Frequently Asked Questions
Please review below answers to commonly asked questions.
Is a referral from a GP or Nurse Practitioner required?
A referral from a GP or Nurse Practitioner is required if you would like OHIP-funded MD Assessments and OHIP-funded Group Counselling Sessions.
My child is 7-years-old, will you see her?
No. Our program currently only sees patients 18-years-old and up.
Do you see patients who have been injured in a motor vehicle accident or while at work?
Yes.
How long does it take to be seen by your team?
We endeavour to start seeing patients in September of 2024. We anticipate that it will take approximately 1-2 weeks to be seen by our team after your referral is received by us.
How much will the therapy cost?
OHIP-funded services have no cost to the patient. The cost for uninsured services and materials are required for OHIP-funded Group Counselling Sessions as well as the cost of one-on-one therapy with our psychotherapist and occupational therapist can be found in our uninsured services page.
How do I book an appointment?
For initial OHIP-funded MD Assessments, we will invite you to book an appointment using our online booking system once we receive the referral from your primary health care provider.
For OHIP-funded Group Counselling Sessions, we will book you in for the section of interest when we receive payment for the uninsured services and materials required for that section.
For initial privately-funded (non-OHIP) services, you can request an appointment by completing our online Request a Consultation form. You will then be emailed with instructions on how to book this.
For follow-up appointments (OHIP and non-OHIP), you can book this using our online booking system.
How do I speak to someone on the phone?
Our program currently provides administrative support most efficiently by email. We do not have administrative staff that mind the phones regularly like we do for emails. If you do phone us, you will be asked to leave a voice message. Messages are checked once a day. Staff endeavor to respond to calls usually within 2 business days.
What is the nature of the Group Counselling Sessions?
The Group Counselling Sessions will educate you about how the physiology of headache, fatigue and sleep work. Then they will show you how changing your thoughts and behaviours (the things you do) can correct the problem. You will have a some materials to refer to between the weekly virtual (video) Group Counselling Sessions. These materials will help you implement the lessons as well as track your progress.
What is the nature of 1-on-1 therapy with the occupational therapist or psychotherapist?
The one-on-one therapy with our psychotherapist and occupational therapist will take you through the same content as our OHIP-funded Group Counselling Sessions for those that have chronic fatigue, chronic headache and insomnia. For those that have other conditions amenable to psychotherapy and/or occupational therapy, they will help you using a customized treatment plan. These appointments can be held by video or phone, as per the patient’s preference.
What is the nature of the MD assessments?
The initial MD Assessment with the internal medicine specialists lasts up to 20 minutes. The 2nd MD Assessment last up to 10 minutes and are a focused history focusing on how you can be helped by the OHIP-Funded Group Counselling Sessions we offer. They are held over video. The first session generally helps the doctor get an understanding of your condition and then the MD will email you a diary specific to your condition for you to track your fatigue or insomnia or headache over the next week. The second MD Assessment will review this with you and assess as to whether you are likely to benefit from OHIP-funded Group Counselling Sessions or not. If so, the doctor will make the recommendation to register for a specific Group Counselling Section. If not, the doctor will make recommendations to you and will share these recommendations with your primary health care provider.
How many sessions will it take to correct my problem?
Our OHIP-funded Group Counselling Sessions are fixed number of sessions (usually ranging from 2-10 x 45-minute sessions) teaching you the skills you need to improve your condition. While many patients will have success during these sessions, some patients may need to continue to practice these skills for longer until they are effective. As these sessions focus on equipping you with the knowledge and skills to improve your condition, the effort you spend in learning the material is directly proportional to your success.
How much work will be involved in getting better?
The amount of work involved will vary from patient to patient. Some patients come with a lot of skills already and they just need to be made aware of these skills and to be reminded to use them. Some other patients will need to learn new skills – e.g., relaxation, cognitive appraisal and restructuring, gradual exposure, etc. – and so this may take them more training. For some patients, they like the experience of working towards their goal. For other patients, they don’t like the experience of holding themselves accountable to follow a regimen until they have learned to trained their physiology. That said, how much “work” it takes is different than your perception of how much “work” you’re putting. Your perception will largely depend on your attitude.
How successful are the therapies?
Which topics do you cover in Group Counselling Sessions?
The Group Counselling Sections currently offered can be found at our Group Counselling Sessions page. When you click on the section of interest, you will see the start dates and session times for that section.
When is the next round of group counselling sessions going to start?
The Group Counselling Sections currently offered can be found at our Group Counselling Sessions page. When you click on the section of interest, you will see the start dates and session times for that section.
What time are the Group Counselling Sessions?
The Group Counselling Sections currently offered can be found at our Group Counselling Sessions page. When you click on the section of interest, you will see the start dates and session times for that section.
How do I refer a patient to your program?
You can fax us a referral. If you would like to print out a referral form or add the referral form you your EMR, you can visit our MDs & NPs page.
Where are your appointments?
All of our appointments are conducted virtually, accessible through a phone or computer from the comfort of your home. Accessing sessions by video will provide you with the advantage that our health care providers can show you demonstrations and figures in training you.
Do you have any evening or weekend appointments?
This varies and this information is available on our online booking system. You can check by clicking on the appointment of interest in our Book an Appointment page.
I can't make my appointment because something unexpected popped up, do I still have to pay a missed appointment fee?
What if I need to change/cancel an appointment? How do I do that?
Can I speak with any health care provider by email or phone in between appointments?
What are some other costs associated with your program?
Our uninsured services policies is continually updated on our website.
Is the visit with the occupational therapist or psychotherapist covered by OHIP?
No. Occupational Therapy and Psychotherapy is funded privately by the patient. Fees for these services are available in our uninsured services page. After your appointment with either the occupational therapist or psychotherapist you will be send an invoice for the service through the secure online payment app “Square”. Payment is due when you receive the invoice. For those patients that have extended health benefits that cover for these services, they may submit this invoice directly to their insurer for whatever reimbursement their insurance provides.
Will my extended health benefits cover the rehabilitation?
Our therapy is given by licensed physicians, psychotherapists and occupational therapists. Physician’s services are covered by OHIP for those who are eligible for OHIP-funded services. Otherwise, you will be given invoices for all other services which you can in turn submit to your insurance. You will have to check with your insurance to see the details of your plan to know what they cover.
Does the OT and the psychotherapist only deal with the topics list in the conditions treated section of your website?
No. Our psychotherapist and occupational therapist are fully licensed to deal with all matters within their scope of practice. That is, the psychotherapist can treat for depression, anxiety, PTSD, marital discord, etc. And the occupational therapist can treat organizational issues, return-to-work planning, cognitive compensatory skills and remediation training, etc.
If I am paying privately, do I have to see the MD before registering for Group Counselling Sessions?
Can I dial-in with my telephone to attend a zoom (video) appointment ?
Yes, if you don’t mind eliminating the video portion of the encounter, then you can dial-in to a zoom event using a landline or cell phone. Please do not block your Caller ID when attending the appointment so that the provider can accurately identify you before admitting you.
Please follow the instructions below:
Dial by your location
• +1 647 558 0588 Canada
• +1 778 907 2071 Canada
• +1 780 666 0144 Canada
• +1 204 272 7920 Canada
• +1 438 809 7799 Canada
• +1 587 328 1099 Canada
• +1 647 374 4685 Canada
Meeting ID: 833 7601 4095
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kKmq0IS2
