HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? – FEES
Fees vary by clinician, but on average they are around $200 per session.
We accept payment by credit card. We will securely store you credit card information on file and session fees will be charged at the time of your appointment. A receipt will be issued at the time that payment is received.
At this time, OHIP does not offer universal coverage of mental health care. We hope this will change soon. However, services by a registered Clinical Psychologist or Master’s Level Social Worker are frequently covered by benefits and private insurance providers, up to a yearly maximum. Please check with your insurance provider to determine if you have coverage and clarify the process of reimbursement, as we do not offer direct billing. We will provide you with a receipt at the end of each session that has the information required by most insurance providers.
I’M NOT READY YET.
Many people may not realize that one of the most important parts of therapy is timing. It’s not always the right time to get started. Therapy can be hard work. If you know you want to make a change but aren’t sure if you are ready to start, there are options. You may want to explore this website to learn more. Or you may want to set up a free 15-minute consultation phone call to determine whether it’s the right time. Whenever you’re ready, we’re here.
I’M READY TO START. NOW WHAT?
When you are ready to make changes towards living your best life, contact us. We will start with a free 15-minute consultation over the phone. In this phone call, our Intake Coordinator will tell you a little more about what you can expect from working with us. They will also ask you to give a brief idea of what brings you to therapy; this is to make sure that we would be a good fit for your needs.
If you and the Intake Coordinator agree that the Tri Health Clinic would be a good fit, you will be added to the waitlist, and contacted to book the soonest available appointment.
At the end of each consultation, the Intake Coordinator will have some resources for you so that you can get started on your healing journey right away. Even if we are not the right fit, we may have some resources to help you find the help you need.
Read more about our Intake Coordinator’s role here.
DO YOU HAVE EVENING/WEEKEND APPOINTMENTS?
While appointment availability varies from clinician to clinician, the majority of appointments are offered during regular office hours (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm, inclusive).
If you are only able to attend appointments on evenings or weekends, we are not the clinic for you.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FOR THE FIRST SESSION?
Unlike future sessions (which are 50 minutes), the first session is 1.5 hours; but the fee is the same. In the first session, you can expect to go over some paperwork (like the consent form, some brief questionnaires). Your clinician will want to hear your story and what brings you to therapy – this may take 1 to 2 sessions. Together, you and your clinician will develop goals (so we know what to focus on in therapy) and a treatment plan (so we know how to meet your goals).
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FOR THE REST OF THE SESSIONS?
All sessions are 50 minutes with 10 minutes for charting (as is standard for mental health care).
While treatment can look different for everyone based on their goals, needs, and history, sessions will typically follow a similar format. Before session, your clinician will ask you to complete a short questionnaire so we can track your progress. We will start the sessions by getting the housekeeping out of the way. Then, we will set an agenda to make sure we make the best use of our time together.
Sessions usually involve some mix of discussing the time since last session, education, and potentially learning new skills or adapting existing skills. As you progress in therapy, sessions tend to shift away from “learning” towards “troubleshooting”.
For many people, they choose to space sessions out further and further until they feel ready to graduate from therapy. Usually, we begin with weekly or bi-weekly sessions and move to a few times a month with longer spaces between sessions. It is not uncommon for people to check in months or even years down the line for “booster sessions” as needed. We will work together to determine a schedule that works best for your needs and your schedule.
THIS IS PRIVATE, RIGHT?? – CONFIDENTIALITY
Everything we discuss in session is strictly private and confidential and will not be revealed to anyone.
The only thing that takes precedence over privacy is safety of yourself and others. Thus, there are a few instances where the law has placed limits on the confidential nature of psychological services. For example, your clinician is legally obligated to report if they learn that you are at risk to yourself or others, or if a child is at risk. There are a few other exceptions, which your clinician will share with you at the first session.
HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE?
As much as we would love to have an answer for this question, we can’t say how long therapy will take. It depends on so many factors, such as your history, your current situation, how long the issue has been going on for, how frequently we decide to meet, how much time you have to dedicate to practicing the skills introduced in session, and so on.
For some people, they see improvement in just a few sessions. For others, it takes longer. In less common cases, therapy can go on for a long time (whether it’s because we have a lot to work through, or because the client chooses to do more depth work).
SEXUAL DIFFICULTY IS A PROBLEM WITH MY BODY. WHY NOT JUST USE MEDICATION?
While medication is an option for some sexual difficulties (like ED, premature ejaculation, genital pain), we know that it’s not a “magic cure”. Either people become overly reliant on the medication (e.g., can only get an erection with Viagra, which is expensive!), it stops working after a while, or they simply stop using it. And for many sexual issues (like low sex drive) there are no medical options!
What we know of sexual difficulties is that a happy, healthy sex life requires a balance of the 3 pillars of health: the body, mind, and relationships. Treatments work best when they consider all 3 pillars. Problems for sexual difficulties tend to work best when a specialized therapist is involved.
SEX IS HARD TO TALK ABOUT. HOW DO I KNOW YOU WON’T JUDGE ME?
Sex is a funny thing in that it’s everywhere (all over the media, movies, internet), and yet it’s rare to have frank, honest conversations about our sex lives with others. Without practice, talking about sex can be difficult… at first. But it gets easier with time.
Know that we at the Tri Health Clinic have been working in the field of sexual health for a very long time; there aren’t many things that can shock any of us at this point. We do our best to create a safe, non-judgemental environment to talk about this difficult—but very important—topic.
WHAT DO SESSIONS LOOK LIKE DURING COVID?
As the COVID-19 pandemic is constantly evolving, please check in with your therapist regarding ongoing developments to our safety protocols.
Please know that your safety is our top concern. Depending on the status of the pandemic and Public Health guidelines, your therapist may be offering online appointments, in person appointments, or a combination of both.
Our clinic follows strict protocols in line with KFLA Public Health guidelines to ensure the safety of our clients and our therapists. This includes physical distancing, hand sanitizer stations, and regular sanitization of all high touch surfaces in the clinic.
Please contact us if you have more questions or concerns.
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ONLINE THERAPY?
In order to best serve you, we offer online therapy. You must be physically located in Ontario in order to be eligible.
Online therapy requires a webcam and reliable access to high speed Internet.
We use a program that is simple to use (nothing to install!). It was chosen with privacy of your personal health information in mind. Audio/video communication is securely encrypted and compliant with all of the privacy standards required of health care providers in Ontario.
HOW DO I GET THE MOST OUT OF THERAPY?
You’ve already started by reading this!
The more you put into therapy, the more you get out of it. Be curious. Be open. Don’t just tell your clinician what you think they want to hear; be yourself. Ask questions. Come to sessions and do the practice between sessions. It is important to know that long-term changes don’t happen in session… they happen between sessions.
Another way to maximize your therapy experience is to let your clinician know if you are ever feeling stuck, like treatment is getting off track, or if your goals have changed. We will problem solve together.
DOESN'T THERAPY MEAN I’M WEAK?
NOPE. It takes a huge amount of strength to reach out in a time of need. Therapy doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you’re strong.
I’M A STUDENT OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND WANT TO LEARN MORE
One of Dr. Bossio’s passions is teaching. Therefore, Dr. Bossio offers supervision to:
- Graduate students in clinical or counselling psychology
- Trainees in other health professions wanting to learn more about sexual health
- Early career psychologists undergoing registration
- Registered psychologists looking for support in sex therapy services
- Health Care Providers interested in gaining more knowledge about sexual health and sex therapy (including physicians, nurses, pelvic floor physiotherapist, occupational therapists, social workers, etc.)
To learn more, check out our Supervision Page and complete the Contact Form at the bottom to learn more!