Frequently Asked Questions

Pathways to Emotional Health Inc. is a community of independent therapists that share resources and consult together to provide the best service to their clients.  Each therapist works for themselves, meaning they are independent, experienced, educated, licensed therapists/mental health workers who deliver counselling and evidenced based therapy in-person or through a computer, a tablet, or a smartphone. Therapists/mental health workers assist with healing, overcoming or managing obstacles, and building inner strength to improve everyday experiences. 

The therapists/mental health workers at Pathways are independent therapists/mental health workers that are each fully licensed and in good standing with their respective regulatory body. They are all trained and experienced Psychologists, Social Workers, Psychotherapists, Occupational Therapists, or Child and Youth Workers (CYW). The main difference is education and regulatory body.  Speak with your insurance provider to learn about what your plan covers.  In the mental health field, not only education, but also experience, specialization, skill set, and individual personality are also important to keep in mind when deciding what mental health worker is the right fit for you. Their backgrounds and expertise vary. All therapists/mental health workers at Pathways possess clinical hands-on experience and have been working in their respective fields for several years.

A Therapist treats mental illnesses, can help you heal as well as help you grow and become more self-aware.  Therapy, or another level of mental health care, is needed when there are emotional or mental health issues that are disrupting your life or causing you severe distress. There is a difference between feeling a little anxious in some situations and being too anxious to leave your home, or just feeling a little "blah" versus being so depressed you can't work, or get out of bed.

A Life Coach will help you to succeed. Like therapist, life coaches help you grow and become more self-aware but are not able to treat mental illnesses. Life coaching is designed to help you become more effective, and is what you need when you want to "do better". A life coach's role isn't to give you advice on how to live, but to help you find out how you want to live, keep you inspired to achieve your goals, and hold you accountable as you take action. They can check in and nudge you when you get stuck, blocked, or scared.

Life Coaches are typically not covered under benefits.

Though we use a range of evidence based modalities, each therapist/mental health worker works from the understanding that thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected. Your therapist/mental health worker will gather a lot of information from you in the early sessions to understand when your struggles started and what is keeping them going.  The information they gather is like the pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. Once that puzzle is complete, your therapist/mental health worker will then suggest ways to interrupt the unhelpful patterns which are typically unhelpful thinking patterns that have a positive impact on feelings and behaviours.  Appointments are typically between 50-60 minutes. However, some couples’ counselling sessions can last up to 90 minutes. 

Pathways to Emotional Health may be right for you if you are looking for assistance with healing, improving your emotional well-being, overcoming obstacles, building upon your inner strengths and ultimately improving your everyday experiences. The CYWs specialize in parenting and therapists also specialize in concerns such as: anxiety, depression, mood disorders, self-confidence, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, intimate relationships parenting, family conflict, life transitions, grief, stress, trauma, PTSD, obsessive compulsive disorder, self-harm, suicidal Ideations and selective mutism. 

Anything new is unnerving at first. If you are not familiar with the online world, that's okay!  We will walk you through it.  The overall feedback that we have received from clients who try online therapy for the first time, is that they are initially apprehensive. However, they report feeling comfortable with the process after completing the first session. The on-line experience will be fairly similar to how therapy unfolds for in-person office sessions. The format, procedures and treatment plan remain the same. In addition, online therapy has many benefits such as not having to travel to your appointment, not needing a babysitter if scheduling during nap/bedtime etc. Phone sessions are also available if you prefer.  We highly recommended trying a video session first to compare phone versus video and then decide which is your preference.

Your therapist/mental health worker will send you a welcome email that will outline how to set up your virtual account.  You will receive an email 30 minutes before your online appointment. You will then click on "Begin Appointment" to start speaking with your therapist/mental health worker. You also have the option of downloading the FREE Jane app on your smartphone to access sessions via your smartphone. More information can be found here:

https://jane.app/guide/telehealth/getting-started-with-online-appointments and

https://jane.app/guide/telehealth/training-resources-for-your-patients

The therapists/mental health workers at Pathways to Emotional Health are fully licensed and in good standing with their respective regulatory body. However, while online service may have similar benefits to in person service, both have pros and cons and we encourage you to determine which service works best for you. Please note that your therapist/mental health worker will not be able to make any official diagnosis or prescribe medication.

We believe that investing in your emotional health is as important as investing in your physical health! Research has shown a strong connection between physical and mental well-being. The therapists/mental health workers at Pathways to Emotional Health Inc. understand that this investment requires you to be able to commit financially and emotionally.  Therefore, we will ensure use of the full appointment to work towards your goals. If you have insurance, speak with your insurance company to inquire about coverage for private psychotherapy with a Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Social Worker, Registered Occupational Therapist, or Registered Psychologist.

As each therapist/mental health worker works independently, has variable education and experience, the cost per session can vary. Your therapist/mental health worker will be able to provide you with their exact fee during your free consultation.

Counselling with a Child and Youth Worker (parenting complex needs) $60

Individual therapy with a Psychotherapist, Occupational Therapist, or Social Worker $140

Couples therapy with a Psychotherapist, Social Worker: $160 

Individual therapy with a Psychologist: up to $230

We are currently only accepting payment using Interac E-Transfer or personal cheques mailed to 204-173 Brock Street North L1N 4H3

If you have insurance, speak with your insurance company to inquire about your coverage for private psychotherapy with a Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Social Worker, or a Registered Psychologist. If you have coverage speak with your insurance company about how to submit your receipt for reimbursement. All receipts include the therapist’s regulatory identification number. 

We use a secure database called Jane.  Jane uses industry standard security controls such an encryption and an SSL (Secured Sockets Layers) certificate to ensure information is transmitted over a secured connection between your browser and the Jane web server.  Jane uses state-of-the-art data centres with appropriate security and compliance certifications, is compliant with The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). Jane accomplishes this by providing you with security and privacy controls needed to protect data entered into Jane. It requires password protection of your user account with a password set by you.  Neither Jane nor Pathways to Emotional Health Inc. personnel can access or identify your password. The only way to recover a password is for you to initiate a reset via the email address or mobile phone number you use for the Services.  While we employ college and industry standard measures to protect your information, no electronic communication can ever be completely secure. You share responsibility for protection of your personal information by setting a strong password and by keeping your username and password confidential.  Jane's full privacy policy can be found here:  https://jane.app/legal/privacy-policy
 

In respect of your right to privacy, all information you share with your therapist/mental health worker, and any written records pertaining to this information, is held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with any person without your written permission (or that of an authorized third party).  Any notes your therapist/mental health worker makes during or after session is only seen by your therapist/mental health worker.  The Jane database owner of Pathways to Emotional Health Inc. who is a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist at Pathways, can see your demographic information, but not session notes as this is private between you and your therapist/mental health worker.  As a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist, the Jane database owner of Pathways to Emotional Health Inc. is held to rules and regulations to protect your privacy. Please note that there are exceptions to confidentiality when disclosure may be required by law. 

Confidentiality may be breached when the following is deemed to be present:
1. Wherein there is reasonable suspicion of child, dependent, or elder abuse or neglect.
2. Wherein a client presents a danger to self or to others.
3. If documentation or testimony is ordered by a Judge as part of court proceeding.
4. Wherein abuse/inappropriate behaviour by another helping professional is disclosed by the client.
 

In these circumstances, we may be both ethically and legally obligated to take protective action. Such actions may include contacting family members, assisting with hospitalization, notifying any potential victim(s), and/or notifying the police, Children’s Aid Society or applicable regulatory boards.
 

It is important to be aware that emails, faxes, and text messages are considered part of the therapy record and therefore policies regarding confidentiality extend to these mediums also.