The Trio Psychology Blog

A Little Bit About Psychology, Dogs and Me

Our Personal Experience with Pet Loss and Grieving

In February of this year we had to make the very difficult decision to put our 16 year old girl Tessa down. We adopted Tessa at the age of 7, and had her for 9 years. Tessa was the sweetest dog, she was very submissive and gentle. When we got her, she had just had puppies and we had to wait until she had weaned them to take her home. She was always extremely patient and kind to our other dogs.

Social Anxiety

Many people suffer from social anxiety, which can be very distressing. This form of anxiety occurs when having to interact with other people. Feels of self-consciousness, worries about being judged, or having a negative experience are what cause social anxiety. A...

Complicated Grief

Grief is the common reaction to the loss of a loved one. Normal grief produces feelings of sorrow, guilt, anger, and other emotions. After a period of time, these feelings become less intense, and acceptance of the loss occurs. When the loss creates debilitating...

Burnout

Burnout occurs over time, and as opposed to compassion fatigue, it is not trauma focused. It is exhaustion that is felt emotionally, mentally, and physically, when a person experiences low job satisfaction, powerlessness, and high stress levels at work. Burnout is the...

Compassion Fatigue

Compassion fatigue is also known as vicarious traumatization, or secondary traumatization. It is the result of caring too much. Compassion fatigue is experienced by those in helping/caring roles. It is the result of repeatedly being exposed to the suffering and...

Questions on Counselling

How do I know if I need counselling?

Sometimes we need to seek help from a trained professional to work through problems that we are encountering. You may need counselling if:

  • you are feeling overwhelmed, and your problems do not seem to improve despite your best efforts
  • you are having difficulties in your relationships
  • it is difficult to carry out your daily routine, performance at work is affected, relationships are strained, or you are not feeling like you are coping effectively
  • You are using alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, or other means that are negatively affecting your life
  • You feel unhappy or hopeless
What can I expect in a first session?

During the first session, paperwork is completed as well as a functional assessment. I will ask about your concerns and what has brought you to therapy. Once all information has been gathered, goals for therapy and a treatment plan can be discussed.

How do I know if it’s the right fit for me?

You should feel comfortable with your psychologist and be able to discuss personal information. It is important to have a good rapport with your psychologist and feel at ease with him/her.

In order to determine if we are a good fit for each other, I offer a free 20 minute consultation.

How long are sessions?

Sessions are 60 minutes in length, which includes admin time (i.e. payment, booking next appointments, etc). Longer sessions may be arranged in 15 minute segments.

How many sessions are required?

Therapy is individual to each person and the amount of time required is dependant on several factors. Some of these factors include the nature of the concerns brought to therapy, complexity of the issues, amount of work completed outside of sessions, and motivation to change.

What is the cost?

The Fee Schedule recommended by the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta is a guideline for setting fees for services. My fees are set using this schedule as a guideline. You can access this fee schedule on the Psychologists’ Association website at www.psychologistsassociation.ab.ca.

My fee for individual sessions is $220/hour.

Alberta Health Care does not cover the cost of psychological services. However, I will issue a receipt for fees paid, and if you have an insurance plan, this may be submitted to your insurance company for full or partial re-imbursement.

Live Your Best Life

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