General Questions About Therapy
How do I know which type of therapy is right for me?
- During your initial consultations, your therapist will work with you to find an appropriate form of therapy that you are comfortable with. Our doctors specialize in a wide variety of psychotherapy modalities and will personalize your sessions to suit your unique needs.
What if I don’t feel comfortable telling my therapist about my issues? I think they will judge me or tell others about what happens in our sessions.
- A counselling session is a place of acceptance and support. Your therapist will not judge any of your actions or feelings. As such, we encourage you to be completely honest with them. This will allow you to get the most out of your counselling sessions. Your therapist will also keep everything in your session strictly confidential. For more information on patient confidentiality, please see here.
Does it mean I’m weak/crazy if I think I need therapy?
- This is a common misconception regarding psychotherapy. It is completely normal to feel insecure or stressed in certain areas of your daily life, whether it is work, a relationship, family, or self-esteem. Participating in counselling does not mean that you are abnormal. Rather, it means that you want to grow, adapt, learn how to cope, take responsibility for your own health, and reach your full potential in life and relationships. A therapist simply helps you identify and work on challenges in a healthy and productive way, similar to how a nutritionist would help you identify healthier food choices to improve your physical wellbeing.
I went to therapy for a few sessions but didn’t feel better. Does that mean therapy does not work for me?
- It is normal if you do not see/feel an immediate improvement. The first few sessions are usually just enough for your therapist to understand your challenges, strengths, and goals. Sometimes, the process of collaboratively attaining the established therapeutic goals could take several weeks, months, or years. Over 80% of our patients who have completed counselling sessions with us have reported improvement or resolution of their presenting concerns. As such, we encourage you to continue attending your sessions to completion.
What if I don’t like my therapist? What if I want to change to another therapist or quit therapy?
- Since the counselling process is emotional and can be painful at times, it is not uncommon to associate negative feelings with your therapist. It is something that can – and should – be addressed during therapy sessions. Your therapist can either guide you through these negative emotions or suggest an alternative therapist.
Booking a Counselling Appointment
How do I book my first session with a therapist?
- For instructions on how to book your first session with a therapist, please refer to the step-by-step guidelines here.
Once I have had my initial consultation, how do I book subsequent sessions with a therapist?
- You can book further counselling sessions by calling us at 416-633-7337 and speaking to a receptionist. Please specify that you are looking to book a counselling session. We encourage you to book multiple sessions in advance to avoid future scheduling conflicts.
- For therapist-led sessions, your first intake session will be booked through our receptionists. Thereafter, you can choose to call us or book your regular counselling sessions through our designated online booking platform.
Do I need to be referred by a family doctor to receive counselling?
- A referral from another doctor is not required to receive counselling at our clinic.
- However, a referral from your family physician is preferred if you wish to see Dr. Tat-Ying Wong or Dr. Alice Chen for counselling.
Can I request a specific therapist? // What if I need a therapist that speaks a certain language?
- We will recommend a specific therapist/family physician/team to suit your needs, but you have the final choice when deciding which healthcare practitioner to work with. However, please note that waiting times may vary depending on the healthcare practitioner. If you need a therapist that speaks a certain language other than English (i.e., Mandarin, Cantonese), please indicate this on your intake forms. We welcome you to review our physicians' biographies and therapists' biographies for more information about which physician or therapist will be able to best support your health and wellness.
Counselling Sessions
Do I need to pay for counselling sessions?
- If you are working with a Family Physician, your counselling sessions at Grace Health Centre are covered by OHIP. However, if you do not have valid OHIP health coverage, you will be charged a fee for your individual, couples, or family therapy sessions as per the rate of your therapist. Rates for physicians can be found in our Clinic Policies page. Fees may be subject to change.
How do I attend my counselling session?
- For physician-led counselling, the majority of counselling sessions are currently being held over OTN (click here for more information on OTN). However, some sessions can also be held over the phone, through Zoom videoconferencing, or in-person. You can discuss your preference with your family physician/therapist to best match your needs. Both OTN and Zoom are HIPAA compliant to ensure confidentiality of your therapy session.
- For therapist-led counselling, the majority of counselling sessions are currently being held over secure counselling platform (where a link will be provided), phone, or in-person.
How long is the waitlist?
- Waiting times will vary depending on the type of counselling (individual, couples, etc.) and the medical practitioner you request. However, we make every effort to contact you to inform you of your wait time status within 3 weeks.
- Please also note that counselling sessions with family physicians (OHIP-covered) will have a longer waitlist than counselling sessions with a registered psychotherapist (not OHIP-covered).
- Dr. Tat-Ying Wong and Dr. Alice Chen
- Families or couples therapy: 4-6 months if available during weekdays; 2-5 years if require evenings
- Individual therapy: 1-2 years if available during days; 3-5 years if require evenings
- Dr. Tat-Ying Wong and Dr. Alice Chen
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- Psychotherapist Team
- Generally, 2-4 weeks.
- Psychotherapist Team
What happens if I miss or cancel a session?
- As we have many patients looking for services, we ask that you make every effort to attend your scheduled sessions. Please refer to our clinic policies page for details.
How do I access and submit the required forms to apply for counselling?
- The required forms are filled out directly through our website and can be accessed here. In the instance that you need assistance filling or accessing the forms, please feel free to call us for support.
OTN
What is OTN? How do I use OTN?
- Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) is a secure videoconferencing software specifically catered for healthcare professionals to connect with their patients. A day before your scheduled session, you will receive an OTN link via email.
- If you are using a computer, simply clicking that link will open the video call.
- If you are using a mobile phone, you must first download the Pexip videoconference app here. Afterward, tap on the link from your email to open the video call.
What if I have technical difficulties during my session?
- Please test your device before your session by clicking the link and ensuring that everything runs smoothly. If you do experience technical difficulties during your session, please call us at 416-633-7337 and one of our staff members will help you troubleshoot.