Frequently Asked Questions:
Fee Adjustment

• The current adjustment aligns with professional standards for experienced therapists in Ontario.

• This ensures the practice remains sustainable and reflects the clinical experience, specialized training and the rising costs of clinical overhead.

• With nearly 15 years of clinical experience, this rate was carefully calculated to acknowledge that experience while maintaining a fee that remains accessible relative to current provincial standards.

• For context, the current market rate for entry-level psychotherapy (new-graduates) in the province often ranges between $175-$190 per 50-minute session

• In other words, this fee adjustment is more of a “market correction” to bring my fee closer to professional standards while still remaining below the average cost of senior-level care.
  

There is a significant difference between clinical knowledge (theory) and clinical wisdom (application).

• New graduates are usually focused on “doing the steps” of a modality correctly, which is wonderful and necessary to master a skill/modality. But they are often still learning how to apply those theories to the complexity of a real human life.

• In this field, that decade and a half of practice means I can often identify patterns and provide targeted interventions more efficiently than a clinician just starting out.

• Veteran therapists usually have an integrated toolkit and can pivot between different modalities seamlessly based on what the client needs in the moment, instead of forcing the client into a specific framework or following a rigid manual.

• Much like a seasoned mechanic can often “hear” what is wrong with an engine without checking a manual, a senior therapist utilizes their years of pattern recognition to make every 50-minute session as effective and transformative as possible
  

Continuity of care is my priority.

I maintain a limited number of sliding scale spots for clients facing financial hardship.

If the new fee is a barrier to our work, please let me know so we can discuss available options or a transition plan.

• My fee adjustments are never arbitrary.

• My goal is not to chase the market every year, but to maintain a stable and predictable fee structure for my clients.

• While I don’t have a rigid annual increase policy, I do review my practice costs and the provincial market rates every year..

  • Like any professional service, my fees are tied to the cost of operating a private practice, which includes specialized insurance, ongoing training, and inflation.

  • The last time I made an adjustment to my fees was in December 2020

• I recognize that while some people prefer yearly small increases, some prefer milestone jumps. Both of these approaches have their pros and cons:

  • although yearly small increases feel predictable and easier to budget for, they can also feel like “nickel and diming” or a constant reminder of the “transaction”

  • although milestone jumps can feel like a “shock” when they happen, they provide stability for years, allowing the client to focus on the work without worrying about a fee change every year

• If a future adjustment is necessary to keep the practice sustainable, I will always provide you with at least 60 days’ notice so we can discuss it and plan accordingly