Do I need to see a psychologist?

You do not need to be overwhelmed or in a crisis to see a psychologist as therapy is helpful to most people at some point in their lives.  A psychologist can help you through an area of difficulty, and assess and diagnose mental health problems and provide treatment options. Participating in psychological treatment has been shown to prevent symptoms from worsening, prevent relapse, increase understanding of oneself, increase motivation to change, and help people to cope with difficulties.

While it is common for a family physician or psychiatrist to refer individuals to a psychologist, it is not required.  You can make an appointment yourself.

Your psychologist will ask you to describe your problem and ask for details about your personal history. These questions will include such things as when did your problem start, what makes it better or worse, and how does the problem affects your work, social or private life.  Questions about your personal history can include details about your experiences growing up, your education and work history, your relationship status and interpersonal relationships, and whether you use medication, alcohol or drugs. This information-gathering phase can take one or more sessions and may be supplemented by the use of psychological tests.

Psychologists are licensed to perform psychological testing, allowing for an accurate understanding of symptoms and, if needed, diagnosis of mental health conditions. Psychological tests are used to gain a better understanding of the kind of problem in thinking, feeling or behaviour a person presents with. For example, some tests are used to assess and help diagnose mood, some are used to assess problems in memory or concentration, and some might be used to better understand personality characteristics. Some are pencil and paper/computer-based tests that pose questions to which you must answer true or false and others might require you to manipulate objects or remember numbers or phrases. Testing is used to help a psychologist arrive at an impression or diagnosis of your particular problem.

One thing that cannot be changed is the past but you can change how it affects you. It is also difficult to change the behaviour of other people. Psychological treatment is primarily focused on helping you make personal changes to improve your life. Treatments used by psychologists are evidence-based treatments, which research has proven to be effective.  A typical treatment session is 50 minutes in duration; your psychologist will spend 10 minutes after the session completing therapy notes. The frequency of sessions and the length of treatment will depend on your individualized needs and the type of treatment required, but research has shown that treatment delivered roughly every 1-2 weeks is the most beneficial.   

Information disclosed to a psychologist is confidential and cannot be disclosed without your consent except under certain specific conditions known as the “exceptions to confidentiality”, which include a psychologist's legal obligation to:

1. Inform a potential victim of violence, or the appropriate authorities, of the client’s intention to inflict harm;
2. Inform appropriate persons, or health care professionals, of a client’s intention to end his or her life;
3. Release a client’s file if it is subpoenaed by a court of law;
4. Inform the Children’s Aid Society if a client is placing a child at risk for sexual or physical or other abuse;
5. Report a health professional who has sexually abused a client or patient.

Psychological services are not covered by OHIP, but they may be covered by your group insurance plan or extended health benefits. Please review your plan for any limitations.  If you receive disability or compensation benefits, psychological treatment sessions or psychotherapy may be funded through an insurer such as the Ontario Teachers’ Insurance Plan (OTIP), Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) and Medavie Blue Cross, or another short or long-term disability insurer.  Please contact our office to discuss our fee schedule.