FAQs | The Halton Centre

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there evening hours or Saturdays?
Is there free parking?
When can I speak to someone on the phone to ask questions or book an appointment?

Denise, our client care coordinator, is available to answer your phone call from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, Monday through Friday. If Denise does not answer the phone during this time, it likely means she is on the phone talking to someone else. If you leave a message during this time, she will call you back as soon as she can when she is off the phone.
If you leave a message outside of the hours when Denise answers the phones, she may be able to return your call later in the day. If not, she will return your call the following morning when she is back in the office. Our policy is to return phone messages and e-mails the same day we receive them. If in the rare event we are unable to contact you before the office closes for the day, then we will contact you the following morning.
How long does it take to obtain an initial appointment?

We try to see you for your first appointment as soon as possible unless you request to wait a few weeks. We can typically book you within a week or two.
Sometimes we receive calls from people requesting a particular time spot and then it may take a little longer for that specific time spot to open up in our schedules.
Sometimes all of our calendars are quite full from all of the calls and e-mails we receive from people asking to book appointments and it may take 3 or 4 weeks for a first appointment.
If you urgently need to see a psychologist at our centre, we will do our very best to book you into one of our cancellation spots for the week. Sometimes we can fit you in the same day if someone has cancelled last minute due to illness.
Is a referral required?

No referral is necessary from a physician or from anyone. You can e-mail or call the centre directly yourself to set up an appointment.
Some physicians and health care providers choose to send us a referral note and ask us to contact their patients directly to set up an appointment. We are pleased to do this if this is the case.
If you would like your physician’s office, or any other health care provider, to send us a referral or consult note so we have further information before you come to your first appointment, then you can ask your health care provider to send this along to us. Else, we can discuss if there are any benefits of obtaining this additional information when you come in for your first session and then follow-up with your other health care provider afterwards.
Do you provide video therapy?

Yes, we can do video therapy or phone therapy if this makes the most sense. Some people have physical mobility issues and others do not have transportation to get to our centre. Video therapy is a very useful option for these and other people.
Sometimes we mutually agree that an occasional session be booked on the phone or through video when a client cannot leave work during the day to see us and our evening appointments are booked.
Some people begin therapy with us and then move too far away to drive in for therapy. We then continue over the phone or through video therapy. Students who move away to go to college or university, who may have been working with us over the summer, are often keen to continue with us through the transitional period of adjusting to their new school. Phone or video therapy can be quite helpful in these circumstances rather than having the students start all over with a new psychologist in their new towns where they live to go to school.
Are your services covered by O.H.I.P.?

Unfortunately, private psychological services are not covered by O.H.I.P. Most private health insurance plans, however, cover psychologists. All of the individual therapy at our centre, as well as our workshops and groups, will be covered as “Psychological Services” in private insurance plans.
How is payment handled?

Payment is made at each session and you will be provided with a receipt. Most clients pay by e-transfer to info@haltoncentre.ca
You can pay with cash, debit, VISA or Mastercard as well.
If you have private insurance for psychological services, then you can submit your receipt for fees paid for reimbursement from your insurance company.
You can also claim your payments on your income taxes under “Medical Expenses”.
If a third party, such as your place of employment or an auto insurance company, is paying for your services at our centre, then we require written indication of this agreement to pay from your third party prior to beginning services. We will then invoice the third party directly for payments.
For psycho-educational assessments or other assessments, a payment plan is established between you and your psychologist. Typically, 50% is paid at the start of the assessment and 50% is paid when your report is given to you during the feedback session.
Our fees vary across our psychologists. Denise, our centre’s client care coordinator, will be able to go over the fees with you before you book your first appointment.
How is confidentiality ensured?

We understand the need to keep everything you discuss confidential. It is also a requirement for psychologists to maintain confidentiality of your sessions.
We follow the provisions for confidentiality outlined in the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA). The relevant sections of this Act will be outlined to you in your first session and if you have any remaining questions, then we encourage you to ask these questions in this first session.
Notes that are made summarizing your sessions are maintained in a file that is kept in a secure location.
Should you and your psychologist think it would be helpful for your psychologist to communicate with someone to assist you in your work together (e.g., a teacher when working with children, a place of employment when working with adults), then you will need to sign a form that authorizes your psychologist to speak to this third party. You and your psychologist will discuss in advance what is helpful information to obtain from, and potentially share with, this third party.
If you are coming to our centre for assistance for your child, then your child provides consent for file release and for treatment once she or he is able to fully understand the implications of these consent procedures. This typically occurs at approximately age 14. Your psychologist will help determine this “age of consent” with parental input.
How do I know if I need help?

You can request help at any time for anything. Some people, who are generally content, come in to speak with us to ask for some guidance about a situation in their lives.
Many other people seek help once they notice that their distress is interfering with their functioning.
If you are having difficulty sleeping or concentrating, then it may be a good idea to obtain help. If you are noticing higher conflict in relationships or feel like withdrawing from relationships or activities, it may be time to request assistance. Stress, anxiety and other negative emotions can cause interference with appetite, can decrease energy or increase restlessness. You may be feeling sad from your fears and want to overcome the fears and increase your confidence. If you notice you are not getting as much done at work or at school, then it may be time to request some assistance.
The same circumstances described above for adults apply to children. Once you notice your child is experiencing a change in functioning for approximately 2 or more weeks, then it is probably a good time to come in for a consultation to determine the best way forward to help your child. Children also experience difficulties with sleep, appetite, energy, and concentration when their stress, anxiety, sadness or anger is interfering with their daily lives. Stomach aches are common in anxious children. If your child is angry or irritable a lot of the time, this anger may be a result of underlying anxiety or sadness. If your child’s marks start dropping, your child is withdrawing from friends, or is avoiding activities including homework, then it may be a good time to come for help.
Do you work with people who have been in motor vehicle accidents (MVA’s)?

Yes, we work with both adults and children who have been in a car accident and with the associated insurance companies who may be paying for assessment and treatment.
There is some paperwork between the insurance company and ourselves and we will explain this to you and provide updates throughout this process.
Also, if a family member is effected by the change in functioning in the person who was in the accident, then that family member can also often obtain insurance for therapy from the motor vehicle accident company. For instance, if your spouse, sadly, was physically disabled temporarily or permanently, and this is causing you great distress trying to run the household on your own, then you can come in for some therapy too.
Do you work with people who are on short or long-term disability (STD or LTD) from work?

Yes, we work with people who are on a disability leave from work whether it be STD, LTD, or even a shorter period of time off work. We also coordinate care, as appropriate, with the associated insurance companies who may be paying for assessment and treatment.
There can be some paperwork between the insurance company and ourselves and we will explain this to you and provide updates throughout this process.
How long will I, or my child, be in therapy?

This will be determined in your, or your child’s, first appointment. CBT is typically a shorter-term therapy. Phobias can be treated in as few as 3 sessions, panic disorders within 5 to 7 sessions, worrying 8 to 11 sessions. We know from research that the more hope you have for recovery when you are in therapy, the more you feel connected with your psychologist and the more homework practice you do between your sessions the quicker you will feel better. Therefore, with these positive factors in place, you will require fewer sessions.
Do I, or my child, need to live in Halton to use your services?

Not at all. We see clients from all over Ontario. We see clients from Hamilton, Mississauga, St. Catherines, Richmond Hill, as well as Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills and many other communities in the GTA and Niagara Region. Some of our clients move away during their therapy and we continue to work together using telephone or video services.
How do I arrange for a speaker to come out to our organization, school or school board?

We are happy to speak to your organization. We speak to community support groups, parents at various schools, health organizations, and many other organizations. Some of our popular talks are: “Reducing Stress and Building Resilience in Your Children”, “How to Coach and Motivate Your Children to Study”, “Better Sleep, Better You”, “Building Resilience” (in adults), and “Introduction to Mindfulness”. We have other talks we give too.
We have a sample PRO grant application for parents’ councils to use if that is helpful in obtaining funding for your parents’ council.
For further information, contact Denise, our centre’s client care coordinator.
Phone 905-901-0597 or e-mail info@haltoncentre.ca

Adults - What to expect at our centre

Children & Teens - What to expect at our centre