Frequently Asked Questions
How long does each therapy session take?
Typically, a therapy session is defined as a "clinical hour" which is 50 minutes in length. This allows your therapist to continuing focusing on your well-being once you've left and to document your session for future treatment planning.
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This short break is also a buffer time in case a session needs to go over by a bit, but really it is to give your therapist some breathing space to be effective and present for your session.
Do you offer sliding scale rates?
Yes, we do offer sliding scale rates. The cost of your session will vary based upon your income and insurance coverage. Typically sessions are $220; however, for those who are limited in funds and without insurance, please call us about our Karma program which may allow for subsidized sessions.
What should I expect for my first session?
An initial session will mostly be information gathering – we want to know what you want to accomplish with coming to therapy. We may set up some goals, clarify information, or just take the time to get to know you. Subsequent sessions can consist of psychoeducation, working on goals, or providing support as needed for the things that occurred between sessions. Some sessions may require specific techniques, such as EMDR, or sand tray, to meet certain treatment goals, while some sessions may have video games and board games to help us meet those goals. Every therapist practices differently, and an initial discussion of what to expect from therapy may be helpful in designing treatment goals.
Do therapists see members of the same family? What about friends?
There are times that a practitioner may see members from the same family - if the reasons for coming to therapy are unrelated to struggles with said family members. We do recommend seeing different therapists for family members.
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Since we live in a small community, it is a great possibility that practitioners may see people from the same friend group or family, but we are dedicated to protecting the confidentiality of all our clients, and strive to minimize the possibility of dual relationships. If dual relationships cannot be avoided, therapists will ensure dual relationships do not compromise their therapeutic judgment, objectivity, or effectiveness.
Will I spend the counselling session lying on a couch talking about my childhood?
Well, no, not really. At Aspire Counselling and Psychology, we feel it is important to develop a treatment plan and counselling experience that is tailored to your individual needs. Our counsellors practice from a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches but none of which require the use of a lying down position or exclusive childhood recollections.
Do you direct bill to insurance companies?
Yes, we are happy to provide this service, and bill to several insurance companies. Please contact our office for more details on which providers we are partnered with.
Clients are responsible for providing the relevant information, such as coverage limit, percentage covered, and any other details needed to complete a claim. Insurance companies will only provide this information to the account holder, and not to our administrative staff.
What methods of therapy do you offer?
We are constantly working to improve our offerings and expand upon our technological capabilities. Our expert team of professionals is passionate about using the evidence based treatment that is most appropriate to your concern.
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Visit our individual profiles for a list of our specializations.
What type of session should I choose?
Choosing the right session can depend on several factors:
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Do I want an initial session to build rapport and provide some background information? – a 50-minute session may suffice.
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Do I want a meet-and-greet, then delve into strategies or start processing things? – a 80-minute session may be best.
What is my psychologist writing down?
Therapists may write down some quick notes to keep track of topics discussed, techniques used, or small little details about our clients, such as their dogs/cats names. The notes written as usually very short, and are only for clinical purposes and mostly as a quick reminder, rather than a detailed account of what was said. Our notes are not intended to be used for anything other than quick refreshers, and not for any legal purposes or for word-for-word tracking.
How often do I come to counselling?
The frequency of sessions is very dependant on the client’s needs. Some clients may want/need weekly sessions for a short time, and then schedule sessions biweekly, or monthly afterwards. Some practitioners assign “homework”, and this takes time to practice, so allowing for time between sessions is great. We highly encourage clients to discuss this topic with their therapist and see what a could be a great fit for their finances and schedule.
Can't find what you're looking for? Contact us at 780-719-5121, or information@aspirepsych.ca.