Frequently Asked Questions
Browse some of our most frequently asked questions. If you still have questions, send us an email or connect with us on one of our social accounts. We look forward to hearing from you!
Psychotherapy is primarily a talk-based therapy that can help people improve and maintain their mental health and well-being. Psychotherapists aim to help you relieve distress by discussing and expressing feelings to help change your unhelpful attitudes, behaviours, and habits. Psychotherapy can help support most mental health diagnoses or support general symptoms such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem/body image concerns, and relationship challenges. Book a complementary consultation today to see if psychotherapy is right for you!
Social Workers are licensed mental health professionals who can provide both psychotherapy and/or counselling services. While both Registered Psychotherapists and Social Workers are trained to offer psychotherapy sessions, Social Workers typically have an emphasis on connecting clients to the community and support services available to them.
This largely depends on your therapy goals, needs, and preferences, although your insurance coverage may also influence your choice. Michelle, our Social Worker, specializes in working with our adult women’s population while Tristan, our Psychotherapist, specializes in working with youth, teens, and adults. You can learn more about each of our therapists here or click here to send us your questions.
Julia is our Nurse Practitioner and also offers Psychotherapy. You can book with her if you are looking for support with you mental health from a medical and counselling perspective. Julia is able to assess mental health conditions, diagnose, prescribe and counsel.
Regardless of your insurance coverage, all services are tax write-offs. We recommend you speak with an accountant to determine the best way to write-off health-related services at the end of the year. If you have extended health benefits, then some our services (i.e., Registered Dietitian, Psychotherapy, and Social Worker) may be covered. We highly recommend that you check with your benefits provider to see what is included in your plan.
Our Nurse Practitioner services are not directly covered, but instead are typically built in with our other service costs. Some Nurse Practitioner services may not be covered, but we will discuss this with you before engaging in a service. Most testing ordered by our Nurse Practitioners are OHIP covered.
If you have coverage under your drug plan, any prescriptions prescribed or renewed are likely to be covered (if not covered by OHIP).
In Ontario, anyone can legally provide nutrition information and call themselves a nutritionist. “Nutritionist” is not a protected title in Ontario. The title “Dietitian” is protected by law; that means only Registered Dietitians can call themselves “Dietitians”.
What sets Registered Dietitians apart is that they are the only regulated nutrition profession in the province. And, they are accountable to the College of Dietitians of Ontario for safe, competent and ethical nutrition services. To use “Registered Dietitian”, “Dietitian” or RD in Ontario, you must be a member of the College of Dietitians of Ontario.
Weight-inclusive care focuses on the individual rather than the number on the scale. This approach is compassionate, understanding, and client-focused. We often see weight loss being a focus for some healthcare professions, while we believe that health conditions should be brought to the focus. Weight is not a health condition, it’s a number! We focus on developing mindful and healthful eating habits to support your personalized goals. Intentional weight loss tends to focus on dieting and restrictive eating patterns. Diets do not work. Many will go on a diet in an attempt to lose weight. However, research shows that when an individual stops the diet they used to lose weight they gain it back. In fact, two-thirds of people will gain more weight than they originally lost!
When we look closer at weight-inclusive care, we take notice of the importance of physiological markers in blood work. We focus on the big picture while taking a comprehensive approach to meet your goals. For more information, check out this helpful fact sheet from Health At Every Size (HAES).
No. Our practice focuses on individualization and practising sustainable, flexible, and attainable habits. Meal plans are “easy” but are not sustainable as they tend to be restrictive and too generalized. All of our care plans are customized for each client, working to develop changes that are positive, doable, and long-lasting. We can provide recipes and recommendations but not a week-by-week/day-by-day meal plan! Check out some of our recipes here and subscribe to our newsletter to be notified about new recipes.
Weight is simply a number. It does not indicate your level of health. Our practitioners provide weight-inclusive care that doesn’t focus on this number. We measure success through physiological, physical, and emotional markers. These markers include, but are not limited to, bloodwork, bowel movements, mood, and an improved relationship with food.
In Ontario, NPs are authorized under legislation and regulations to independently:
- Complete a comprehensive health history and assessment;
- Formulate and communicate a diagnosis, taking a differential diagnosis into consideration;
- Prescribe all medications including controlled drugs and substances;
- Dispense, sell, and compound medications;
- Set and cast fractures and dislocated joints;
- Order and interpret all laboratory tests;
- Admit, treat and discharge patients from hospitals;
- Order some diagnostic imaging tests; and
- Consult with and refer directly to specialists
Click here to read more about our Nurse Practitioner services.
Nurse practitioners, or NPs, are Registered Nurses who have completed additional training, education, and nursing experience. It enables them to diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medication, and do other tasks similar to a doctor that a Registered Nurse cannot. However, there are certain prescriptions that are outside of the scope of a Nurse Practitioner.
In a private setting, our Nurse Practitioner should not replace a family doctor but instead are there for additional support if you don’t feel you are getting the care elsewhere.
NPs also cannot bill through OHIP. See other FAQs for details about coverage for NPs.
When you are considered if you should see a Naturopath or a Dietitian there are a couple things to consider:
- What does your extended health benefits cover you for?
- Are your goals more specific to food or an overarching health concern?
- Do you prefer to address things via food or supplementation?
Keep in mind, our team provides a holistic approach meaning you can work with our dietitians and our naturopaths. If you are unsure who would be the best fit, book a free discovery call to get started
All of our services are virtual, which allows you to access us through a secure virtual space from the comfort of your own home. With Practice Better, you can also use your mobile device for appointments. The secure platform allows us to share data, documents, and communicate with you via their chat feature which is available outside your schedule appointment.
Note: Simone, our pediatric Nurse Practitioner, offers in-person visits upon request.
The answer is, “it depends”. Please get in touch with our team if you live outside Ontario so we can discuss how we can support you.
You can call us at 647-496-7754 or email [email protected] and our wellness assistant will get in touch with you.
If you are looking to send documents via fax, please send them to 647-424-1192.
