Compassionate Psychotherapy Services and Its Cost in Ottawa
Sometimes, life deals us more cards than we can handle. Speaking with someone who understands what you’re going through and won’t judge you can help you get back on the right track. Dr. Crowe provides psychotherapy in Ottawa for people who need a different perspective on their problems.
Treatment
There are many forms of psychological treatment. My approach to psychotherapy incorporates principles of existential, humanistic, interpersonal, and cognitive theories of behaviour.
During psychotherapy, you and I will discuss thoughts and feelings which, at times, might be uncomfortable or painful. I may also ask you to read certain material or carry out therapeutic “tasks” outside of therapy sessions. Your commitment to these aspects of therapy is very important to the eventual outcome.
Psychotherapy has been shown to be effective and can significantly reduce feelings of distress, improve relationships, and resolve specific problems, but there can be no guarantee about specific outcomes. Treatment may be brief (1 to 12 sessions) or longer-term.
In order for you to benefit from psychotherapy or psychological assessment, our therapeutic relationship must feel safe and respectful. You should therefore speak with me about any concerns you might have about the risks and benefits of proceeding or not proceeding with treatment. You might also want to clarify which alternative treatments or assessments might be available for you or appropriate to your needs. It is essential that you experience respect for your autonomy in making decisions about your personal care. I will answer your questions respectfully and openly in an attempt to ensure that your consent to psychological assessment or treatment is informed consent.
For further information on my therapeutic approach, please read about my clinical focus.
Assessment
You may have been referred to me specifically for “assessment.” The purpose of an assessment is to determine the type of problem you might be experiencing, the strengths and resources with which you might address the problem, and a course of therapy that might best suit your needs. Assessment may involve an interview or the use of psychological tests.
Consultation Fees
I charge a fee of $220.00 for each therapy session and accept cash, cheques, credit cards, and e-transfers as methods of payment. Therapy sessions last 50 minutes. I request payment at the end of each session, although alternative payment schedules can be arranged at your request. You will be responsible for each appointment that is reserved for you unless you cancel that appointment 24 hours (one full business day) in advance. More advanced notice of cancellation, whenever possible, would be much appreciated.
Fees for other psychological services, such as psychological assessments involving the use of psychological tests, vary according to the time required to complete that service and the cost of the materials used. As a general principle, I bill for my time using the hourly rate described for psychotherapy. My time might include an interview, interactive testing, test scoring, and report preparation.
Your insurance provider may reimburse fees paid to a registered psychologist. Other insurers (e.g. automobile insurance companies, WSIB, etc.) may also cover psychological services. You should ask your insurer about your coverage and obtain any documentation needed to submit your claim. For example, some insurers may ask for a physician’s referral before reimbursing fees paid for psychological services. I normally submit invoices directly to you and to expect payment from you directly. You can read more about insurance in my FAQ section.
Please speak with me about any concerns you may have about fees and payment.
Alternative Services
In addition to private practice, you may have access to psychological services in hospitals, schools, correctional facilities, and community health centres or through employee assistance programs. In order to be seen by a psychologist in one of these settings, you would need to determine your eligibility for services in each case and follow the specific institution’s referral procedure.
