F A Q

PsyMontreal psychologists are all members of the Order of Psychologist of Quebec (OPQ). Choosing a psychologist who is a member of OPQ ensures access to the services of a highly qualified professional.

Our qualified psychology stagiaires and interns are all supervised by licensed, experienced psychologists allowing you to benefit from the expertise of two professionals in one.

With the help of our online booking platform, new and returning clients can book or modify appointments online. We currently offer online, phone and in-person therapy services offered on different days and times, increasing the likelihood of each client finding a time and modality most convenient for them.

Using effective and efficient methods, all our team members are here to guide you on your road to your best self.

The first session is used for evaluation and assessment purposes. Your psychologist or therapist will take the time to get to know you, the difficulties you are encountering, and the history of these difficulties in a lot of detail. You will be given the opportunity to complete certain questionnaires prior to your first appointment to speed things up. All this information is then used by your psychologist or therapist to help you set goals for therapy and to adapt an approach tailored to your needs.

The therapeutic approach used by PsyMontreal psychologists and therapists are relatively short term. Clients can expect an average of 8 to 15 sessions, sometimes less, sometimes more. Of course, your psychologist or therapist will work with your time frame and within your means. If you can only attend four or five sessions, it is important to communicate this with your therapist so they can accommodate you and help you stay focussed on one goal.

The estimate of how long therapy will take can depend on:

1. the goals you have for therapy
2. the complexity of your situation
3. your degree of motivation to incorporate the suggestions your psychologist may give you.

For example, someone who has been suffering from anxiety for years may benefit from more sessions than someone who has been anxious for only a couple of weeks or months. However, if the person who has been anxious for years is really motivated and is able to incorporate many of the suggestions outlined in therapy, they can reap benefits more quickly than the person who has been anxious for a few short weeks, but who is unwilling or unable to change their thinking or behaviours.
Finally, goals for therapy can be simple, such as “learn tools to help alleviate my depression” versus numerous “learn tools to alleviate depression, learn better communication skills with my partner, decrease stress in my life, help with deciding to have children or not, etc…”. Having multiple goals requires more time.

Length of therapy is impacted by multiple factors. Talk to your psychologist or therapist to find out more.

At the onset of therapy, clients, on average, attend weekly sessions. In general, when clients start to feel better and have learnt some basic tools (typically by session 4-6), sessions can be spaced out to every two weeks, then every month.

Therapy comes to an end when you not only have attained your goals but feel confident in your understanding of why the problem(s) or difficulties experienced came about. This knowledge will help you devise a prevention strategy to avoid relapses and minimize the problem(s) coming back again.

At all times you are free to stop therapy. However, we recommend discussing this with your psychologist or therapist. In doing so, they can maximize the time you have to equip you with the most helpful strategies for your needs.
In some situations, the psychologist or therapist may recommend a booster session in several months as part of your prevention strategy. Both you and your psychologist or therapist will work together to elaborate a plan convenient for you.

Absolutely. We cannot disclose any information without you giving your consent first.

Ethical guidelines require us to break with confidentiality in three situations :

1. if you are in danger of physically harming yourself
2. if you are in danger of physically harming someone else
3. if a child or /elderly person is in need of protection (child/elder abuse/neglect)

In all of these instances, the psychologist will warn you before they break with confidentiality and the two of you can discuss it.

Payment occurs after each appointment, with your psychologist or therapist, by Visa or Mastercard. Following each payment, you will receive a detailed receipt for insurance purposes.

Other fees include:

• Assessment services : Depending on the mandate, assessments are charged a flat fee based on an estimate of the work. The estimate really depends on number of tests, questionnaires, analysis of testing materials and nature of the report or letter. Any additional time is billed at the hourly rate.
• Documentation : Once in therapy, any required letters, reports, or forms that need to be filled out will be billed at the hourly rate.
• Late cancellations or missed appointments : We require 24 hours notice to cancel or move an appointment. Leaving a voicemail message or emailing your psychologist or therapist is sufficient. However, if you provide less than at least 24 hours notice, or if you do not show up for your appointment, 100% of the fee will be charged, in other words you are responsible for paying for the missed session.

The fees of psychotherapy services in private practice are not covered by Medicare, but many insurance companies reimburse a certain amount, depending on your coverage. In addition, you can use the amount paid for psychological services as a medical expense deduction on your personal income taxes. Official receipts are provided for each appointment.

To schedule an appointment, new and returning clients can use our online booking tool.

Clients can also contact our qualified coordinators, available 24/7 to answer calls and assist in anyway they can.

We require 24 hours notice to cancel or move an appointment. To do so, a client can :

• Call their therapist
• Email their therapist
• Cancel or move an appointment using the email confirmation received
  
  If a client provides less than at least 24 hours notice, or if a client does not show up to an appointment, the full fees of the sessions will be charged.
  
  Need assistance cancelling or changing an appointment, contact us.