Do I need a referral from a physician?

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No, self-referrals are accepted.

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What is the Intake Interview?

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The first appointment is a meeting with parent(s) to gather background information including a developmental history and an understanding of the current issues that have lead to the referral. Parents are asked to bring the most recent report card as well as the June report cards for previous years. If there are other documents or assessments, it is helpful to bring those as well. The Intake Interview is similar for referrals for assessment as well as therapy. The purpose of the interview is to decide with parents what the appropriate next step is (e.g., an assessment, therapy).

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Currently, the Intake Interview is being done virtually using a video conferencing platform. Alternative means are being used to receive documents and to share questionnaires for assessments.

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What is a Psychoeducational Assessment?

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It is a type of psychological assessment that focuses on the evaluation and interpretation of educationally related psychological measures including tests of intelligence and cognitive abilities, memory, achievement, and measures of behaviour.

It is designed to answer questions like “Why is this student having difficulties with school?” or “Does the student have a Learning Disability and/or ADHD?”

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It also determines the student’s academic and cognitive abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. The purpose of the assessment is to provide recommendations relevant for educational planning and it may assist with decisions regarding programming and supports available within the schools. It may also include behavioural, socio-emotional, and personality issues that need to be addressed.

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Information is gathered from the intake interview with parents, questionnaires that are completed by parents, teachers, and sometimes students, report cards, and any other assessments or documents that parents share (e.g., speech and language assessment, hearing assessment, medical letters) as well as the information from the assessment with the student. A few weeks after all the information is gathered, a report is written and shared with parents, and feedback is provided for the student.

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Assessments require face-to-face interactions with students. During the COVID-19 pandemic we are taking all precautions when working with students (e.g., face masks, plexiglass screens, sanitizing protocols, hand sanitizers). Details of our procedure will be provided prior to the assessment.

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Scheduling of assessments will depend on the current restrictions in place.  

 

How long will my child need therapy?

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The length of time that any individual may need therapy for can vary greatly. Typically, students are seen weekly for 5 to 6 sessions and then it tapers off to biweekly then monthly for about 4 to 6 months. After that time, some students return for individual sessions when they feel they need it. Parents are encouraged to call whenever they feel things have gotten off track or a check-in would be helpful.