FAQ

No, a referral is not required for you to make an appointment with the team at Insight Psychology. However, some providers of extended healthcare benefits require that you have a referral for psychological services from a family doctor or other medical specialist, much like what would be required for another health professional, such as a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or massage therapist.

No, any services provided by psychologists, psychological associates, and other therapists are not covered by OHIP. However, most extended health benefit plans offer an annual amount of coverage (e.g. $500 per person) for Registered Psychologists and Registered Psychological Associates. We will provide you with the necessary documentation required for submission to your insurance company.

There is a set fee for a psychological assessment for children and adolescents. That fee covers all aspects of a typical assessment: initial consultation with parents or guardians, individual testing sessions, feedback sessions with parents, and a comprehensive written report outlining the findings and recommendations. Please note, this cost may vary if additional testing is required to clarify a particular diagnostic question, or if more direct service time (e.g., school observation, additional testing) is required to sort out a complex problem. A meeting with relevant school personnel can also be arranged, at an additional fee, to share the assessment results and discuss recommendations and school accommodations. If additional work is proposed you will be informed in advance, and your consent will be sought.

Fees for therapy are set in accordance with the recommended hourly rate established by the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA). You can discuss these fees with your individual clinician prior to your first appointment, or contact our office manager, Sarah Hall.

For adult psychological assessments, the fees depend on the number of clinician hours, which assessment tools are used, and any documentation required. Decisions regarding this process and the resulting fees will be made in discussion with your clinician.

Payment can be made by cash, cheque, or email money transfer to your individual clinician, and is due at the time of service.

Our clinicians are not set up to bill directly to insurance companies.

You will be provided with a receipt for psychological or psychotherapy services (depending on who your clinician is) that you can submit to your insurance provider.

Payment can be made by email money transfer, cash or cheque to your individual clinician, and is due at the time of service.

For both assessment and therapy appointments, please contact our office manager to be added to our waitlist. When you approach the top of the waitlist, you will be contacted by a clinician directly for scheduling.

If you are unsure which clinician might be right for you, we invite you to browse the Associates Page to learn more about each individual or use the Therapist Finder, to find a clinician whose areas of specialization will best suit your needs and preferences.

You can also choose to join our waitlist for the first available clinician.

Yes, we have waitlists for both assessments and therapy. The length of wait times fluctuates based on many factors, and estimates imprecise and subject to change. 

The first appointment of a psychological assessment for children or adolescents is typically a parent intake and involves answering questions related to the history of the presenting problem, medical, developmental, and educational history, and any previous testing or relevant work with professionals, etc.

When therapy is being sought for children, your child may or may not be involved in this first appointment, depending on the age of the child and the nature of the presenting difficulty. Please contact the individual clinician to find out whether you should bring your child to the initial therapy appointment.

During the initial therapy session, you can expect to discuss the issue(s) for which you are seeking help as well as 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.

Assessment sessions vary depending on age and ability to sustain attention to the required tasks. Generally, testing sessions are between 1 to 2 hours long.

Therapy sessions are typically 50 minutes in length.

Yes, we have a number of clinicians who see adults for assessments and individual therapy, which is a different service from Brief Parent Consultations.

We require 24 hours notice for cancellations. Appointments that are missed or cancelled with less than 24 hours notice are subject to fees — typically, the full session rate. However, in cases of emergencies, severe illness, or unforeseen circumstances, this fee may be waived. Please speak directly to your clinician in order to clarify any fees that may apply for a missed appointment.

Please contact your clinician if you need to cancel an appointment.

Our clinicians are generally not available after-hours. We recommend speaking with your clinician as they may be able to arrange to be in touch after-hours or to direct you to after-hours crisis services.

We are not a crisis service organization. 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 also call 911 or go to the emergency room of your local hospital.

If this occurs, please discuss the matter directly with your clinician. Together, you may be able to work out a solution in order to ensure your needs are being met. Your clinician can also help you find another clinician who is more suitable to you, if necessary.

It can be confusing to figure out what distinguishes different types of mental health professionals, such as psychologists and psychotherapists. For an explanation of theses differences, please refer to the following resources:

• • Psychotherapist vs. psychologist vs. psychiatrist: which one should you choose?

For more information on what psychologists and psychological associates do, please refer to the official website for the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

No, we do not have a psychiatrist on the team.

A physician can refer you to a psychiatrist.

Our associates are mandated by the College of Psychologists of Ontario to keep all of the information they collect about you and your family confidential, with some very specific exceptions. Limits of confidentiality will be reviewed with you at your first appointment. They include, but are not limited to:

1. Any information that indicates that harm could or has occurred to an individual, including child maltreatment and abuse of an elder in a long-term care facility.
2. As mandated by a court order.
3. Information regarding past maltreatment by a healthcare professional.
4. For the purposes of audit by the College of Psychologists of Ontario.