Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Sessions range from 50 to 75 minutes and can occur virtually or in person.

At Sow and Grow Psychotherapy, our session fees align with what is suggested by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and with other therapy providers in our community which is $160 per 50-minute individual therapy session and $180 per 50-minute couples and family therapy session. Services are HST-exempt.

The cost per 75-minute session is $240 for individual therapy and $270 for couples and family therapy.

I often respond to this question by saying that Psychotherapy is what you want it to be. According to the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, Psychotherapy occurs when “the Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and client enter into a psychotherapeutic relationship where both work together to bring about positive change in the client's thinking, feeling, behaviour and social functioning”.

With this definition, it is up to you to decide what psychotherapy will look like. It can look like having a safe space to unpack uncomfortable or happy feelings or a place to explore coping mechanisms and tools to help reach your goals. For couples and families, psychotherapy can be a place to mend broken and hurt relationships, or it can be a place where you can find peace in moving on without one another. In any case, my role remains the same — your best interest is my number one priority and I am your collaborative agent (in whatever capacity you need me to be in).

The gift of therapy is for everyone to utilize. Therapy is not a place for “broken” people, rather it is a tool you can reference to learn more about yourself, and your relationships, establish boundaries and grow towards the person you wish to be.

I often use this metaphor with my clients: you can go to the gym because you have an injury and need to repair a ruptured muscle, or you can go to the gym without having an injury but with goals to build muscle. Both are acceptable and valid reasons to go to the gym.

I will usually recommend booking sessions more frequently in the beginning (i.e., once a week/biweekly), giving us time to build rapport and establish trust and security. Following that, sessions can be a little bit more infrequent, depending on your needs, timetable, and insurance coverage.

I believe that therapy leads to positive outcomes, resulting in increased self-awareness, growth and change. However, I will often say that the heaviness of therapy and the vulnerability that comes with it can make therapy feel raw, difficult, and overwhelming. As a Registered Psychotherapist, it is my job to support you during these difficult emotions, while also targeting your goals. I will never push my clients to speak about something they are not ready for, but I will always encourage honesty and vulnerability as we continue to build our alliance together.

Consultations are a great way for clients and clinicians to discuss goals, approach and experience. Here are some questions you can consider before meeting for a consult:

• Are you looking for a safe space to unpack things or are you looking to learn tools and coping mechanisms?

• Do you prefer a more conversational style or are you looking for a more structured approach?

• Do you appreciate when others challenge you? Would you be okay with your therapist challenging you?

• What is your reason for attending therapy? Is it a place to learn more about yourself, to unpack things from the past, to grow and improve, to reach a particular goal? How can your therapist help you reach your goal?

• Have you done therapy before? What did you like and what didn’t you like?

• What would make you say therapy worked?

Individual sessions are typically 50 minutes to allow time for clinical note-taking and preparation between clients. Couples and family therapy, on the other hand, requires more time due to the complexity of multiple perspectives and dynamics, so these sessions are 60 minutes. The slightly higher fee reflects the additional coordination, emotional processing, and clinical skill involved in supporting more than one person in the room.

The first session is 60 minutes long and serves as an initial intake. It’s a space for us to begin building a therapeutic relationship, where I take time to deeply listen to your story, understand what’s bringing you to therapy, and explore what support might look like moving forward. I tend to take a reflective, listening-based approach in this first meeting so I can get a fuller picture of your experiences, challenges, and goals. The session is $180, as it is longer and allows for a more comprehensive assessment.