What is the cost of therapy?Your initial 15-minute virtual meet-and-greet is complimentary and gives you an opportunity to learn more about our services and see whether we are a good fit.Individual therapy sessions are $180 CAD for 50 minutes. Group therapy is $ 80 CAD for 90 minutes.The intake assessment usually takes two 50-minute sessions, for a total cost of $360. It may be shorter for group intervention.Although psychotherapy services are not covered by OHIP, many extended health insurance plans provide coverage. We will provide you with a receipt to submit to your insurer, and fees not reimbursed by insurance may be eligible to be claimed as medical expenses on your income tax return.Because coverage varies by plan and may depend on the therapist’s professional designation, we recommend checking with your insurance provider before beginning treatment.All medical doctors (including psychiatrists) ARE FULLY covered by OHIP.

We specialize in anxiety, but anxiety rarely arrives in a neat box tied with a bow. Life is messy, and anxiety often becomes intertwined with relationships, mood, school or work, sleep, self-esteem, and other challenges. We can help with that complexity, provided anxiety is the primary concern.Anxiety can feel like fear or dread, but it does not always look that obvious. It may show up physically (as nausea, a racing heart, shakiness, or shortness of breath) or as worried thoughts that keep circling without resolution. Often, its clearest sign is avoidance: anxiety begins to limit what you or your child can do, try or enjoy. Anxiety constricts your world.Our work is therefore often less about stopping unwanted behaviour and more about helping people begin: attending school, facing a feared situation, making a decision, speaking up or returning to parts of life that anxiety has made smaller.If you are unsure whether CAYAC or CALM is the right fit, you are welcome to schedule a complimentary 15-minute meet-and-greet. We welcome all inquiries and will help you determine whether our clinic is the right place to start.

Counsellor, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist… what is the difference? And how do I know who is the right person for my child?If you have ever tried to find mental health care for your child, you have probably encountered a bewildering amount of titles and credentials. Some professionals are psychologists, some are psychotherapists, some are social workers, and others call themselves counsellors or therapists.So, who does what?This guide provides a simple, Ontario-specific framework for understanding the different types of mental health professionals you may encounter and what each one can, and cannot, do.First, an important distinction: regulated vs. unregulatedSome mental health professions in Ontario are regulated professions. This means that the profession is governed by provincial legislation and that its members must meet defined educational, training, examination, ethical, and professional requirements. Registered members are accountable to a regulatory college, which maintains a public register and can investigate complaints or concerns about professional conduct.Other titles, such as “counsellor”, are not regulated health professions in Ontario. This does not necessarily mean that someone using one of these titles is unqualified. Some have extensive education and training. It simply means that the title itself does not tell you what level of education, supervised clinical experience, or professional oversight the person has.When choosing a therapist for your child, it is therefore worth looking beyond the title and asking about education, registration, clinical training, experience, and area of expertise.The main professions you may encounter are:Registered Psychotherapist (RP)Registered Psychotherapists are regulated by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). Registration requires a graduate-level education (i.e., master’s degree) and clinical training in psychotherapy or a related field, along with other registration requirements. RPs provide psychotherapy and may specialize in areas such as anxiety, depression, trauma, family relationships, or child and adolescent mental health.Registered Social Worker (RSW)Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). Social workers may have a Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work, as minimal requirements, depending on their registration pathway and qualifications. Many social workers provide psychotherapy, while others work in hospitals, schools, child welfare, community agencies, or other settings. Their training also places considerable emphasis on the social and environmental factors affecting individuals and families.Psychologist (C.Psych.)Psychologists are regulated by the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO). In Ontario, registration as a Psychologist currently requires a doctoral degree in psychology, along with supervised practice and examinations.There is also a second regulated designation, Psychological Associate, for which a master's degree in psychology is the academic starting point, followed by additional supervised experience and examinations.Psychologists have specialized training in psychological assessment, diagnosis, and psychotherapy. Some specialize particularly in children and adolescents, while others focus on specific areas such as neuropsychology, learning disorders, autism, anxiety, or trauma.Psychiatrist (M.D.)A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in psychiatry. After medical school, psychiatrists complete four to six years of postgraduate specialty training in psychiatry. This medical training gives psychiatrists particular expertise in understanding the relationship between mental health and physical health, including the biological and medical aspects of mental illness.Psychiatrists are regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).Psychiatrists can diagnose mental disorders, prescribe medication, and provide psychotherapy. In practice, however, many psychiatrists today focus primarily on assessment, diagnosis, medication management, and consultation, with psychotherapy provided by another professional.Early Childhood Educator (ECE/RECE)Registered Early Childhood Educators are regulated by the College of Early Childhood Educators. They typically complete an approved two-year early childhood education diploma or degree. ECEs are not therapists. Their expertise is in the development, learning, care, and education of young children, and they play an important role in early childhood settings.Child and Youth Worker (CYW)Child and Youth Worker is not a regulated health profession in Ontario. CYWs may have specialized education and extensive experience working with children and youth, particularly in schools, residential settings, hospitals, and community programs. Some go on to obtain additional education and registration in a regulated profession.Counsellor or Therapist“Counsellor” and “therapist” are broad terms rather than a single regulated profession in Ontario. A person using one of these titles may be a Registered Psychotherapist, Social Worker, Psychologist, or another professional, or may not be registered with a regulatory college at all.This is why it is worth asking: What is your professional designation, where are you registered, and what training have you completed?Some counsellors hold professional credentials through organizations such as the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. These professional associations can provide useful credentials, but they are different from Ontario's statutory regulatory colleges.Life CoachLife coaching is not a regulated health profession in Ontario. Life coaches are not psychotherapists simply because they use techniques that may overlap with counselling or personal development. Some coaches have substantial training and professional credentials, for example, through the International Coaching Federation, but coaching and mental health treatment have separate training paths and so are not the same thing.How can I check someone's credentials?One of the simplest things you can do is check the professional's registration.Ontario's regulatory colleges maintain public registers where you can confirm whether someone is registered and, depending on the college, see information about their registration status and professional history.If you are unsure, check.What can each professional actually do?The titles are only part of the story. The more important question is what the professional is trained and authorized to do.Assessment and diagnosisIn Ontario, communicating a diagnosis is a controlled act. Among the mental health professions, only psychiatrists and psychologists have authority to communicate certain diagnoses within their respective scopes of practice.Psychologists are specifically trained to conduct psychological assessments and can diagnose psychological and neuropsychological disorders within their scope of practice. They can also provide formal psychological and psychoeducational assessments, for example, assessments of cognitive abilities, learning difficulties, or intellectual functioning.Psychiatrists, as physicians, can diagnose mental disorders and also assess whether physical or medical factors may be contributing to a person's symptoms.The two professions therefore overlap in some areas but have different areas of particular expertise.What about therapy?This is where things become much less black and white.Psychologists, psychiatrists, Registered Psychotherapists, and Social Workers can all provide psychotherapy, provided they have the appropriate training and are practising within their scope.But not every therapist is trained in every kind of therapy.Therapists may specialize in approaches such as:Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)psychodynamic psychotherapyfamily therapyattachment-based therapytrauma-focused therapiesexposure-based treatmentsparent-child and parenting interventionsand moreThe depth of training in a particular therapy can vary considerably. Some clinicians have completed extensive formal training and supervised practice in a specific treatment; others may have taken shorter continuing-education courses.So when looking for a therapist, don't be afraid to ask:“What training do you have in treating this particular problem?”That question can be much more informative than simply asking, “Are you a therapist?”Experience matters tooTraining gives you the foundation. Experience builds on it.There are things that can be learned in a classroom, and there are things that only come from having sat with hundreds of children, teenagers, and families over many years. Experience helps see how problems present differently in different people, recognize patterns, know when something is not quite what it first appears to be, and learn what tends to help and what tends not to. Therapists are like good wine, we improve with age. Of course, years of experience do not automatically make someone a great therapist. But when combined with good training, thoughtful practice, and ongoing learning, experience can be enormously valuable.And then there is chemistry.This may be the most overlooked factor of all.Therapy is a relationship. Your child needs to feel safe enough to talk, to be honest, and sometimes to say things that are difficult or uncomfortable.A therapist can have an impressive résumé and excellent training, but if your child does not feel comfortable with them, the therapy may not go very far.The same is true for parents. You need to feel that the therapist understands your child, listens to your concerns, and is someone you can trust.The right therapist is not necessarily the therapist with the longest list of credentials. It is the therapist with the right combination of training, experience, expertise - and relationship - for your particular child.What about medication?Psychiatrists and other physicians can prescribe medication.Medication is sometimes an important part of treating a child's or teenager's mental health difficulties, but it is rarely the whole picture. Depending on the situation, medication may be combined with psychotherapy, family work, school support, or other interventions.Historically, psychiatrists were often trained to provide both medication management and psychotherapy. Today, psychiatric practice more commonly involves assessment, diagnosis, medication management, and consultation, while psychotherapy is provided by another clinician.There are, however, psychiatrists who continue to provide psychotherapy as part of their practice.At CAYAC, we believe that this combination can be particularly valuable when it is clinically appropriate. Dr. Adler has training and experience in both psychiatry and psychotherapy and can therefore bring these perspectives together when assessing and treating a child or adolescent.At the same time, we want to use everyone's time thoughtfully. For many families, this means that Dr. Adler's role is primarily assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and medication management when needed, while ongoing psychotherapy may be provided by another member of the treatment team.

Dr. Adler is trained in general psychiatry as well as child and adolescent psychiatry. However, at CAYAC and CALM, her practice is focused specifically on anxiety and related disorders.Because anxiety rarely occurs in isolation, Dr. Adler considers the whole person and can assess and address other difficulties when they are intertwined with anxiety. However, anxiety should be the primary reason for seeking care at CAYAC/CALM. If another psychiatric condition is the main concern or requires more specialized treatment, she will recommend a more appropriate service.