How Do I Make An Appointment?
Call, email or use the ‘Contact Me’ link to request a contact. Please indicate if you would prefer to meet with Dr. Douglas or Dr. Perretta or if you have no preference. One of us will contact you by telephone or email within several days to explore your needs and to schedule an appointment.
How Can Therapy Help Me?
A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that therapists can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, relationship issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. Some of the specific benefits available from therapy include:
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
- Developing skills for improving your relationships
- Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
- Improving communications and listening skills
- Changing old behaviour patterns and developing new ones
- Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or relationship
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
What is Therapy Like?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Therapy sometimes begins with completion of questionnaires or inventories to establish current status (and to record progress). Often clients will have homework in between sessions. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist . The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading pertinent resource materials, keeping track of particular behaviours, feelings, thoughts, or taking action on your goals.
What About Medication Versus Psychotherapy?
Therapy and medication can both be helpful parts of recovery. Therapy is particularly useful at addressing the cause of our distress and the behaviour patterns that curb our progress. Achieving sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being often requires an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor, you can determine what's best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and therapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is not discussed anywhere but the Psychologist's office (with the exception of circumstances that you will see on the Terms of Service document). You will be fully informed and can ask questions before beginning. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, you may want your Psychologist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (e.g., your Physician, Naturopath, Lawyer). I will obtain your written permission to release this information.
Do I Need a Referral to be seen by Dr. Douglas or Dr. Perretta?
No, you do not need a referral to be seen in our practice; however, some extended health benefits providers require that you obtain a referral from your family doctor in order to be reimbursed for psychological services. Some health practitioners do refer directly to us for treatment of their patients and they provide us with some background information.
Are Services Covered by OHIP?
No, services of psychologists, psychological associates and psychotherapists are not covered by OHIP. However, many extended health benefit plans do offer some yearly coverage for Psychologists and other providers. Check your coverage carefully. Some helpful questions you can ask your insurance company are: What are my yearly benefits for Psychologists? What is the coverage amount per therapy session? How many therapy sessions does my plan cover? Is a referral required from my primary care physician?
What are your fees?
Fees are set in relation to the fee schedule set by the provincial association and local practitioners. You will discuss session fees at your initial contact with Dr. Douglas or Dr. Perretta.
What should I expect at my first appointment?
Your initial appointment will focus on gathering information related to the nature of your concerns in order to arrive at a mutually agreed upon goal for our work together. You can expect to discuss the issue(s) for which you are seeking help as well as some other pertinent information about your life circumstances and family history. You may also be asked to fill out some questionnaires as part of your first appointment.
What is the cancellation policy? What if I miss an appointment?
Once you have scheduled an appointment , you will receive email and text reminders at least 24 hours beforehand. We require 24 hours notice for cancellations (or at least one business day). Appointments that are missed or cancelled with less than 24 hours notice may be subject to fees – typically the full session rate.
Do you offer crisis services? What if I need help after hours?
We do not offer crisis services; however, there are crisis services available around the clock in our community through Here 24/7. They can be reached at 1-844-437-3247 (1-844-HERE-247). You can call 911 or go to the emergency room of your local hospital.