debit of funds from a bank account on file.

Should I have my session in-person or virtually?

Most of our therapists offer both of these options, so the choice is yours! In addition to in-person sessions at our office, therapy can be done via secure online video through OWL Practice, or over the phone. OWL Practice is similar to Zoom, but more confidential because it is designed for therapy. Commonly, people want to know if meeting online or on the phone is as effective as face-to-face sessions and, in our experience, yes - it absolutely can be. If you prefer to come in-person, we just ask that you please stay home if you are feeling sick. You can always switch to a virtual session if needed! If you don't know what you would prefer, try a session and see how you feel about it. You are welcome to switch between in-person and virtual sessions whenever you would like to.

What can I expect throughout the counselling process?

Committing to therapy is an important decision! In the first couple of sessions, we will determine if our relationship is a good therapeutic fit and complete an intake assessment. Once we have explored your background, we will collaboratively outline your goals and develop a personalized treatment plan. The number of sessions will be based on your specific needs, but this is something we would discuss and visit frequently throughout the duration of the counselling process. Sessions are 50 minutes long.

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What are the differences between a Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, and Social Worker?

A Psychologist holds a doctoral degree, and is able to provide formal assessments and give diagnoses in addition to providing therapy.

A Psychiatrist holds a medical degree, and is able to provide diagnoses and prescribe medication. They typically do not provide ongoing therapy.

A Psychotherapist typically holds a Masters degree, and is able to provide therapy services for working on personal goals, and improving symptoms like anxiety and depression.

A Social Worker holds either a Bachelor's degree or Master's degree, and can specialize in different areas of social service work, including psychotherapy.

All of the associate therapists at Brown Counselling are Psychotherapists who are licensed with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. Our clinical interns may be pre-licensure, but will be supervised by a licensed, experienced Psychotherapist.

What is a clinical intern therapist?

Clinical intern therapists are students completing the final year of their Master's degree in Counselling Psychology. These students have completed all of their relevant course work and training, and engage in frequent supervision with experienced therapists on our team. Although they are newer to the field, they provide the same high-quality therapy that you would receive from our associates. Our clinical interns also become licensed as psychotherapists with the CRPO as soon as they are eligible to do so, so their services are covered under most insurance plans. If they are not yet licensed, their receipts will show their supervisor's name and license number for insurance claims. Our clinical intern therapists are typically with us for 8 months, so they can offer a full course of therapy in many cases. They offer a reduced fee to reflect their experience level.

My doctor recommended Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). What is that?

CBT is a highly structured, practical, and short-term therapy. While CBT can be very effective for issues like anxiety and depression, it is not the best suited style of therapy for everyone, and is not the recommended treatment approach for all mental health issues. Doctors often recommend CBT because it is highly researched and can be implemented in a short period of time, but there are hundreds of evidence-based therapy modalities that can be just as effective! Most of the therapists on our team are integrative, which means they may pull from elements of CBT, but also integrate other evidence-based modalities into their work. Please feel free to speak with your therapist about their unique approach to therapy, and what you want to get out of the process!

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How does couples/ family therapy work?

Couples and family therapy is different from individual therapy because the focus of the work will be on the relationship(s). Both members of the couple, or all members of the family, will be present in the first session so the therapist can get to know all of you at the same time. The therapist will help identify the goals for the relationship(s), and will work towards meeting those goals, together.

If you are seeing an individual therapist, it is important that you see a different therapist for couples/ family therapy. Unfortunately, it is a conflict of interest for the therapist to offer couples/ family therapy, and individual therapy to the same client. 

A sign hanging on the wall that says in session.