Frequently Asked Questions:
If you are unable to find answers to your questions on this page, please reach out to us at info@acornandanchor.com
BASICS:
How do I make a referral?
To make a referral, contact our administrator at info@acornandanchor.com
Please see our Team page to find out more about each therapist. There are links to see more info on the Team page as well.
What ages do you work with?
We have therapists who specialize in work with children as young as 5+ and who have research background and experience working with perinatal, infant and early childhood mental health as well. We have a range of therapists who specialize in work with different age groups to meet your needs!
What times are available?
As the Centre is a busy place, options for spaces are limited and we do our best to offer the first available. Often this may mean daytime appointments as after school/work or weekend spots fill up quickly. We highly recommend that you consider accepting an offered spot, even if it is not the best timing, as once you are seeing the therapist, they will offer you the first available time of you choice if/when it becomes available (before offering it to a new client).
What are your hourly fees?
Our individual session fees vary by therapist, rates range from $165-$225 per 50 minute session. Intake sessions are slightly longer (60-70 minutes) and involve more administrative work. Fees for intake range from $250-275
Do therapists offer a sliding scale?
Each of our therapists offer a specific number of sliding scale sessions to clients. If you request a reduced rate, we will do our best to match you to a therapist that is able to accommodate your needs.
Do you offer online/video sessions?
Most therapists are able to offer in-person, video sessions, or a hybrid of both depending on your needs. We strongly recommend in-person sessions initially for all clients (4-6 sessions minimum to build rapport with your therapist) before moving to online sessions. For young people under 16, we recommend in-person sessions throughout unless there is an unusual circumstance preventing this.
Do you offer in-person sessions during COVID-19?
As an essential service, we continue to offer in-person therapy during COVID. Our Centre has been given a "gold star" for COVID safety according to Public Health recommendations.
All therapists can offer online sessions in the event of a client exposure or symptoms of COVID or other illness.
I sent an email, why haven’t I heard back?
Unfortunately, some email service providers may mark our business email address as SPAM or file it in a different folder or tab. Please check for emails from info@acornandanchor.com and add us as a trusted email.
OUR PROCESS:
How do I know which therapist is the right fit?
We provide profiles of our therapists that you can read on our Team page (you can click on the therapist to access their profile page), you can request a therapist specifically when you contact us. Be sure to ask for the therapists rates. If they are not available, you may be added to their waitlist or offered another therapist. We do our best to find the right fit to meet all of your needs (including sliding scale options, times of sessions, and the shortest wait). In this case, our Referral/Intake Coordinator provides an extensive and well-established client/therapist matching system using secure email and referral questions designed to ensure “best fit.”
Can I book a phone consultation?
Our Referral/Intake Coordinator does not offer phone consultation, but once you have been matched with a therapist, they may offer a phone consultation for a fee. Not all therapists are able to offer this.
I really want my child/teen to come to therapy but they don't want to come, what should I do?
Therapy requires 'buy-in' from clients, and relationships can not be forced in a therapeutic setting. We can, however, provide parent/caregiver support and consultation that may be helpful in home and school environments and this may also lead to your young person becoming interested in coming too!
What type of therapy do you provide? Do you offer CBT/DBT?
All of our therapists use a relational, attachment-based approach that integrates a variety of evidence-based methods. We are client-focused, which means we work with each individual to understand them, and their unique needs to apply these in practice.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy are highly structured types of therapy. Our integrative, client-centred approach includes integration CBT/DBT as well as other modalities as appropriate. Please see our "About Us", "Our Team" and blog posts on the Acorn and Anchor Approach for more information.
What happens once I am matched with a therapist?
In order to book an appointment with a therapist, individuals will be asked to sign up for an account using Owl Practice, our secure and encrypted service platform. This includes adding personal information and your payment details (a credit card that will be used to process payments following sessions). Your private card details are not seen by us, and are not visible in your account (except the last 4 digits). They will never be seen in your child/youth’s account either. Unfortunately, at this time, this is the only payment method that we are able to accept. Receipts are provided for clients to claim with their private insurance.
What happens after I sign up for my account?
Once this is done, you will have access to your private account on Owl. Keep the webpage in your favorites to access it easily.
You will be emailed a link (via OWL) with some forms to complete. These include information about you (as a client, or the parent/caregiver of a client), confidentiality and informed consent, cancellation policies, and online privacy policy.
Please check your email for these forms and complete them as soon as possible so that your therapist can arrange an intake session with you. These must be submitted to proceed. If you have trouble, contact info@acornandanchor.com for support.
Owl Practice also includes a private messaging system for you and your therapist which we ask all clients to use regarding all further private conversations with your therapist. You will also be able to see your next scheduled appointment, and join your online session this way. Owl also sends appointment reminders, and receipts. To cancel an appointment, you can use secure messaging or email your individual therapist.
What about if my child/youth is the client?
If your child or teen is the identified client, and is living in the family home we require them to have an active account as well. There are instructions to sign up a child or youth who does not have their own email address as well. Your child/youth may also receive forms to submit (if over 12).
We do ask that caregivers have regular check-in sessions, and may recommend parent sessions or workshops at the Centre. It is a key indicator of success for parents/caregivers to be involved in the process of change with their child/youth.
What if I am not satisfied with the match?
If you have met with your therapist for the intake session or ongoing appointments and you feel that it may not be the best fit for you/your child, please let us know at info@acornandanchor.com and we can help problem solve, or determine if there may be a better fit here at the Centre. If that is not possible, we can recommend someone from outside the Centre who may be taking new clients.
OTHER:
Do you work with parents/caregivers?
Absolutely! We provide therapy, psycho-education, and support for parents/caregivers regarding a child or teen's struggles based on the symptoms, exceptionalities and neurodiversity that you/your child report to us.
If your child is currently seeing a therapist at the Centre, you can request a "parent session" to learn tools and strategies for home, or attend one of our workshops (coming 2023).
If a parent requests their own ongoing therapy, or family sessions, we may recommend a different therapist at the Centre in order to maintain trust and an ongoing relationship with your child.
What if the parents are separated or divorced?
While we most certainly value the perspectives and involvement of each caregiver/parent, if there is a court order in place regarding custody, we will have to explore this on a case by case basis. Depending on the age and ability of a child to give consent on their own, we may require consent from the other legal guardian.
We do NOT provide home assessments, information, or opinions about caregivers in a child’s residence or letters to lawyers/court unless discussed clearly. Any services provided outside of sessions incur fees as outlined in our policies.
I am the parent, don’t I have a right to my child’s information?
We highly value our child and teen client's privacy and trust. Therapists will not disclose anything from sessions without your child's explicit consent (unless it is exempt from confidentiality rules). We do our absolute best to work with youth to help them understand the importance of parent involvement in therapy.
Do you provide couples or family therapy?
Some therapists offer couples work and some offer family sessions. Please see the “Our Team” page to find out who.
What about psychological evaluations or educational assessments?
If you are seeking a Psychological Assessment or Psycho-Educational Assessment, we can help! Assessments can be very important in helping to guide your therapist in providing psychoeducation to you and your young person that will help them to understand and manage symptoms, reduce shame or blame of self, enhance self-worth and enhance the parent-child relationship. Additionally, if you are seeking special school-based support from elementary to post-secondary, a full assessment from a registered Psychologist will be most effective (and is required by most educational systems) at explaining your child/youth's needs for accommodations or technological support.
INSURANCE:
Do you bill insurance directly?
It is your responsibility to make a claim with your insurance provider directly using your own therapist’s name and registration number (provided on your receipt).
Our practice management system (Owl Practice) uses a secure payment site (Stripe) to charge the payment card on your account. OWL Practice will email receipts after the fees have been processed at the end of each week. You can also access them on your Owl online portal.