At Tend Psychotherapy, we get that reaching out for therapy can be daunting —we’ve been there too
That’s why we created this step by step guide of what to expect and included some of our most frequently asked questions below
We’ve got you
Next Steps
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1. Fill Out Our Contact Form
We invite and encourage you to use the button below to fill out an email form to begin this journey. This step can certainly feel scary, but know that your email is being received by someone who truly wants the best for you and will compassionately and intentionally support you in this first step.
We’ve created this form to get the information we need most from you at this stage –some basic information about you, your availability, what type of therapy you’re hoping to access, and why you’re seeking therapy.
We get that summarizing what you’re going through might feel complicated to put into words. We hope you feel comfy enough to give it your best try, knowing that there will be the opportunity to expand when you speak directly to a therapists during your initial call.
When filling out the form, consider including information about what you’re currently struggling with/ what you want extra support in navigating and if you’re looking for a specific style of therapy or to be paired with a therapist with experience in a specific area or with a specific identity.
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2. We'll Get Back in Touch
At Tend we truly believe that our ability to tend to our own needs positively impacts the way we are able to show up and empower you to do the same. We intentionally support our team members’ boundaries and attempts at work-life harmony. For this reason a response to your email may not be immediate, but know that we promise to do our very best to reply within 2 business days.
As soon as we’re able, we’ll get back in touch with you via email from info@tendpsychotherapy.com. We’ll let you know which therapist we think is the best fit for you and what you’re looking for. We’ll send you additional info about them and if you agree with our recommendation, we’ll work with you to find a time that you and this therapist can connect for an introductory phone call.
If after a few days you haven’t heard from us, please check your junk mail just in case it got lost in the shuffle.
And if for whatever reason we don’t think any of our therapists are quite the right fit, we’ll let you know and provide you with alternative resources.
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3. Complimentary Consult Call
You’ll have a phone chat with the therapist we’ve paired you with or the therapist you expressed interest in working with. No need to prepare anything for this call! Your call will last 20-30 minutes and is meant to be a more casual get to know you chat vs a formal intake. No matter who you connect with, know that all of our therapists are warm, friendly, and human too!
The therapist will ask some questions in order to get to know you and what’s bringing you to therapy, as well as tell you about themselves and what to expect working with them specifically.
Your own questions are welcome and encouraged! These might include questions about the therapist’s approach/style, more details about what working with them may look like, and any logistical and administrative bits you might be curious about.
If you and the therapist agree that working together feels like the right fit –you’ll be able to book your first session right on your call! And if instead you need more time to reflect, that’s ok too. We’ll follow your lead, as always.
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4. Start Your Therapy Journey
No matter who you’re paired with, you’ll build a relationship with a therapist who truly wants the best for you and will continually show up with empathy and non-judgement.
It’s up to you if you want to have your sessions via phone or video call. In your first few sessions your therapist will thoughtfully work to get to know who you are, what you value, and what you’re currently going through. You’ll work together to identify your therapy goals and explore what it is you want for yourself moving forward.
The actual therapy will be individual. Your therapist will work to empower you to understand that you’re the expert of your own life. They’ll never assume they know what’s best for you —instead they’ll compassionately meet you where you’re at and offer support and guidance along your unique journey.
Your therapist will always hold space for you –honouring your unique experiences and offering support, transparency, and validation. You’ll continue to work collaboratively toward your goals and wrap up the therapy process when you both see fit.
Feeling Ready to start this journey?
You’ve got this!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Such a valid question. Standard rates for psychotherapy with a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario generally ranges from about $125 - $250 per session.
At Tend Psychotherapy our regular rates range from $125 - $175. Our affordable therapy options range from $65 - $100, depending on client need + circumstance. Check out the therapist bios to see each of their specific rates.
Inclusivity and accessibility are very important to us, so we do our best to always have affordable therapy options. Please let us know if you’re looking to access the more affordable options when you reach out.
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Unfortunately psychotherapy is not currently covered by OHIP. We know –we wish it was too. However, it is worth noting that (1) many extended health benefits cover psychotherapy and counselling services, and (2) inclusivity and accessibility is important to us at Tend so we aim to always have more affordable therapy options available in you are paying out of pocket. Please still reach out to us, even if finances feels like a barrier for you.
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The good news is that many extended health benefits cover psychotherapy services. However, we can’t say for sure what your provider or plan has to offer. It’s important that you get in touch with them directly to understand if psychotherapy with a Registered Psychotherapist and/or a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) is covered. All of our therapists are registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).
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Truthfully, it all depends. We try to honour that therapy requires your time, money, emotional energy –resources we understand are not always in abundance. So we never dictate how often you need to be attending therapy.
More frequent sessions to begin (such as weekly or bi-weekly) is advised so that you and your therapist can invest in building a relationship based in comfort, safety, and familiarity. But know that whatever your availability and capacity, we’ll always work with you to honour where you’re at.
As you continue the work with your therapist, you may move toward less frequent (bi-weekly, every 3 weeks, or monthly).
You’ll always have the option to go back to the drawing board to adjust the frequency of your sessions as your needs change. Our therapists aim to offer you lots of flexibility and fluidity through your journey.
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Again, though we wish we could offer you a definitive answer –it all depends. It truly depends on frequency of sessions, what your goals of therapy are, and how you move through sessions together.
We think it would be reasonable to expect to have a minimum of 6-8 sessions, since the first few really are focused on getting the therapist up to speed on who you are and what you’re going through.
Some clients decide to continue therapy even after they feel like they’ve met their original therapy goals. In some cases new goals emerge from new perspectives introduced in therapy or new experiences in their life. Therefore some clients choose to engage in long-term work and continue seeing their therapist for years.
In other cases some clients decide to end their therapeutic journey when they deem they have met their original goal or feel satisfied with their progress and healing.
It really is such an individual experience and we’re here to support you in whatever your journey looks like –short and intentional or long and winding.
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That’s completely valid. Even though this is what we do for a living, we’re the first to acknowledge just how vulnerable it is to be in therapy and how important the therapeutic relationship is.
If for whatever reason you feel like you’re not vibing with the therapist you’re working with –that’s totally valid and not at all something they would take personally. We understand that different personalities and styles fit better than others.
If you feel comfortable and able to name this to the therapist, we invite you to do so. Again, you don’t even need to get into the specifics if that doesn’t feel worthwhile. If this still feels like something you don’t want to name to them directly, please email us at info@tendpsychotherapy.com to let us know. We will work with you to find a better fit therapist for you whether they’re a part of Tend Psychotherapy or not. We’re very lucky to know many exceptional therapists in this field and trust that we can support you in finding the right fit one way or another.
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We hope you realize just how reasonable this feeling is. Even though we do this for a living, we fully and wholeheartedly understand how daunting it can feel because each of us has been there too.
Please know that our therapists are all kind, compassionate, and approachable.
We are very thoughtful and intentional in deciding who joins our team and are grateful to name that each of our team members value and advocate for comfort and safety for all. They care so deeply about supporting others and truly meet everyone from a place of non-judgment and empathy.
All set?
We really do think
you’ve got this!