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Niagara Falls Marriage Counselling
Helping Individuals and Couples Feel Empowered
Empathetic - Compassionate- Professional
Frequently Asked Questions
I have insurance through my work, can you bill directly?
In cases where a company employer offers EAP services, they have a roaster of providers and I may already be on their list. If your HR company does not have me on their roaster, it is advised that your HR department contact me directly.
In cases where I am on your EAP roaster, it is advised that you contact your EAP provider and request my services by name. They will contact me and provide me with the details needed. In turn, I will contact you to set up an appointment and will bill directly to your EAP.
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When in doubt, ask your HR department and ask if coverage applies for an RSW with my degrees.
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It is NOT the responsibility of the clinician to make the necessary arrangements for third party direct billing. Please contact your insurance carrier or EAP directly to find out about their payment process.
How do I know if counselling is for me?
By asking this question, it implies that you are ready to explore your issues of concern. What often holds people back, is fear. It takes courage to recognize we can benefit from talking with a professional.
Does OHIP cover the cost of counselling?
No. OHIP does not cover the cost of counselling services.
Do you accept ODSP?
ODSP does not cover counselling costs. Please contact your Case Worker about potential community services in your area.
What are the next steps required to see you?
Contact me either through e-mail, the Contact Form or call me. All information can be found on the Contact Page of this site. We will negotiate a time to meet. I will provide you with the details on how to move forward, which includes completing an in-take assessment. A brief discussion of fee payment will be reviewed along with a reminder of my cancellation policy.
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A formal referral is NOT required; however, I do accept Formal Referrals.
In cases of Formal Referrals, please contact me via email. Consent to Disclose must be received.
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I look forward to meeting you.
How many sessions do I need?
That's a tough question!
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Short-term counselling is focused and lends itself to be effective when the concentration is about making progress and striving to achieve practical solutions to presenting issues; an attempt to find resolve; or to simply gain insight to a problem or issue(s). Between 4 - 7 sessions can provide new insight, clarity and direction.
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Longer term counselling can be more intense as greater depth and breadth of understanding is sought. However, there is no best duration of time as each client is unique and treated as such based on the client's own goals, needs, wants, emotional and cognitive readiness. Longer term counselling does allow us to explore complex dynamic issues that impact the ability to live optimally.
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Brief counselling, usually involves no more than 3 sessions with a focus on gaining perspective, insight with psycho-education to empower the client to move from feeling stuck to feeling empowered. It tends to be specific goal directed.
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Each session is approximately between 50 minutes - 1 hour.
What if my partner doesn't want to go to counselling, can I still go?
Yes. If your partner is not motivated to attend counselling, you can attend and work on your own issue(s) or learn tools and techniques so that you can feel empowered. Please keep in mind that it is rarely a professional practice for a counsellor to see both parties after a relationship has been established with one member of the dyad.
Do you offer free consultations?
No. In my experience, clients tend to expect an intervention rather than an assessment to determine best fit. My web site is quite comprehensive, which allows clients to assess whether my services are best fit.
What happens if I can't make a scheduled appointment? What is your cancellation policy?
Clients are required to provide 24 hours notice to cancel an appointment. Unless there is an emergency, clients are required to pay the full fee for the missed appointment. which must be paid prior to scheduling any subsequent appointments. A formal letter by a third authoritative party is required to be submitted, if clients are seeking to avoid paying the missed or late cancellation appointment. This letter must be submitted prior to any subsequent appointments.
When 2 sessions are missed, the clinician has the right to terminate the client-practitionner relationship, without penalty to the clinician.
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Unpaid sessions are relegated to collections. New Beginning Counselling Services is a private clinical practice and is therefore not a registered charity.
Do you offer a scaling fee, if I can't afford your regular price for services?
In some cases, a reduced fee for services is available to qualified clients. Household proof of income is required. A limited number of client cases is restricted. Individual case by case factors is taken into consideration.