FAQ
Do you only work with postpartum women and parents?
No, these are my specialty areas. However, I also work with men and other mental health issues.
Where are you located?
What are your office hours?
Currently, I offer sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 9 am and 6 pm (the last session starts at 5 pm) in addition to Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm.
Can we meet in person?
No, I only offer virtual therapy through a secure client portal that you will access to.
How do I pay?
Do you accept insurance?
No. Payment is required at the end of every session, but I will provide an official receipt for you to obtain reimbursement from your insurance provider.
Depending on your current health insurance provider or employer, you may receive full or partial reimbursement for my services. Please, contact your provider to verify your coverage for psychological services.
What is your policy for cancellations and missed session?
When you book a session, I reserve that time for you. If you cannot attend, please cancel 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged the total rate of the session so that someone else can benefit from that time slot.
How do I book a session?
You can book a session through a secure online portal, where you pick the session you would like (free 20-minute consultation, 50- or 80-minute session) at the time that works for you. This approach makes scheduling appointments quick, easy, and convenient.
What happens in the free consultation?
We start with a free 20-minute consultation to ensure I’m a good fit for you. We will start by exploring what brings you to therapy at this time. I will also tell you more about how therapy with me looks, what my expectations are for you, and work through technical questions.
Why choose online therapy?
Online therapy has many benefits.
Convenient – You choose the location where you connect with your therapist without needing to drive anywhere. You also have extra time to prepare mentally for the session by jotting down some thoughts, which helps you feel ready when the session starts.
Comfortable – You can set up a comfy space in your home for the session. Grab a cup of tea or coffee in your favorite mug, and maybe even have your pet nearby. Some people find that the “distance” of working together online makes it a bit easier to open up to the therapist, making it easier to connect and then get to work.
Confidential – I use HIPPA-compliant, secure video conferencing and client portal.
Quality Assured – Online therapy is as effective as in-person therapy. For more information, check out this site.
What do I need for video sessions?
You will need a comfortable private space, a good Internet connection, a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or personal computer, and headphones.
Here are some books that I recommend before starting therapy. It is helpful to have one of the following books by David Burns: “When Panic Attacks,” “Feeling Great,” or “Ten Days to Self-Esteem.”
What happens in the first intake session?
Our first “real” session is an assessment session – consider it a mental health check-up. I’ll ask many questions to get a good sense of who you are and what kind of help you need.
Typically, we will establish a clear set of goals and a treatment plan that best meets your needs by the end of this session.
The first session is an opportunity to learn more about yourself and the process. We are usually ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work by the end of the session.
What is the basic structure of a session?
Before the session, you will fill out a Brief Mood Survey that paints a clear picture of how you’ve been feeling lately.
We will check in about any significant changes that have happened between the sessions and collaboratively set a goal for the session.
I will use different techniques, assign some homework, and summarize the session.
After the session, you will fill out the Brief Mood Survey again and also an Evaluation of Therapy Session to see if the techniques used were effective and give me feedback on how you felt during the session.
What do you expect from me during the session?
Do I need to do the homework?
Research has shown that clients doing homework between sessions is one of the best predictors of success and effectiveness of therapy. You can look at it as hiring a personal trainer – you wouldn’t expect to see the results if you only work out once a week with your trainer.
Therapy works the same way– clients who quickly overcome depression and anxiety are the ones who consistently do their homework. We can discuss when and how much homework you do, but DOING homework is non-negotiable for my clients.
What kind of homework will I be doing?
How frequently should I attend sessions?
How long does it take to feel better?
What are your qualifications?
I’m a Registered Psychologist (#5592) with the College of Alberta Psychologist.
I am a Level 3 certified TEAM-CBT therapist and continue to improve my skills by attending “Tuesday Group” led by David Burns. Currently, I’m working towards Level 4, so I can also teach other therapists how to provide effective therapy.
I received my Master’s Degree in Social Sciences (Psychology) from the University of Tartu (fun facts: it was established in 1632 and ranks on the 521st place in the top 2000 Universities) located in Estonia, my country of origin.