Absolutely. At Bay Psychology, all therapists are regulated healthcare professionals bound by the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), which mandates the strict protection of your confidential personal health information. Only your therapist has access to your clinical records. Administrative staff can view your contact information only, and no other therapists at the practice can access your records or know that you are a current or past client. Furthermore, Bay Psychology team members will not acknowledge knowing you outside the office unless you choose to initiate the interaction.

The initial appointment involves a detailed discussion to understand you and your situation, current challenges, background, and your strengths and resources to develop an appropriate plan for treatment. In addition, we may ask you to complete self-report measures to better understand your difficulties. At the end of the consultation, we will provide you with our initial impressions and recommendations. If therapy is recommended, we will work with you to develop a treatment plan, including goals and approximate time frames. Sometimes an individual’s primary concerns or symptoms are not within our area of expertise. If this happens, we will refer you to another professional who can help.

Sessions are 50 minutes long and typically occur biweekly, although depending on the nature and severity of your problem(s), they may be less frequent. Initially more frequent sessions help to develop a strong therapeutic relationship and establish momentum toward your treatment goals. Session frequency may be tapered as you progress and become more comfortable applying what you have learned in therapy.

This is a reasonable question and difficult to predict. Research shows that the duration of therapy is variable and can be influenced by the specific therapy interventions used, the strength of the relationship with your therapist, as well as factors specific to you. Depending on your specific needs and goals, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with recurrent life patterns or your desire for more in-depth personal growth. Some clients experience significant improvement very quickly (4-6 sessions) but generally treatment length ranges from 7-14 sessions for longer term issues. Therapy is a collaborative process, and your progress and goals will be discussed during the course of treatment.

Except for Veterans Affairs Canada, WSIB, Metis Nation of Ontario and Victim Services clients, Bay Psychology cannot bill private health insurance. We will provide you with receipts following payment that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

You do not need a referral to access services at Bay Psychology. However, if you are planning on getting your services reimbursed by your private insurance, they may require a referral from a medical professional. Please confirm with your insurance provider.

While assessments can help guide treatment, they are not a requirement to access therapy at Bay Psychology. An assessment can sometimes be helpful in providing additional clarity, especially if you’re seeking a deeper understanding of your concerns or want to explore potential diagnoses.