FAQs

Since the scheduling of an appointment involves the reservation of time set aside for you, a minimum of 24 hours notice is required for rescheduling or cancellation of an appointment (in writing, by email).

If for any reason a session is canceled less than 24 hours prior, the full fee will be charged.

Please keep in mind if you arrive late for your session, the end time will remain the same in order to respect both of our schedules/commitments/other clients appointment times.

It’s already here.

Apps like Replika, Woebot, and Wysa are offering mental health “support” to millions of people, especially Gen Z and younger millennials, who prefer texting with a bot over waiting to speak to a human being.

These tools promise accessible, round-the-clock attention, customized reflections, and “therapy without the therapist.”

And here’s the truth: if all I had to offer you was talk therapy and cognitive insights, AI would 100% replace me. Because AI can now do that faster, cheaper, and with fewer pauses.

But it still can’t do this:

• Track your nervous system moment by moment.
• Feel the subtle shift in your breath, posture, or tone.
• Explore body language and non-verbal/unconscious cues
• Build an emotional connection.
• Navigate complex ethical/relational dilemmas that mind someones relational history, trauma, and associations.
• Offer attuned presence that helps us regulate shame, neglect or trauma.
• Hold complex grief with a warm and steady heart.
• Let the body say, “You are safe here” — without words.
• Offer culturally sensitive, personalized care.
• Breathe with you and make sure that you do not feel isolated/alone as you move through life’s challenges.

This is why we need human to human connection, just like a baby needs to skin-to-skin contact with his mother (or primary caregiver) right being born, we need a heartbeat. 

AI can mimic conversation, and offer psychoeducation, and help with lots of issues I’m sure.

But it cannot co-regulate.

It cannot re-pattern attachment.

It cannot love you, which is a key element in a successful therapy…

It cannot offer embodied wisdom earned through by walking with others in their pain, and two decades of sifting through my own.

We are entering a new era.

And therapists who don’t develop somatic, relational, trauma-informed skills may quickly find themselves sidelined, not by ethics, but by efficiency.

This is why I practice yoga and meditation, and am in therapy myself – to refine and attune my capacity to be present with human beings, to learn to listen not just to stories, but to nervous systems.

In my opinion, the future of therapy is not faster/easier/cheaper… It’s deeper and heartfelt.

It’s important to recognize that therapy is not a fast or easy fix. It’s a process that can be full of surprises and there may even be setbacks. That things can sometimes feel like they are getting worse before they get better, as you delve into the root cause of your issues or as the relationships in your life begin to shift as a result of how you’re changing. Sometimes, even if your issue seems straightforward, it can turn into something more complicated. It’s important to be patient and trust that things are progressing as they should be.

You should be able to tell within a few sessions if you and your psychotherapist are a good fit, meaning that you feel safe with them. You won’t feel like a new person overnight, your challenges/issues aren’t going to disappear (they have been established for years if not decades), but you may find that in time your overall mood is improving, you may sleep or digest better, experience less negative symptoms like tension and headaches, you feel more connected to family and friends, and less overwhelmed by the issues that were bothering you. If not, it could be the type of therapy you’re engaging with, or there may be a better therapist out there for you.

Freud, and others since, have referred to psychotherapy as “the talking cure” because it generally involves speaking to a therapist one-on-one, as a couple, a family, or in a group. Therapy can be time-consuming and challenging as you may feel uncomfortable with the emotions and thoughts that therapy is bringing up. And, this is all part of the process.

Psychotherapy helps to give you a fresh perspective on a difficult problem, and helps you find a solution, it helps you to understand yourself better, to develop skills for healthy relationships, and to connect with positive and negative feelings with less identification with them.

Remember that no therapist can do the work for you. In order for therapy to work, you must be a willing participant and have trust in the process.

Many people want to enter into therapy for relationship problems, on-the-job stress, self-doubt, and other emotional problems. Some people feel a more general need to talk about the gulf between what they imagined their lives would be and the circumstances in which they actually find themselves. We all want to be heard and listened to, and often just talking about your thoughts and feelings with a supportive and non-judgemental person makes you feel better.

No, you do not need a diagnosis to benefit from therapy. Therapy is for anyone seeking support—whether you’ve been formally diagnosed or simply want a safe, reflective space to explore your feelings and experiences. Psychotherapy focuses on growth, understanding, and coping, not on labels.

• Do I sense that my therapist genuinely cares about me and my challenges?Do I feel like my therapist understands me?
• Do I feel accepted by my therapist for who I am?
• Am I comfortable sharing personal information with this therapist?
• Do I feel that I can be open and honest with them?
• Is my therapist a good listener? Do I sense they listen to me without criticism or judgment?

Is psychotherapy different from counseling?

Yes. Psychotherapy can be confused with counseling, and often the words” psychotherapy” and “counseling” are used interchangeably, but as a course of treatment, they are different.
In general, counseling is a more directive approach, which means a counselor will often give advice to help you solve a problem or deal with a personal issue.
Psychotherapy on the other hand, is working with a therapist to talk through your issues so that you come to a point where you are better able to make your own decisions and articulate yourself with more ease.

• • anxiety
  • anger
  • addiction
  • depression
  • eating disorders
  • relationship issues
  • communication skills
  • loneliness
  • alienation
  • isolation
  • attachment wounding
  • understand your mental health/diagnosis
  • define and reach wellness goals
  • work with fears or insecurities so that you do not feel as controlled by them
  • cope with stress
  • make sense of the past
  • heal traumatic wounds
  • identify triggers that may worsen symptoms/patterns/behaviours
  • improve relationships with family and friends
  • develop strategies for coping with crises
  • understand why things bother you and what you can do about them
  • address destructive habits (ie. drinking, using drugs, overspending or unhealthy sexual behavior)

Is psychotherapy a regulated health profession?

The Ontario College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO) has been the regulatory body for the practice of psychotherapy in Ontario since 2015. All therapists on the Toronto Psychotherapists site meet or exceed the rigorous requirements as set out by the College. For detailed information, you may go to http://www.crpo.ca/.

please note that there is less research than with other manualized. modalities (like CBT therapy)as it is more challenging to conduct rigorous research on psychodynamic psychotherapy due to several factors, including the subjective nature of its processes, the difficulty of standardizing its flexible approach, and the limitations of traditional research methodologies when applied to its unique dynamics.)

PSYCHOLOGISTS
Psychologists have at least nine years of university education. They also have at least one year of supervised practice. They are members of the College of Psychologists of Ontario. They are trained in doing assessments, making diagnoses, and providing therapy. Psychologists’ fees are not covered by OHIP, and they cannot prescribe medication.

REGISTERED PSYCHOTHERAPISTS
Psychotherapy is primarily a talk-based therapy intended to help individuals improve their mental health and well-being. Psychotherapy occurs when the Registered Psychotherapist and client enter into a psychotherapeutic relationship where both work together to bring about positive change in the client’s thinking, feeling, behaviour, and social functioning. Individuals usually seek psychotherapy when they have thoughts, feelings, moods, and behaviours that are adversely affecting their day-to-day lives, relationships, and ability to enjoy life.
Psychotherapists have completed a program substantially equivalent to a postgraduate level of training in psychotherapy and are a member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. They have at least 450 direct client contact hours and 100 hours of supervision before becoming registered. Psychotherapists work with specific psychological symptoms and disorders but do not diagnose or prescribe medication. Their services are currently not covered by OHIP but may be covered by private insurance policies.

• A student therapist-in-training is a student working in graduate school under their supervisor’s license
  
• A Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) is someone who has graduated and is in the process of completing all the requirements to become fully licensed with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).  The requirements are: a diploma, 450 hours with clients,  100 supervision hours, and then the licensing exam. RP (Qualifying) status therapists are less experienced in providing psychotherapy, however, it’s important to note that experience is only one factor in a therapist’s ability to work successfully. Every therapist, whether just starting out or close to retirement, has a unique life experience and set of personal qualities that they bring to the therapeutic relationship. A qualifying therapist who connects with the client will work better than a RP with more experience but who doesn’t connect as well with the client.
  
• A Registered Psychotherapist is someone who has passed their exam, and is working on their 1000 hours with clients, and 300 hours of supervision.
• A Registered Psychotherapist (Independent) is someone who has completed all their hours, and no longer needs supervision, and can supervisor others.

When choosing a therapist, you should first consider the person and the relationship, and not simply their years of experience or credentials as all the evidence shows it’s our relationship more than modality/style/therapist experience that correlates most with treatment success.