Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 continues to be of significant concern in Ontario and worldwide. We are closely monitoring updates from health agencies to remain at the forefront of best COVID-19 health and safety practices. To promote the health of all during this challenging time, we are encouraging all therapy and consultation sessions to be held virtually using video conferencing technology. We want to thank you for your understanding during this difficult time. Now is the time to be safe, and to take care of yourself, your family, and friends.

If you are having a medical emergency, call 911. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.

COVID-19 Assessment Centres are open across Ontario. The Ontario Government provides an online self-assessment you can use if you are worried that you were exposed to COVID-19 (coronavirus) or have symptoms.

The COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled out in phases across Ontario. If you have questions about vaccinations, please speak with your family doctor. For up-to-date information on the populations currently eligible for vaccination and instructions on how to book an appointment when you are eligible, visit Ontario's Vaccine Website or call the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900 for more information. Individuals who live, work, or go to school in York Region, may schedule an appointment at York Region's Vaccination Clinic.

No, you do not need a referral from your physician to access services. Parents will often refer their child or adolescent themselves. Physicians, teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, social workers, guidance counsellors, sport coaches, or other health professionals may have recommended that you seek support from a psychologist, however, it would be the responsibility of the parent to make the initial contact.

It is recommended that you check with your insurance provider prior to your first visit to see if a referral is required for coverage. If they do, this may be provided by your family doctor.

Psychability Child and Adolescent Psychological Services is a private psychology practice located in Aurora, Ontario that provides assessment, therapy and consultation services to Ontario children and adolescents in grades 1 to 12.

Psychability Child and Adolescent Psychological Services does NOT accept referrals for services where concerns are related to:

• Legal issues
• If parents are actively in court regarding custody
• Anger management
• Behavioural disorders (e.g. conduct disorder)
• Eating disorders
• Substance usage
• Psychosis
• We do NOT provide custody/access assessments or parenting capacity assessments

Our services are designed for Ontario children and adolescents enrolled in grades 1 to 12; however, this age range may be dependent on the presenting concerns, nature, and format of service requested. For further information, please call the office to discuss at 905-780-2030.

For virtual therapy services (i.e., services offered by video platform) we recommend that the student be capable of basic computing skills (such as typing/reading/writing an e-mail; independently adjusting their video camera and microphone), and has the stamina to remain seated and participate for the duration of a scheduled session. The student would need access to reliable high-speed internet connection and must be located in Ontario. The student must have access to a quiet non-disruptive environment during the appointment. Virtual services are not a crisis service.

At your first appointment we will begin our discussion with our confidentiality agreement and consent for psychological services. We will proceed with building our working relationship by receiving information regarding your child’s strengths and areas of need. We will ask you and your child many questions and we encourage you to share as many details as possible about the areas of concern. We welcome any questions you may have and we will provide you with the information that you require to feel comfortable to proceed.

Psychability Child and Adolescent Psychological Services strongly encourages both parents/guardians to attend at least the first session of service.

Parents/guardians provide detailed information regarding their child’s strengths and areas of need and have different perspectives regarding the elements that are contributing to their challenges. Providing all perspectives allows for greater clarity and guides the assessment and treatment process.

This policy applies to all families and usually still applies if there is sole custody to one parent/guardian. If both parents/guardians are not at the first appointment, we will have to reschedule the appointment for a time when both are available. If you have questions about your specific situation, please call the office at 905-780-2030 prior to your scheduled appointment.

Psychological services at Psychability Child and Adolescent Psychological Services are not covered or reimbursed by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). However, most health insurance companies cover part of the fee for service and we recommend that you contact your insurance provider to receive information regarding your coverage prior to starting services.

Payment is due in full at your appointment by the patient and can be made by e-transfer or credit card (i.e., Visa or Mastercard). Once payment is received from the patient a receipt that outlines the date of service, service provided, and amount paid will be provided that you can submit to your insurance provider.

If you would like to access publicly-funded services in York region, please contact a community agency, such as:

• Kinark Child and Family Services at: 1-888-454-6275
• If you have a child that is under age 6 that needs access to Early Intervention Services before starting school (e.g. speech, language, movement, and/or development concerns) contact York Region’s Child Development Programs at: 1-888-703- 5437
• Here is a directory of publicly funded Children and Youth Mental Health Centres across Ontario compiled by Children's Mental Health Ontario.

Here are some agencies in the community that may offer Autism or psycho-educational assessment services:

• York University Psychology Clinic at 416-650-8488
• OISE Psychology Clinic at 416-978-0678

As well, the Ontario Psychology Association (OPA) connects individuals to psychologists in private practice across Ontario by completing their OPA questionnaire.

Our hourly fee for therapy services range between $200 to $240 based on the clinician you are paired with.

Fees for an assessment range between $3200 to $4200. This is determined during the intake appointment and depends on the nature and scope of the assessment.

Our fees are consistent with guidelines outlined by the Ontario Psychological Association. Our services are not covered by OHIP. All clinicians are either a registered Clinical Psychologist or supervised by a registered clinician, so many insurance plans will reimburse all or part of the fees. The remaining non-reimbursed fees may be claimed as a medical expense on your tax return.  We recommend that you consult your insurance provider prior to starting services in order to determine whether you have full, partial, or any coverage for psychological services. Payment is due in full by the patient at your appointment and can be made by e-transfer or credit card (i.e., Visa or Mastercard).

Our waitlist depends on the type of services you requested:

For assessment, our waitlist is generally 4 weeks; however, if we are experiencing a higher number of calls, it may be longer. Our assessment appointments take place during the daytime between 9:00am to 3:00pm.

For therapy appointments, our waitlist is generally 6 weeks; however, if we are experiencing a high volume of calls, it may be longer. If you are available to participate in therapy sessions during the day, the wait time may be shorter. We have limited after-school and evening availability, so if you require an appointment after 3:00 pm, the wait time may be longer than the average.

Please complete our contact form or give us a call at 905-780-2030 to schedule an appointment or request more information about our services.

Psychability Child and Adolescent Psychological Services provides outpatient services by appointment only. As such, we are not able to attend to crisis situations.

If you are currently having thoughts about hurting yourself or ending your life, please call 911 for emergency support or visit your local hospital’s emergency room. You may also call your local telephone crisis hotline for assistance. In York Region, call 1-855-310-2673 (COPE) or Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.