First Psychotherapy Session

Your First Psychotherapy Session

The initial appointment usually includes the assessment of your presenting concern so that your therapist can develop a personalized treatment plan for you, establish therapy goals, and, if time permits, begin developing a treatment plan. This appointment is also for you to get comfortable, to see if the therapist is the right 'fit' for you, and to ask questions. 

If you are booking an appointment for your child or teen, we recommend that you attend your first appointment yourself (without your child or teen). This is an opportunity for you to share your observations and concern, and to share the relevant family and developmental history. Both parents are welcome to attend.

Forms to Complete Prior to the First Appointment

Before your first psychotherapy session, your therapist will email you the Confidential Personal Information Form, the Consent Form, and the Cancellation Policy Credit Card Authorization Form. Please fill them in and email them to your therapist prior to your first appointment. 

Please note that the forms should be filled in for the person attending the appointment. For example, if you are the parent, coming to consult about your child, who will later attend the sessions, the forms should be completed both in your name and in the child's name. 

You will review the consent form together with your therapist, and have the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have.

Please click on your therapist's name to download the required forms: 

• Aliza Shor

• Anna Scetinina

• Bevlyn Hetz

• Cassandra Grosso

• Jeff Zeidenberg

• Lindsay Saunders

• Mandy Taylor

• Pouya Bakhshaei

• Sarah Yakubov (Bodnya)

• Victoria Colaluca

• Anastasiia Puzyrina

• Victoria Prooday

First Therapy Session and Fees

The length of a session is usually 50 minutes. Whenever possible, for the first appointment, a double session is recommended. This will ensure you have sufficient time to provide the relevant information, and the therapist can gather relevant details of your presenting concern and start the treatment. 

If you would like to schedule a longer first appointment, please request that at the time of scheduling over the phone. If you are booking your first session online, please find the time when your therapist is available for two consecutive hours and book two consecutive appointments.

The fee will be prorated based on the length of the appointment based on the hourly rate of $210. (Mandy Taylor’s fee is $255). We are also currently offering reduced-fee sessions with Pouya Bakhshaei. The reduced fee is $170 and is in effect until March 31, 2024.

Anna Prudovski’s professional consultation fee is $255.

The payment is done by sending an e-transfer before the session. In cases where a client is unable to send an e-transfer or when the e-transfer is not received prior to the session, the credit card transaction fees (3.5%) apply.

Please note that we have a 2-business-day cancellation policy. Please provide us with 2-business-days ‘ notice in case of any change to avoid the cancellation fee.

Preparing for Your First Therapy Appointment

No special preparation is required. The therapist will encourage you to describe your current problem and will ask questions throughout the session. You may find it helpful to write some notes before the session in order to not forget important information. The notes may include:

• The history of presenting problem

• Developmental history

• Medical history

• Family history

• Current life situation

Additionally, you may think of the following questions:

• How long have you been experiencing this problem?

• What led to you scheduling this first appointment now?

• What strategies have you tried in the past to cope with the problem? What worked? What did not work?

• If the therapy succeeded, in what way would your life be different?

Helpful Documents to Bring

If you have any of the following documents and/or are taking medications, please consider bringing them to the first session if you feel that may be relevant to the psychological treatment:

• List of medications that you are currently taking (including natural supplements)

• Psychological assessment report

• Hospital discharge reports

• Report cards (for a child)

What to Expect at the First Psychotherapy Session

The first therapy session is usually an initial consultation, where you and your therapist will get to know each other, discuss your reasons for seeking therapy, and determine whether you are a good fit for each other. Here's what you can expect at your first therapy session:

1. Paperwork: You and your therapist will review in detail the consent forms that you filled out prior to the session. You will have an opportunity to ask questions.

2. Introduction: Your therapist will introduce themselves, and you'll have a chance to introduce yourself and share a bit about your background and current situation.

3. Assessment: Your therapist will ask you a series of questions to understand your current concerns, symptoms, and any relevant history or background. They may ask about your family, relationships, work or school, the progression of your current concern, and any other relevant areas of your life.

4. Goal-setting: You and your therapist will work together to identify your goals for therapy and develop a treatment plan to help you achieve them.

5. Expectations and questions: Your therapist may discuss what to expect from therapy, such as how often you'll meet and the type of therapy they will use. You may also have the opportunity to ask any questions you have about the therapy process.

Overall, the first therapy session is an opportunity for you and your therapist to get to know each other, establish a rapport, and create a plan for working together. It's common to feel nervous or unsure at first, but your therapist will be there to guide you and help you feel more comfortable as you begin your therapeutic journey.