Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

Choosing a Therapist

What are the credentials of a therapist at CHATT Inc.?

All therapists at CHATT Inc. are registered to perform psychotherapy. At CHATT Inc., all our therapists have a Masters or Doctorate degree in psychology, social work, or related fields. In addition, all registered psychotherapists attend continuing education programs on an ongoing basis and attend regular clinical supervision meetings with our supervising clinical psychologist, who is licensed to practice in the province of Ontario.

How do I choose a therapist?

Once you decide to seek counselling\psychotherapy with CHATT Inc., you will be matched with the therapist who best suits your needs. When you call in or email, our office staff will get your contact information and send you a detailed intake form about the reasons why you are seeking counselling/psychotherapy. One of our therapists will review your intake form and match you with a suitable therapist and offered an appointment. You may also request a therapist of your choice, or change therapists at any time.

What if I don’t like the therapist I meet with?

At CHATT Inc., we want our clients to feel satisfied with their therapist and their treatment plan. If you don’t feel comfortable with the therapist you are matched with, either at the beginning of your therapy or at any time during your therapy, feel free to tell the therapist, the manager, or the office staff and we will arrange to re-schedule you with another one of our other therapists. Your success in counselling/psychotherapy depends on your overall satisfaction and we want to ensure that your experience is excellent. We welcome your comments and feedback at any time.

Is there a code of ethics or regulations that apply to therapists in Ontario?

Yes. All registered psychotherapists are accountable to either the College of Psychologists, or the College of Social Workers, or the College of Registered Psycotherapists of Ontario. Many of our therapists are also registered with other professional associations, such as the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), or the Canadian Ontario Associatation of Social Workers. All of these professional associations require that their members be responsible, accountable, and in good standing. Our supervising psychologist is also responsible in enforcing these same standards with the team.

Counselling/Psychotherapy

What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

According to CATG information for Ontarians, counselling focuses on providing information, giving advice, encouragement or instruction. For example, a counsellor may work with you to foster life skills, teach you techniques for coping with immediate causes of stress or anxiety, or offer crisis intervention.

Psychotherapy occurs when the RP 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. People usually seek psychotherapy when they have thoughts, feelings, moods and behaviours that are adversely affecting their day-to-day lives, relationships and the ability to enjoy life.

Psychotherapy may involve aspects of counselling, but the act of psychotherapy is a controlled act in the Province of Ontario. By definition in the Regulated Health Professions Act, the controlled act of psychotherapy involves five elements: i) Treating, ii) by means of psychotherapy technique, iii) delivered through a therapeutic relationship, iv) an individual’s serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory that, v) may seriously impair the individual’s judgement, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning (RHPA 1991).

What does a therapist actually do?

At CHATT Inc., we listen. Our therapists provide support, guidance, and problem-solving. Of utmost importance to your success, we build on the relationship we share with you and develop your trust. We provide a safe and non-judgmental environment where you can freely speak your mind.

Sometimes we ask you to work through an exercise, look at hand-outs, read a chapter from a book, draw a picture or keep a journal. However, our experience tells us that most people feel more comfortable with just talking. We teach you how to look at your emotional issues with compassion and sensitivity, to learn from them, and let go of them. We teach you how to not only observe your strengths, but to nurture them, leading to an experience of new found joy and realism. We teach skills such as new ways of thinking, new ways of reacting, and how to cope.

We help parents, couples and families to accept one another more fully, while also accepting that you are accountable to yourself as well as the other people in your life. We can teach you the skills in order to develop better communication and compassion for more peaceful and reciprocal relationships.

Simply put, we help people lead fuller and richer lives.

What can counselling/psychotherapy do for me?

Counselling/psychotherapy can help you:

  • Experience a greater awareness, esteem, understanding and appreciation of yourself or others
  • Learn why you think and feel the way that you do
  • Learn how to change negative patterns into positive ones in order to experience increased joy and confidence and in your life
  • Improve your ability to act in healthy ways as an individual and/or within your relationships
  • Increase your confidence in order to make life-changing decisions

How long is a session?

Sessions are 50 minutes long. The clinical hour includes time for therapists to complete note taking, which is an ethical and necessary aspect of the clinical work. At any time during the counselling/psychotherapy process, the client and therapist may discuss if a particular session needs to be longer for therapeutic reasons.

How often should I come?

Counselling/psychotherapy works best when the therapist and the client agree on specific goals early on and share an understanding of how long the progress might take. It is usually recommended that therapy take place once a week at the beginning and move to every other week and then monthly, or less, as your goals are being met. Of course, if you are going through a particularly difficult time or you feel unsafe, you may choose to be seen more frequently.

How long will it take to resolve my issues?

When you establish your expectations and set concise goals early on in treatment, then you and your therapist are able to track your progress and ensure your satisfaction. The CHATT Inc. therapists are skilled in both short-term and long-term counselling/psychotherapy approaches. The more goals you have, or the more severe or deep-rooted your emotional issues are, the more time counselling/psychotherapy might take. Generally it can take from several weeks, several months and or years.

What is the difference between a Psychotherapist, a Psychologist, a Psychiatrist, and a Life Coach?

A Registered Psychotherapist and/or a Registered Social Worker A Registered Psychotherapist or Social Worker refers to a person who often holds a Masters Degree or higher and is registered with either the College of Social Workers, and/or the College of Registered Psychotherapists. They are able to assess, treat and utilize therapeutic approaches within a therapeutic relationship, to aid clients who are struggling with a disorder of thought, mood, emotion that is impairing the person’s judgement, behaviour or functioning. They are not able to diagnose or prescribe medication. The therapists at CHATT Inc. work with our supervising psychologist to ensure the highest standard of care and our therapists are accountable to both the supervisor and the college for which they belong.

A Psychologist holds a Doctorate degree in psychology and is registered with, and accountable to, a provincial College of Psychologists. A psychologist often performs all the functions of a Psychotherapist but can also perform the protected act of communicating a diagnosis. Psychologists are not only involved in psychotherapy, but are often also very involved in research, assessments, publishing scholarly articles, teaching and supervising others in their field.

A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor (OHIP based) who specializes in treating illnesses of the mind. Most psychiatrists work in hospital settings and often prescribe medications, whereas a psychologist or psychotherapist cannot prescribe medications. Psychiatrists are often, but not always, less involved with psychotherapy and more involved in assessments, report writing, diagnosing, prescribing, and sometimes research, publishing scholarly articles, teaching and supervising others.

A Life Coach may or may not have a certificate or diploma in Life Coaching. Life Coaches have varying credentials and levels of skill. They do not require any specialized training when they are non-certified. Therapists all perform the duties of a Life Coach, but also offer more comprehensive care for the whole person, including symptom and relationship management.

Getting help for loved ones

How do I get my loved one or other family members to attend counselling/psychotherapy?

If you are unsure how to advocate for a loved one with a suspected mental illness, emotional issue or addiction who refuses to seek help, you can contact us for advice. While we cannot trick, force or persuade others into counselling/psychotherapy, there are specific strategic recommendations on how you communicate with your loved one that can help. In addition, when a person you love is suffering from an addiction or mental illness, your own mental health can be at risk. These issues can put an additional strain on otherwise healthy relationships. Family, friends, and partners play a crucial role in the recovery process as they learn when to step in, when to step back and how to survive the pain of loving a person who is constantly struggling.

You may be experiencing feelings of anger, anxiety, frustration, disappointment, grief, sadness, guilt, fear or hopelessness. Accepting what you have control of and what you do not is also important. Learning to care for yourself and your needs also is an important piece and provides a caregiver or loved one with the strength and resiliency to continue support or withdraw support in their loved one’s best interest. We can also provide information to link you with other people going through similar struggles to your own for support and information on services tailored to the needs of your loved one.

Payment options

How do I pay for my counselling/psychotherapy?

CHATT Inc. is a private practice which operates on a fee-for-service basis at each appointment. However, there are some options for full or partial funding which you may not know about. Please see the What to Expect page for a full list of options.

Privacy

How private is counselling?

At CHATT Inc., your privacy and confidentiality is of utmost importance to us. No one will be informed of your therapy, unless you direct us to do so. If your therapist thinks couples or family therapy might be helpful for you, it is up to you to speak to your family member(s) about the idea of them coming in with you. Occasionally, a therapist might ask to speak directly to your doctor, or other supports, or they might ask to speak directly with your therapist, to better collaborate on your care. In these cases, you would be asked for your permission in advance and you would need to sign a consent form, before any letters could be written or discussions could be allowed.