Frequently Asked Questions

How can psychotherapy help me?
When should I consider consulting a psychologist?
What kind of psychological assessments are available?
What are the risks and benefits of psychotherapy?
What can I expect on my first visit?
How are sessions structured?
Are sessions confidential?
What are the fees?
Does Medicare cover psychological services?
How do health insurance benefits work?
Do Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) cover psychological services?
Are there income tax deductions for psychological services?

1. How can psychotherapy help me?

Psychology is the scientific study of how we think, feel and behave. A psychologist applies this knowledge to help people understand, explain and change their behaviour. The goals of psychotherapy are to help you:

understand why certain habits, symptoms, experiences and/or relationships have negative consequences on our lives;
find solutions to, or develop skills to help us cope with a problem;
ease unpleasant emotions such as anxiety, depression, anger, sadness, etc.;
lead a more engaged, satisfying and productive life on a personal, social and professional level.

2. When should I consider consulting a psychologist?

Everyone answers this question differently. Some people engage in psychotherapy to heal old emotional wounds. Others consult a psychologist to learn new skills. And some are looking for greater self-understanding. Whatever your reason for consulting a psychologist, we can help you discover important connections between your thoughts, your feelings and your behaviours. Knowing more about your body and mind leads to more satisfaction and feelings of well-being.

3. What kind of psychological assessments are available?

We generally complete two kinds of psychological assessments:

Psychodiagnostic Assessments typically evaluate a client's strengths and weaknesses according to a specific area of interest or presenting problem. Personality traits, symptoms, and cognitive abilities are all possible sources of information within these kinds of assessments. We will use this type of assessment for the purpose of providing a diagnosis, assessing needs, and recommending collaborative care with other health care professionals.

Forensic Psychological Assessments are specialized comprehensive assessments that are usually requested for legal purposes, such as custody orders, trial testimony, and sentencing recommendations. These assessments provide opinions about someone's risk to commit sexual or physical violence in the future and ways of managing this risk.

4. What are the risks and benefits of psychotherapy?

Before participating in psychotherapy you should carefully consider the risks and the benefits of such a decision. Although the benefits of psychotherapy have been well-documented for many types of people and conditions, you should also be prepared to experience certain costs. You may experience emotional discomfort or recall unpleasant memories during or following therapy sessions. It is also possible that you may experience interpersonal conflict when other people need to adapt to changes in your behaviour. Change can be difficult for everyone! Additionally, as personal or family secrets are explored, this can lead to feelings of vulnerabilty, embarrassment, anger, or guilt. Psychotherapy may also disrupt a marital relationship and sometimes may even lead to a divorce. Sometimes, problems may temporarily worsen after beginning treatment. However, it is important to remember that most of these risks are to be expected when you are making important changes in your life. Finally, even with our best efforts, there is a risk that psychotherapy may not work out well for you. Psychotherapy is not an exact science and cannot guarantee specific outcomes.

That being said, many people who participate in psychotherapy report improved interpersonal skills, more confidence in their control over stressful life events, and better management of emotions. These benefits can lead to more productivity at work, improved interpersonal relationships and increased self-esteem. Psychotherapy can also help with specific health-related behaviours and reduce stress.

5. What can I expect on my first visit?

Some people find that their first visit to a psychologist is a bit uncomfortable. This is completely normal and understandable. Sharing private information can be uncomfortable, particularly at the beginning of a relationship. We understand that relationships take time to build and we will make every effort to make your first visit a great experience. On the first visit you will have time to explain the purpose of your visit and what you are hoping to achieve. The costs and benefits of working with a psychologist will be explored to help you better understand what to expect. We will also ask you for your written consent for services. This provides you with legal protections and clearly describes the scope of confidentiality.

6. How are sessions structured?

Sessions typically last for 60 minutes. The frequency of the appointments vary, but are usually on a weekly basis. The duration of therapy varies also, but on average, the intervention will be completed within 8-12 sessions. Two factors that have a strong influence on the duration of therapy are the reason for seeking therapy and client motivation.

7. Are sessions confidential?

Psychotherapy sessions are confidential. Everything that is discussed and gathered for the purpose of consultation, assessment or therapy is private. Your permission would be required before sharing information with anyone else in the future. However, there are some specific circumstances in which a psychologist may be required to break the confidentiality agreement. Please see the Consent Form for this information.

8. What are the fees?

Resilience Psychological Services Psychologiques follows the following fee structure:

$230/hr – Individual Psychotherapy
$230/hr – Diagnostic Assessment and Evaluation
$250/hr – Court Attendance

9. Does Medicare cover psychological services?

In the province of New Brunswick, the cost of consulting a psychologist in private practice is not covered by Medicare. However, there may be a few ways to reduce your costs, so you may want to explore your options before deciding if a private psychologist is the right choice for you. Three ways in which your costs may be covered or reduced include:

Health insurance benefits (e.g. Blue Cross, Manulife, Great West Life and Sunlife);
EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs); and
Income tax deductions (i.e. Medical expenses – line 330)

10. How do health insurance benefits work?

Approximately two thirds of New Brunswickers have health insurance. Many obtain health insurance as an employment benefit. Many others purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company. Most health plans cover part or all of the costs associated with consultation, psychotherapy, and assessment. Fees for psychological services are usually paid to the psychologist by the client and later submitted for reimbursement to the insurance company. However, given the extensive variety of plans available, you should contact your health insurance company in advance to verify the process. Examples of some of the questions you may want to ask include:

Will I need a referral to see a psychologist from a medical doctor?
What psychological services are covered by my health care plan?
How much can I claim for each type of service in a calendar year?
Will my plan cover 100% of the cost of each visit, or only a smaller percentage?
Is there a limit to the number of appointments that will be covered in a calendar year?
Will I be charged a deductible for using the plan?
Will my premium increase for using my health plan benefits?
Will my company request any information from the psychologist? If so, what information will be requested?

11. Do Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) cover psychological services?

Many companies offer their employees a benefit known as EAP (Employee Assistance Program). These programs usually include psychological services such as consultation, psychotherapy and assessment. They are designed to support employees and their families who are experiencing individual, marital or family issues that are affecting the employee's personal and work life. These programs are designed to support you during a specific time period, and usually for a specific issue. EAPs will usually limit the number of covered sessions according to the recommendations of your psychologist and the EAP's general guidelines. All EAPs are different, as they are customized to meet each employer/employee's needs. They were originally created for work related difficulties but now offer support for a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, anger, family and relationship problems, and pain management. Typically, EAP services are provided at no cost to the employee and billing takes place between the provider and the EAP.

Here are some of the questions you may want to ask your EAP:

What is the process if I want to use my EAP to see a psychologist?
Can I go to any psychologist of my choosing or does the EAP have a list of “preferred” psychologists?
Is 100% of the cost paid by my EAP?
Is there a limit to the number of appointments that will be covered?

12. Are there income tax deductions for psychological services?

Psychologists are approved medical practitioners in the province of New Brunswick. Therefore, you may be able to claim the costs of obtaining psychological services as a medical expense and deduct it from your taxable income (to pay less tax). Three types of expenses that you can claim as a tax deduction include psychological services, transportation expenses and meal expenses. Please visit the Revenue Canada website for full details about this tax deduction or call Revenue Canada at 1-800-267-6999 for more information.