Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim your services through my extended health care benefits (insurance) through my place of employment?
Psychotherapy services may be covered by some extended health care benefit plans. It is always best to check with your particular provider and plan for exact coverage details. You would want to verify if they cover services by a Registered Psychotherapist or by a Registered Psychotherapist under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist. Cynthia Schopppmann works independently as a Registered Psychotherapist in the province of Ontario (Registration # 007221). She is also currently supervised by Dr Brenda Saxe, a Registered Psychologist in the province of Ontario, for work with couples and individual adults.
Can I claim your services through my extended health care benefits (insurance) through my place of employment?
Psychotherapy services may be covered by some extended health care benefit plans. It is always best to check with your particular provider and plan for exact coverage details. You would want to verify if they cover services by a Registered Psychotherapist or by a Registered Psychotherapist under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist. Cynthia Schopppmann works independently as a Registered Psychotherapist in the province of Ontario (Registration # 007221). She is also currently supervised by Dr Brenda Saxe, a Registered Psychologist in the province of Ontario, for work with couples and individual adults.
Do you provide tele-consultations either by telephone or via secure online video platform?
Yes! Therapy can be done via secure online video through OWL Practice, or over the phone. Commonly, people want to know if meeting online or on the phone is as effective as face-to-face sessions and, in our experience, yes – it absolutely can be.
What can I expect throughout the counselling process?
Committing to therapy is an important decision! In the first couple of sessions, we will determine if our relationship is a good therapeutic fit and complete an intake assessment. Once we have explored your background, we will collaboratively outline your goals and develop a personalized treatment plan. The number of sessions will be based on your specific needs, but this is something we would discuss and visit frequently throughout the duration of the counselling process.
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
The subtle differences can be confusing. In short, counselling is a more direct, short-term approach to dealing with specific areas or situations in your life. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, is a deeper and more engaged process of inner exploration and healing.
I am looking to access some mental health support, but what support do I need? There seems to be different types of mental health professionals out there.
You are right, there are different types of mental health professionals out there and you may need to access specific ones, depending on your needs. Here is a breakdown that might help you determine what service(s) you may require. A psychiatrist is a specialist and is a doctor (who has attended Medical School) who has done more extensive studies in the field of mental health and can legally prescribe medication, diagnose people, and provide mental health therapy. A family doctor can also legally prescribe medication, diagnose people and some do at times provide mental health therapy. A psychologist detains a Doctorate in Psychology and can diagnose people and provide mental health therapy, but not prescribe medication. A psychotherapist or a social worker has a Master’s Degree and can provide mental health therapy, but not prescribe medication or diagnose people. And a life coach can provide guidance on life decisions and peer support, but cannot prescribe medication, diagnose people, or provide mental health therapy.
Should I have my appointments in-person or done remotely (via phone or video)?
Several of our therapists offer both in-person and remote service-delivery options, so the choice is yours. We use a secure video platform through OWL Practice that is easy to use and does not require any applications to be downloaded on your end. Commonly, people wonder if meeting online or speaking over the phone is as effective as face-to-face sessions and, in our experience, yes – it absolutely can be. If you are not sure what you would prefer, try a session and see how you feel about it.
What is an intern therapist?
Intern therapists are students currently completing their final year of the Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology or a related field of study. These students have completed a significant amount of their course work and training, are engaging in on-going training during their time working at our practice and also engage in weekly supervision with experienced therapists on our team. Although they are newer to the field, they provide the same high-quality therapy that you would receive from our associates. Our interns are also licenced as psychotherapists with the CRPO, so their services are covered under most insurance plans. Most of our interns work with us for 8 to 12 months and they offer a reduced fee to reflect their experience level.
What is a sliding-scale rate?
A sliding scale rate would be a lower rate than what we standardly charge and would be discussed and negotiated with your therapist based on your current financial circumstances (maybe we could highlight sliding-scale and link it to a question on our FAQ page that could have this description?)
What is a pro-bono space?
A pro bono space would allow an individual to access free counselling sessions with their therapist for a determined period of time. Limited pro bono spaces are available and eligibility is assessed case by case by reviewing each individual’s financial circumstances.