Frequently Asked Questions
What are your wait times?
Wait times for NEW clients vary based on several factors, including service demand and clinician availability. Typically, wait times range from 2-4 months for services unless someone new starts at our clinic.
Please understand that the wait for service is ONLY for new clients seeking an initial appointment. We limit the number of new clients we take so that you can easily access follow-up appointments once you become a client. After all, what is the point of starting services if you can’t continue them at a pace that works for you? We do our best to maintain a schedule where follow-up appointments are available within 1-3 weeks.
For most clinicians, you can find out how long it will take to start services by checking our online booking page. Choose the type of initial appointment you need and the clinician best suited to your needs. If no initial appointment options pop up, the wait time is likely more than four months. If the wait time is longer than four months to start services, you are still welcome to contact us and ask about booking options. We are willing to schedule initial appointments with new clients as far ahead as six months. We do not offer to put new clients on a waitlist. We would rather provide you with an appointment time that you can count on.
We understand that a long wait for services can be very difficult. If you or your child are having significant struggles in day-to-day functioning, we can put you on a cancellation list. We only offer the cancellation list to those clients we deem more clinically urgent. We understand that most people would like an earlier appointment, and we are actively managing our schedules all the time to make this happen. If one of our schedules opens up (i.e., due to less demand for services, new times being offered, or cancellations occurring), we will do our best to offer all new clients earlier initial appointment times. This typically happens a couple of times a year. There is no guarantee that an earlier appointment will become available, but we will let you know if it does!
What are your fees?
The rate for Psychology services is currently $200.00 per hour. The rate for Counselling services is $150.00 per hour.
Psychology rates are set in accordance with the recommendation of the Psychological Association of Saskatchewan. Many clients have extended health benefits through employee plans which may provide full or partial coverage for services for psychology or counselling services. Please check with your insurance provider to determine what services are covered.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
We understand that life happens! We ask that you provide at least 24 hours notice of cancellation to avoid a cancellation fee and give us time to offer your appointment to someone else.
If you need to reschedule an appointment please give us a call or rebook online using your account. Please note that not showing up for your appointment or last minute cancellations will result in a cancellation fee. Cancelled appointments, without 24 hours notice, will be charged an amount equalling half the cost of your appointment (i.e., $100 for the standard follow-up appointment). Payment will be required before follow up appointments can be made.
Please note, if you choose to reschedule your initial appointment, there could be a long wait again to start services. Our schedules are carefully managed to allow our current clients the best access to follow up care. This includes limiting the number of new clients appointments we offer each month.
Do you direct bill?
We do not direct bill to insurance providers. We do direct bill to NIHB, Jordan’s Principal, and Victim Services.
Payment is due at the time of your appointment and we provide a receipt that you can submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. Please check with your insurance provider for what services are covered. You will want to find out what providers are covered (i.e., registered psychologist, registered social worker, and/or certified counsellor), how much coverage you have, what type of services are covered (i.e., assessment, therapy or both) and how much reimbursement each family member entitled to per year. Psychological services not covered by insurance are a tax deductible medical expense.
What types of payment do you accept?
For your convenience, we accept cheques, cash, credit cards, and etransfers.
Many people with personal health insurance have extended coverage which may cover all or a portion of services. We will provide you with a receipt that you can submit to your health insurance plan for reimbursement. Please review the details of your coverage to see whether your plan includes coverage for services and if you require pre-approval or a physician’s referral.
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
We do not need a referral to begin providing therapy or assessment services.
We welcome referrals from other professionals or specialists such as teachers, principals, speech-language pathologists, social workers, psychologists, family physicians, pediatricians, or psychiatrists. Some insurance providers require a physician referral to qualify for reimbursement. Please check with your provider for details.
While we do not require a referral, there are times when informing your doctor of your concerns before starting services is important. For instance, before you begin an assessment, it is essential to speak with your doctor about your concerns and ask for a medical rule out. Various physiological problems can mimic neurodevelopment or mental health problems, and these should be ruled out before a psychological assessment is completed. For instance, low iron can result in difficulties concentrating or learning, and thyroid issues can cause feelings of anxiety or depression.
What if parents are not together?
If parents are separated, divorced, or never cohabitated following the birth of their child, then there is joint custody of the child and consent from both parents would be needed in order for services to be provided to your child.
Legal guardians need to provide consent and be in agreement for services to be provided to children and youth. Exceptions to this include not being able to locate the other parent or having a court order that stipulates one parent has authority over health care decisions. In the case of a court order, we require a copy for our records.
If you are seeking parenting support only and your child will not be seen, the consent of the other parent is not required. In this case, the file is opened under the name of the parent seeking services.
If the whereabouts of the other parent are unknown and it is not possible to obtain their consent, you can sign a consent form indicating this.
Some joint custody situations are tricky; trust us when we say we have seen it all and we understand. We are bound ethically and legally to do our best to obtain consent from both parents before seeing a minor. However, we do not want to be an obstacle to your child accessing mental health services. We will do our best to obtain consent from each parent, even if one does not have an interest in participating in services or has minimal involvement in your child’s life. Also, keep in mind that the initial appointment is for parents only, so we do not require consent from the other parent for this appointment. In the case of challenging or sensitive joint custody situations, it is often best to discuss your situation with your clinician at the initial appointment. This way you can agree to a plan together and your clinician can answer any questions you have.
What should I expect from the first session?
The first session is an opportunity to meet your psychologist/counsellor and talk in detail about what brings you in for services.
This includes a review of your or your child’s history and a clinical interview, followed by discussing a plan for treatment or assessment. We will talk about consent for services and how your information is kept private and confidential. Prior to your first appointment, we ask you to complete the online intake forms. This saves time in the first appointment, allowing the discussion to be more focused on your specific concerns.
This appointment is booked for 80 minutes, 30 extra minutes extra compared to follow up sessions. We find that 95% of the time the typical 50 minute appointment is not sufficient for gathering all the information we need to create a plan for services. Should you be the 5% that only requires the 50 minutes for an initial appointment, then that is the time we will take and we will charge accordingly.
Therapy follow up sessions will be 50 minutes. Assessment follow up sessions vary between 30-80 minutes, depending on what service is being provided.
Should I bring my child/youth to the first appointment?
We request that parents/guardians attend the initial session without their child.
The initial appointment is an opportunity for your psychologist/counsellor to develop an understanding of concerns and reasons for requesting service. Parents typically have a wealth of information about their child’s current and historical strengths and concerns that is beneficial to psychologists/counsellors in developing an appropriate treatment or assessment plan. Parents of younger children often have information that would be difficult to share with their child present. Even for parents of older youth, having that initial session without your child gives you the opportunity to share your perspective, participate in developing a plan for services, and understand the role you will have in your child receiving services.
How much does an assessment cost?
Assessment services are charged based on the standard hourly psychology rate and the full cost can vary based on a number of factors including reasons for assessment, how many appointments the assessment takes, types of assessment methods used (testing, interviews, etc.), and how complicated the concerns are.
Each client is unique and deserves to have an assessment that is based on their individual circumstances. Even with common assessments there can be small variations in cost based on individual factors.
Assessments may cost anywhere from $1400 to $3000 and this depends on what the evaluation is for. Payment is made after each appointment or assessment piece is complete. There is typically a larger payment required at the end of the assessment for the written report. The most common assessment requests are to evaluate for ADHD (typical cost is $2000) or a learning disability (typical cost is $3000). Before the assessment begins, your psychologist will be able to give you an estimated cost for services and a breakdown of what the costs are for. We do our best to be as transparent as possible!
It may be helpful to know that all services begin with an initial appointment which helps determine what will be the most beneficial use of services in terms of time, cost, and positive outcome for client (the initial appointment cost is included in the above estimates). Assessments are resource intensive services (i.e., high cost and a lot of time involved) and a decision to complete an assessment should be made carefully. Psychologists are ethically bound to provide services that are in the best interests of their clients. So even if an assessment is the initial request, your psychologist will help you evaluate whether an assessment is the best use of resources to help you or your child and what that assessment might look like. This is typically determined within the initial session.
How do I prepare my child for therapy?
Take a few minutes to talk with your child about why they are going to therapy.
Try to be honest but age appropriate. You can talk about the challenges they have been having, that you want the best for them and that you decided to ask for help. Let them know of the appointment ahead of time, so they can feel prepared.
How do I know if my child needs an assessment?
- Is your child struggling to learn in school?
- Does your child have difficulty following directions and is easily distracted?
- Is your child restless and impulsive?
- Does your child have difficulty interacting with peers?
- Does your child seem much younger than other children the same age or behind in meeting developmental milestones?
- Is your child’s teachers concerned about attention, learning, emotional or behavioural problems?
- Does your child’s emotions cause impairment in their ability to live their life?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, an assessment may help provide some insight on how to support your child.
Before beginning an assessment, it is essential to speak with your doctor about your concerns and ask for a medical rule out. Various physiological problems can mimic neurodevelopment or mental health problems, and these should be ruled out before a psychological assessment is completed. For instance, low iron can result in difficulties concentrating or learning, and thyroid issues can cause feelings of anxiety or depression.
Is my information kept private?
All information provided during services is kept confidential and may not be disclosed without your written and informed consent.
People share personal information when coming to see a psychologist/counsellor. This information is necessary for receiving the best possible service. It is common practice to consult with other qualified practitioners, however this is done anonymously and in order to provide the highest quality of care.
No personal and identifiable health information will be communicated, directly or indirectly, without your consent. However, it is important to note that there are specific and limited exceptions to this confidentiality which include the following:
A. When there is risk of imminent danger to a client or to another person, psychologists/counsellors are ethically and legally bound to take necessary steps to prevent such danger. This may include contacting relevant authorities even if the client does not want them to do so.
B. When there is a reasonable suspicion that a child, elder or any vulnerable person is being sexually, physically, emotionally or psychologically abused or neglected or is at risk of such abuse, psychologists/counsellors are legally required to take steps to protect the person, and to inform the proper authorities.
C. When a client becomes involved in a legal case, the judge has a right to subpoena any information relevant to this legal problem, which could also include a client’s health records. If court ordered, psychologists/counsellors must comply with the request to release confidential information.
D. Psychologists/counsellors are required to report any compromised driving ability to SGI.
E. If a client files a complaint against their psychologist to the Saskatchewan College of Psychologists, the psychologist may need to release information from the client’s file to the investigating body in order properly evaluate and address the concerns.
What if I feel uncomfortable?
In addition to providing ethical and evidenced based services, our goal is to always practice as compassionate and non-judgmental practitioners.
We believe in human integrity, dignity, and equality. Having said that, it is an inherent risk in assessment and therapy to have feelings of discomfort as you or your child explore uncomfortable feelings and issues that have been causing problems. We will try our best to make you feel comfortable and you may ask as many questions as you need to feel at ease.
Are you able to diagnose?
All of our registered psychologists have the ability to diagnose.
Important to note though is that each psychologist specializes in different populations and mental health or developmental concerns. This means they may have competency to diagnose one condition but not another. Please review each clinicians bio to find out what areas of practice and populations they provide services for.
Can you prescribe medication?
No. We are not able to prescribe medication.
Only physicians and nurse practitioners are able to prescribe medication. This would include a family physician, pediatrician and psychiatrist. These professionals have the medical training that psychologists and counsellors do not. We are always happy to consult with other professionals, like doctors, to discuss our clinicial opinion and the services we are providing. Occasionally, we may suggest that clients consider discussing medication as a treatment option with their doctor. In the end though, the decision to use medication to treat is made between the doctor or nurse practitioner and their patient.
I am a professional wanting to make a referral, how do I do that?
If you are a professional involved and would like to make a referral, please feel free to contact us directly to discuss and/or send a referral letter.
In the referral letter please include the client’s name, parent/legal guardian’s name(s) if a child/youth, date of birth, phone number, address, and the reason for referral.
Elements Psychology
410-2075 Prince of Wales Drive
Regina, SK
S4V 3A3PH: (306) 910-7511
Fax: (306) 205-3120