Georgetown Psychotherapy, Counselling Services

Hypnotherapy is a powerful treatment modality, especially when combined with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and/or mindfulness-based approaches to behavioural change. A growing body of research now validates clinical hypnosis as a highly effective tool for pain reduction, stress, anxiety, and a range of medical issues. It is unfortunate that so many have distorted views of hypnosis. In the therapeutic relationship, unlike in the entertainment industry, clients access a peaceful state of internally focused concentration, which allows for creative insight and higher awareness.  This state of focused concentration is not unlike the brain wave state that is achieved in deep meditation.

Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapy can assist us in engaging our deep, primordial sense of knowing and healing

During hypnosis, you can easily bypass top-down processing of emotional pain, long-standing core issues, and fear. In brain-speak, “top-down” processing generally refers to a reliance upon language-based centers and rational-thinking parts of the mind to figure things out.

Clinical hypnosis in conjunction with psychotherapy can be useful in the following areas:

• Habit Control
• Sport Performance
• Public Speaking
• Academic improvement
• Stress Reduction
• Insomnia
• Pain Control
• Fears, Phobias, Anxiety
• Depression and mood
• Obsessive and compulsive behaviours
• Core Belief Transformation
• Forgiveness Work
• Decision Making
• Self-compassion
• Resolution of Past Issues
• Motivation and Performance Issues

Patient Care – What to expect

First Contact

When you first call for information we will explain the initial process of assessing what your difficulties and therapeutic needs may be. Before you ever come in, you will be told about our fees, how payment is made, where our office is located.

First Visit

During your first visit, we will ask you about what your current difficulties are, about your current lifestyle, your physical health and your childhood and life experiences. This process usually takes two sessions, after which we will be in a better position to make recommendations, explain whether we think we can be of help, and, if so, how therapy might proceed.

This assessment process allows you to assess us as well, to ask questions and to see if the rapport between the two of us is sufficient for this type of work. We strongly believe you should feel comfortable with the therapist you choose, and hopeful about the therapy. When you feel this way, therapy is more likely to be very helpful to you.

Confidentiality

What You Should Know about Confidentiality in Therapy

We will treat with great care all the information you share with us. It is your legal right that our sessions and our records about you will be kept private. That is why we ask you to sign a release-of-records form before we can talk about you or send records about you to anyone else. In general, we will tell no one what you tell us. We will not even reveal that you are receiving treatment from us. In all but a few rare situations, your confidentiality (that is, our privacy) is protected by federal and provincial laws and by the rules of our profession. The limits of confidentiality are as follows:

If you make a serious threat to harm yourself or another person, the law requires us to try to protect you or that other person. This usually means telling others about the threat. We cannot promise never to tell others about the threats you make.

If we believe a child has been or will be abused or neglected, we are legally required to report this to the authorities.

If you were sent to us by a court or an employer for evaluation or treatment, the court or employer expects a report from me. If this is your situation, please talk with us before you tell me anything you do not want the court or your employer to know. You have a right to tell us only what you are comfortable with telling.

Are you suing someone or being sued? Are you being charged with a crime? If so, and you tell the court that you are seeing us, we may then be ordered to show the court our records. Please consult your lawyer about these issues.

Fees

Are psychotherapeutic services covered by OHIP?

No, services offered by a psychotherapist are not covered by OHIP. However, our fees are reimbursed by extended health care insurance, which you may have through your work. The fees situation is more like that at a dentist’s office than at a primary healthcare’s.

We work on a fee for service basis, and people typically pay as they go, at the end of each session, receiving a receipt suitable for submission to their insurance company. A personal cheque or cash is acceptable to all our psychotherapists and some accept payment by credit card or e-transfer.

You will find that, when you pay for your therapy after each session, debt is not built up and your therapy becomes a budgeted expense, like other weekly expenses such as groceries.

Registered psychotherapists have extensive mental health and psychotherapeutic training and experience.

Registered psychotherapists are regulated and licensed by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, which has the power to discipline, fine and revoke the license of psychotherapists who have not performed their job competently and hurt a client. As a result, the proficiency level and honor of the profession of psychotherapy is ensured and protects you when you seek help.

Only therapists registered with the College of Psychotherapists can use the title “psychotherapist”. Therefore, when you see a psychotherapist, you can be assured that he or she is an exceptionally well trained, well experienced, and well-regulated health care professional.

In case of conflict and after talking about it with your psychotherapist, you also have recourse to a higher authority, the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, if you are unhappy with the behavior of the psychotherapist.

Clinical Psychotherapy provides psychotherapeutic interventions for children, adolescents, adults, and families.

Values

A psychotherapist’s work is based on the fundamental acknowledgment that all people have the same human value and the right to be treated as unique individuals. We treat all people – both clients and colleagues – with dignity and respect and will work with them collaboratively as partners towards the achievement of mutually agreed goals. In doing this, we adhere to and are guided by, explicit and public statements of the ethical principles that underpin the psychological profession.

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is primarily a talk-based therapy and is intended to help people improve and maintain their mental health and well-being. Registered Psychotherapists work with individuals, couples, and families in individual and group settings. Psychotherapy occurs when the Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and client enter into a psychotherapeutic relationship where both work together to bring about positive change in the client’s thinking, feeling, behavior and social functioning. Individuals usually seek psychotherapy when they have thoughts, feelings, moods, and behaviors that are adversely affecting their day-to-day lives, relationships and the ability to enjoy life.

As health care professionals, psychotherapists work in a wide range of settings. Settings include private practice, hospitals, clinics, care facilities, rehabilitation centers/programs, employee assistance programs, universities, and more.

A psychotherapy client should be able to observe the following key elements over the course of their work with an RP:

• a conversation about the benefits, risks and the expected outcome(s) of the psychotherapy and the opportunity to give their informed consent
• a clearly communicated, mutually agreed upon goal or plan for the psychotherapy
• each therapy session has a clear beginning and a clear end were problems or concerns are presented and discussed and outcomes are explored
• the Registered Psychotherapist demonstrates the appropriate use of boundaries to create a safe and confidential environment

These important elements are part of the effective client-therapist psychotherapeutic relationship that is the foundation of psychotherapy. Through this relationship, RPs are expected to:

• ensure that the client’s well-being is at the forefront of the relationship;
• work with the client(s) to gather relevant information that will support the formulation of a plan for psychotherapy;
• continuously evaluate outcomes of each session and the impact on overall treatment goal(s);
• practice safe and effective use of self throughout the psychotherapeutic process; and
• adhere to the standards of practice for the profession.

Registered Psychotherapists will be competent to use a treatment approach or modality that is part of one or more of the categories of prescribed therapies, which include:

• Cognitive and Behavioural therapies
• Experiential and Humanistic therapies
• Psychodynamic therapies
• Somatic therapies
• Systemic and Collaborative therapies