CBM PSYCHOLOGICAL & COUNSELLING SERVICES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

What are the differences between psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists?

In Ontario, psychologists focus on understanding and treating mental health through behavioral science and psychotherapy, while psychiatrists are medical doctors specializing in mental illness, often prescribing medication; clinical social workers and psychotherapists offer talk therapy and counseling, and their educational background, training and scope of practice can vary. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Psychologists:

• • Education and Training: Hold a masters (MA) or doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in psychology, requiring extensive training in research, assessment, and various therapeutic techniques. 

  • Focus: Study and treat mental health conditions, focusing on the mind and behavior. 

  • Assessment and Diagnosis: Trained to assess, diagnose, and treat mental health problems using psychological principles and evidence-based therapies. 

  • Treatment: Provide psychotherapy (talk therapy) and may specialize in specific therapeutic modalities (e.g., CBT, DBT). 

  • Medication: Do not prescribe medication. 

  • Regulation: Psychologists are regulated by the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO). 

Psychiatrists:

• • Education and Training: Medical doctors (MD or DO) who specialize in mental health and mental disorders, completing a residency in psychiatry. 

  • Focus: Address mental health conditions from a medical perspective, often involving medication management. 

  • Assessment and Diagnosis: Trained to assess, diagnose and treat mental health conditions, including prescribing medication. 

  • Treatment: Provide psychotherapy

  • Medication: Can prescribe medication. 

  • Regulation: Psychiatrists are regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). 

Psychotherapists:

• • Education and Training: The term "psychotherapist" is broad, encompassing various professionals with training in psychotherapy, counseling, or related fields. 

  • Focus: Provide talk therapy and counseling to address mental health concerns. 

  • Treatment: Offer a range of therapeutic modalities, including talk therapy, counseling, and other interventions. 

  • Medication: Psychotherapists are not authorized to prescribe medication. 

  • Regulation: In Ontario, the title of "Registered Psychotherapist" is regulated by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). 

Clinical Social Workers:

• • Education and Training: Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, followed by registration as a Registered Social Worker (RSW). 

  • Focus: Provide talk therapy and counseling to address mental health concerns, social functioning, environmental factors, and client well-being. 

  • Treatment: Offer a range of therapeutic modalities, including talk therapy, counseling, and other interventions. 

  • Medication: Clinical Social Workers are not authorized to prescribe medication. 

  • Regulation: Regulated by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). 

What can I expect from my first therapy appointment?

Your therapy appointment will allow you to meet your therapist, discuss your concerns, and build an understanding of your treatment goals. Your therapist may have you complete additional measures to get a better sense of how they can best support you. This first session creates an opportunity for you to address any concerns or questions you may have about beginning treatment. Most importantly, it allows you to get a feel for the therapist and their approach to treatment, so you can determine if this will be the best fit for your needs. 

Do you offer appointments virtually or in-person?

Availability will vary between therapists.

• • • We currently have therapists who offer a hybrid approach of virtual and in-person treatment. 

    • Due to changes in our availability post-covid, there may be a longer wait time to access in-person sessions. 

    • We recommend booking virtual sessions in the meantime if they are a good fit for your needs.

How does the billing process work?

There are three ways we can bill clients:

• • • Direct Billing: We can directly bill several insurance companies, such as Canada Life, Green Shield Canada, and Blue Cross. Unfortunately, we cannot directly bill Sun Life, Manulife, or Johnson Inc. If we cannot bill your insurer directly, we will process the payment through the credit card on file and issue a receipt once we have processed the payment. This way, you can manually claim it. 

    • Credit Card: After each appointment, we will process payment using the credit card on file and email the receipt to the client/payee.

    • eTransfer: Payment is required within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment. After 24 hours, we will instead charge the credit card and email the receipt to the client.

Note: We cannot accept WSIB and MVA claims.

If you have coverage for mental health services, we recommend you inquire with your insurance provider to confirm:

• • • If accessing your benefits will require a referral from your doctor

    • How much coverage is available per person per year, as well as the plan renewal date

    • The type of service covered: psychologist, social worker, psychotherapist, counsellor

    • The maximum claim amount allowed per session (each invoice could be up to 2.5 hours/$562.50)

    • If the plan offers full coverage, or if there is will be an out of pocket or co-pay cost (i.e. only 80% coverage) 

    • If your plan allows for an assignment of benefits for direct billing (some employers have plans set up that do not allow for direct billing under mental health services),

    • Which plan to submit to first, if coordinating benefits with a partner or parent’s plan 

What type of assessments or diagnostic services do you offer?

We offer a variety of assessments, for both children and adults, to help you better understand your unique needs and supports. Some examples include:

• • • Diagnositic Consultations (e.g. to diagnose depression, anxiety etc,)

    • Comprehensive Psycho-Educational Assessments 

    • Gifted Assessments

    • ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessments 

    • Clinical Assessments to diagnose other psychological conditions (e.g. PTSD, etc)

    • Disability Assessments (e.g. for DSO determination)

What can I expect from the assessment process?

Complimentary Phone Consultation:  We begin our assessment process with a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation with one of our registered psychologists. This call allows us to gain a better understanding of your needs and how we can best support you.

Intake: The intake appointment is approximately an hour long and allows for one of our psychologists to gather further information about the presenting concerns, developmental history, educational history, and current functioning among other things. It allows us to draw a clearer picture about the presenting concerns so that we can determine appropriate goals for the assessment.  

Testing: Testing takes place both ‘directly’ and ‘indirectly’. Direct testing applies to direct in-person contact between the client and the clinician. 'Indirect' contact during the assessment process refers to tasks such as the scoring and interpretation of testing results,  the adminstration of online measures, as well as the preparation of the written assessment report. 

The length of each testing session will vary depending on the type of assessment being done, but will typically be between 2.5 to 3 hours long. Depending on the assessment, a client may require up to three separate testing sessions. Testing sessions involve the evaluation of various domains of functioning (i.e., intellecutal, memory, processing skills, academic, attention, excecutive fucntioning, social-emotional etc.). Testing sessions typically only include the client being assessed.

It is important to remember that the goal of a psychological assessment is to gain an understanding of your unique strengths and the areas where you may require additional support. 

Report writing: Varies by assessment type but could take up to six hours or more to complete. 

Verbal Feedback: Varies by assessment but are typicall approximately an hour long. The feedback session will allow the psychologist to review the results of the assessment with the client and/or their guardians, and clarfify pertinent assessment details before finalizing the written report. 

What if I cannot attend my appointment, and need to cancel or reschedule on short notice?

We understand that life is unpredictable and that plans may change unexpectedly. If you cannot attend your scheduled appointment, we ask that you provide at least 24 hours notice, to allow for someone else to be booked into your cancelled appointment time and to avoid any unnecessary charges.

If you cancel your appointment less than 24 hours before the scheduled time, we will charge you a cancellation fee, unless we can reschedule you for another time during the same week.

Please contact your therapist directly if canceling or rescheduling any appointments on short notice and outside of our office hours, as our admin team will not be available. 

Can I change therapists if needed?

Yes, you can. It is very important that you feel comfortable, relaxed, and safe with your therapist. Having a strong therapeutic alliance is essential for success in treatment. Should you feel this bond is missing or lacking and would prefer to be treated by a different practitioner, simply let us know and we will refer you to a different therapist, either within CBM or at another facility.

Are psychological services covered by OHIP?

In some cases they may be, for example when provided through a "Family Health Team", typcially located in a Doctor's Office or Medical Clinic. At most private clinics though, including at CBM, psychological services are not covered by OHIP. Most extended health insurance plans, however, do cover psychological treatment services such as psychological assessments, psychological consultations and psychological treatment including psychotherapy and counseling.

How do you ensure my privacy?

Clinicians at CBM maintain the strictest standards of confidentiality and privacy with respect to your information. Any information pertaining to your file will not be released without your clear consent, usually in writing. There are five exceptions to therapist-patient confidentiality. These include:

1. If you pose an imminent (immediate, serious) risk to yourself

2. If you pose an imminent (immediate, serious) risk to someone else

3. If you disclose that a child is being abused or is at risk of harm

4. If you disclose that a health professional sexually abused or sexually harassed you

5. If file information is subpoenaed by a court order.

NOTE: If disclosure of therapy information is ordered by subpoena or court order, the therapist can make a plea to the court not to do so, that may or may not be upheld by a judge.