FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Psychotherapy?Psychotherapy is another word for counselling or talk therapy. The goals of psychotherapy is to provide a safe space for clients to meet with an impartial person who provides a supportive environment to share how the client is feeling. Psychotherapy at Nest & Nurture can be provided in-person, on the phone or virtually via video. There are some organizations who also provide therapeutic services via chat or text methods.
How do I find the right therapist for me?Finding a therapist that is a good fit for you is an important task. Therapy can be costly and requires your time. But most of all, you must feel comfortable talking to the person you are meeting with in your therapy sessions. If you find that you cannot openly share, don’t feel a connection when sharing, or that your therapist is not competent in the issues you are hoping to discuss, it may be worth looking elsewhere.
Three Tips
- Look at Psychology Today or a database similar. There you can navigate therapists based on specialty and location.
- Take a referral from a friend who you feel is similar to you. It does not mean that the therapist will be the right fit, but they might be more in-line with what you’re looking for if you know someone who finds them helpful.
- Look for therapists who offer a free consult. This way you can fit the face to a name and bio. It is great way to see if you feel safe opening up to that person.
You can contact a therapist and ask about setting up a consultation to pre-screen for another person. However, we will not discuss the individual personally. The therapist will provide an overview of the presenting issues the therapist can assist with. Everything is confidential, so in order for therapists to discuss clients, we must have informed consent for services. They then would have to provide consent to discuss any of the information with others prior to being able to do so. The person you are referring will have to initiate the session booking, as therapists at Nest & Nurture do not reach out, the will engage with clients who are looking to book.
Please be aware, this is not an emergency service. If you are worried about harm to yourself or other, please call 911 or go to/take the person to your/their nearest hospital.
Sessions: Do you offer a free consultation?Yes! We believe that it is important to determine if the therapist is a good fit for you. Therefore, we offer a free 20 minute consult to see how it feels talking to the therapist and if you are comfortable to continue meeting with that therapist. Reach out to set up an appointment.
Sessions: How often do I meet with you?It is really your decision what would work best for your well-being, schedule and financial circumstances. However, most clients prefer to see their therapist weekly or bi-weekly while they are navigating certain situations. It is not uncommon for clients to also book, what we refer to as, “Booster Sessions” that usually occur every month or every few months. These sessions are usually general wellness check-ins that clients like to discuss how they are currently doing and work on any issues that seem to be coming up for them in the moment.
Sessions: Do I need a referral from my doctor?You do not require a referral from a doctor to book a session with a therapist at Nest & Nurture Psychotherapy. It is important to note, if you have private insurance, you may be required to provide a doctor’s note in order to be reimbursed. Please discuss this with your insurance provider.
Sessions: What can I expect?Generally speaking, our first session is considered an intake session. We would meet, get to know each other and begin to gather information about your story until now and why you are seeking therapy. Usually by the end of the session we will have an idea of a few goals that we will refer to as treatment goals going forward. What is most important to note is, therapy is meant to meet your needs, where you are at when you arrive. The therapist may have a general idea of potential areas of discussion and goals to process. However, if you come to a session hoping to discuss something in the moment, we go there with you and navigate this together. Therapy is fluid, and it is meant to provide you the space to explore the areas of need that you wish to explore.
Sessions: Can I meet in-person and/or virtually?At this very moment, we are only meeting clients virtually. However, as conditions change in regards to the pandemic, that may change to include in-person sessions. We will update as it happens.
Scheduling: What are your hours of operation?Therapists at Nest & Nurture Psychotherapy have varying hours of operation. They are able to accommodate daytime, early evening and some weekend hours. Please feel free to reach out to set up an appointment and find a time that works best for you.
Policies: What is your cancellation policy?Your appointment time is reserved just for you. A late cancellation or missed visit leaves a hole in the therapists’ day that could have been filled by another client. As such, we require 24 hours notice for any cancellations or changes to your appointment. Clients who provide less than 24 hours notice, or miss their appointment, will be charged a cancellation fee. Some considerations are made for emergencies.
Policies: What is your confidentiality policy?Everything we discuss during our sessions is confidential and stored on a password protected database. Your participation in individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, and consultation, as well as other matters discussed, is privileged and confidential. We are obligated by law and by ethical standards to not speak about nor notify anyone of your participation in therapy/testing/consultation without your prior permission by way of a signed release form.
Limits to Confidentiality
- It is legally required of me to act so as to attempt to prevent physical harm to yourself or others when there is “clear and imminent” danger of that happening.
- I am legally required to report cases of ongoing child abuse, elder and disability abuse.
- I may have to release your records when ordered to do so by court subpoena. However, I will discuss this with you beforehand and request a written release from you if I judge this to be in your best interest.
- On occasion, clinicians consult with colleagues about their work. If your case were ever discussed it would be confidential and without your name or identifying information.
- Should you choose to attend a group, the importance of maintaining confidentiality will be discussed, and I will adhere to the above guidelines, however, I am unable to assure that other group members will keep all information discussed confidential.
20 Minute Consultation Free
50 Minutes $150
120 Minutes $190
Yes. If you have private insurance, please reach out to ensure they cover social work/psychotherapy services. You will be provided with a receipt at the end of our session and this contains the RSW identification number. This can be provided to your insurance provider when you are submitting your claim.
Financial: How do I pay for my session?Currently, we are accepting e-transfer payments. We will be opening up credit card payments later in 2022.