Contact me now for a free, initial phone consultation. Email: cortney@ontariotherapist.com. Additional profile information on Psychology Today.
Conveniently located office: 287 Main Street West in Hamilton. Our office is located just minutes from Highway 403 near the beautiful Locke Street area and downtown. You can take either the Main Street East or Aberdeen exits. You can also take Plains road if coming from the Burlington area and wish to avoid the highway. There are also buses that serve this route. Your best stops are Pearl, Queen or Locke Streets which will mean a short walk. If driving east, please keep a careful lookout after Locke on your right as our office building is in a house and it is set back from the street slightly so easy to miss first time around.
Are you accessible by bus?
My office is on major bus routes. If you get off at Pearl, Locke or Queen, you will have a short walk to the office.
Is there parking available?
Yes. There is free parking available at the back of the building but please use the entrance at the front of the building. There is also metred parking across the street on Main Street. This is available outside of rush hour. If you have any problems, call or text me upon your arrival.
What are your rates?
My rates are very competitive and I do offer a sliding scale based on a few factors. On average, my fee for individuals is 185 though I can offer a small sliding scale if necessary. For couples, the range is 220 down to 185 depending on ability to pay. Fees are paid at the beginning or end of each in-person or online session. Sessions are usually 50, 90 or 120 minutes which includes payment and re-booking if the client wishes. Clients (existing only) can now book themselves in for their convenience through the blue link in the cortney@ontariotherapist.com email which I have added here as well: ontariotherapist.com email. Please know if you are not an existing clients with forms, etc, you cannot book in — you must go through me. Please keep in mind I have other spots that are often available but not visible through the link. I am open to varying my session lengths depending on clients’ needs.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Yes I do to a small extent. However, please note that as a non-government funded agency, I am not subsidized. Therefore, I cannot offer the kind of sliding scale you would find at a government funded agency. That said, I DO offer my longer term existing clients more of a sliding scale if they find themselves in situations needing this. This is done on a case by case basis. Also, I must limit the number of clients to whom I can offer a sliding scale at any one time. Please note that if you feel you are unable to pay my fee, I am happy to refer you to a counselling agency that may operate with more subsidized rates that may better fit your budget. These include Thrive Counseling in Burlington, Shalem in Hamilton, or Catholic Family Services in Hamilton. It is also important to note that if you belong to a Family Health Team, you may have access to an on-site counselor and/or DBT or CBT groups which can be very helpful. Please take a look at my Resources Page for additional resources.
What forms of payment do you accept and what is your cancellation policy?
Generally, I accept interac e-transfer and credit cards. Please discuss with me at the time of booking. Please note I cannot rebook a client who has missed more than one payment unless otherwise agreed upon. I require a minimum of 48 hours or 24 hours notice for missed appointments out of fairness to other clients who may be waiting for an appointment and out of fairness to me as a small business person. Unless otherwise agreed to, clients who miss appointments or cancel within 48 hours will be charged half the fee and those cancelling within 24 hours or missing their appointment, will be charged the full fee.
Are you covered by group health insurance or OHIP?
Unfortunately only psychiatrists at this point are covered by OHIP (they are medically trained doctors and take a medicalized approach to mental health). At the moment, plans with Sunlife, Greenshield, Manulife, Great West Life, OTIP, League, Equitable Health and Blue Cross likely cover my services as a Registered Psychotherapist. Please note that it is the client’s responsibility to verify what is covered with their insurance provider and to what extent. As the therapist, I am not familiar with what is covered in every plan.
What might an initial session look like?
Prior to our first session, I will ask you to fill out some forms that help me better understand your particular challenges and have you sign a consent form to indicate you understand the services provided and my legal limits to confidentiality. In our first session, we will review those and other details, related to what is legally referred to as “informed consent”. From there, I will work toward getting to know you and your challenges better and what your goals for therapy look like. Often, I will send reading material or video material after the first session to start you on your education and insight journey. I am happy to discuss the details further by phone during the 15-20 minute consult, when we arrange an appointment.
What is the difference between a psychotherapist, counselor,a coach, a social worker, a psychologist and a psychiatrist? How do I know which one is right for me?
There are similarities and differences among all of these professionals. They often overlap in certain respects and they may also work together at times to provide more well rounded client care. A psychotherapist is a regulated profession in Ontario and operates under strict rules of a regulatory college, the CRPO. A psychotherapist is generally trained by psychologists to the Master’s level in any number of evidence based treatment modalities. We are trained to assess and work with a wide range of mental health and life challenges. Ideally, we help process past and present wounds that may be interfering with current happiness and functioning, and help clients better cope with day to day functioning. We can help build resilience, self esteem, and improve relationship challenges. In my case, I work with clients to develop insight into the patterns that may be keeping them stuck, and build skills to better manage life challenges and stressors.
Are our sessions confidential?
While I take precautions to ensure our sessions are confidential, please click on the FORMS page on this website to read the limits to confidentiality and privacy. Some of the forms have been revised and will be sent to you through Cliniko — my practice management software.
Here is an excellent explanation of the different disciplines on the Ontario Society of Psychotherapists website.
