Frequently Asked Questions
What is therapy?
Therapy, also known as counselling, is used to support individuals experiencing a wide variety of mental or emotional struggles, ranging from coping with daily life stressors, the impact of trauma, and/or a variety of mental health struggles. Therapy can be done through one-on-one sessions, with your partner or family, or in groups. For more information on the type of support that Bridge Therapy Services provides, please visit our ‘services’ page to learn more.
Is there a difference between therapy and counselling?
The short answer? No. Historically, the term counselling was used to describe services and support provided to an individual dealing with mild cognitive or mental stress, whereas the term therapy was used to describe services and support provided to an individual dealing with more severe mental health or illness struggles. In current times, the word therapy and counselling are used interchangeably in the Social Work/Psychotherapy world. At Bridge Therapy Services we provide therapeutic support to individuals struggling with typical everyday stressors to more ‘severe’ mental health struggles or trauma experiences – and everything in between.
What happens in a therapy session?
Prior to attending your first therapy session you will have completed our required consent to service and intake form. The initial therapy session is often referred to as your “intake” appointment and it is where we spend time building rapport, gathering background information about your history and setting goals for therapy (Note: your goals for therapy may change throughout our work together and that’s okay, this is a place where you get to be in control of your healing and what we focus on). During subsequent therapy sessions, we will discuss current and historical experiences, and work towards addressing the goals you initially identified. At Bridge Therapy Services we believe that every client is in charge of how they go about their healing, this means that the frequency of your sessions is 100% at your discretion and we will never force you to attend therapy more, or less, than you would like. It is also important to be mindful that like any meaningful relationship, building trust and rapport with your therapist can/may take time; this is completely normal!
How much does therapy cost? Do you offer a sliding scale?
Individual Therapy - $150
Couples Therapy - $175
Family Therapy - $175
At Bridge Therapy Services we are proud to offer a sliding scale for clients. What is a sliding scale? Essentially a sliding scale means that rates for individual, couples and family therapy can be adjusted to a lesser rate and will vary from client to client. We offer a sliding scale based on a case-by-case situation and you are encouraged to talk to your therapist to work collaboratively on an agreed upon rate. Please note that not all therapists offer a sliding scale and/or all of our sliding scale spots may be full at the time of your inquiry.
Are my sessions covered by insurance?
Here at Bridge Therapy Services we are a blended team of Registered Social Workers and Psychotherapists - some therapists have their Master of Social Work and some have their Masters of Art Counselling. All of our therapists are registered, and in good standing, with their respective Colleges. As the client, it is your responsibility to follow-up with your insurance company to inquire as to if your sessions will be covered.
At Bridge Therapy Services we do not do direct billing to insurance companies, as such full fee for your service is due at the time of the appointment. If you choose to submit claims to your insurance company we will provide you with an invoice that has everything you need to submit to for reimbursement.
How long will therapy last and how often will we meet?
Depending on your own unique needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue or goal, or long-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for continued personal growth.
As noted above, at Bridge Therapy Services we believe that every client is in charge of how they go about their healing, this means that the frequency of your sessions is 100% at your discretion and we will never force you to attend therapy more, or less, than you would like. With that said, we have noticed that typical pattern amongst clients is to meet regularly, either weekly or bi-weekly, until difficulties subside or you begin to reach your goals. However, it is important to us that you meet at a frequency that serves you, we will never pressure you to meet more or less.
Will you work with my other health care providers or services that I’m involved with?
Yes! At Bridge Therapy Services we believe in supporting our clients however it is deemed best, that may include working collaboratively with other health care providers or services that you are involved with. You privacy is our one of our top priorities, which means you will be required to sign a ‘release of information’ which provides us with consent to disclose information to your other supports. Please note that you can withdraw your consent at any time and you can also modify what it is that we are able to disclose.
Do you have further questions? Please feel free to reach out to us via the contact form and we will be happy to answer your questions!