Should I start therapy?

Therapy offers many benefits and provides valuable support in facing, coping with, and overcoming life's challenges, adversities, and difficulties. 

• If you want to live better, therapy may be helpful. 
• If your overall health and well-being are being physically, emotionally, or spiritually impacted by society, then therapy may be helpful.  
• If you are experiencing negative symptoms that are persisting longer than usual and impacting your daily life, then therapy may be helpful for you. 
• If you are having difficulty going to school or work or caring for yourself, therapy may be helpful.
• Some other signs to look for that indicate that therapy may be helpful for you include the following: 

• You’ve got a lot going on right now and are feeling overwhelmed
• You can’t talk to your friends and family about what’s going on
• You feel like you have run out of resources
• People around you are concerned about you
• You have difficulty focusing on anything other than your worries
• You’re experiencing biological changes
• You’re feeling isolated and alone
• You’re ready to explore change
• You’ve always been curious about therapy

You’ve always wanted to have a trusted counsellor and ally

What are your hours of operation?

• BRI is open from Monday to Friday from 10:00AM to 9:00PM and on Saturdays from 10:00AM to 4:00PM.   
• BRI is closed on Sundays. 

How do you define success in therapy?

• Success will be defined differently for each individual client and situation. and we appreciate that each individual is unique and has different experiences, hopes, and goals.  Success will involve identifying goals and making progress in achieving them.  
• Each client and counsellor works together closely to clarify and establish the goals that the client would like to achieve during therapy and to define what success will look like. 
• Success looks different for each person depending on what they want to achieve. We understand that change is a step-by-step process and we work with our clients to celebrate each small step of progress and each small success along the way on the journey to becoming more resilient.  

Who are the individuals that you provide services for?

• BRI provides services to children, youth, adults, couples and families. 

 Do you provide service to all individuals?

• BRI has a special focus on providing culturally safe and appropriate services to all individuals and the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Communities & 2SLGBTQ+++ communities.

What platforms do you use to deliver your service?

• We provide counselling sessions in a range of formats to meet your needs, including: in-person office sessions, by phone, and via online video platforms.

What is the duration of sessions?

• Sessions are 50 minutes in length for individual counselling and 80 minutes in length for couple and family counselling.

What are the session costs?

• BRI charges $130.00 for youth, $150.00 for adults, $200.00 for couples and starts at $300.00 for a maximum of 3 people (additional persons will attract a charge of $75/person).

How long should I be in therapy?

• Research suggests that your initial therapy should last approximately 6 to 8 sessions. Your therapist will work with you to determine how many sessions are needed to achieve the improvements you are seeking.   

How frequently should I attend therapy?

• Our clients attend either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly sessions.  After completing their initial 6-8 therapy sessions, clients attend on an as-needed basis.  

Do you take insurance coverage?

• Yes, BRI accepts insurance coverage.  However, we advise all clients to check with their insurance provider to see if their plan covers Social Work or Psychotherapy Services.  

Do you do direct billing to insurance providers?

• BRI does not do direct billing to insurance providers at this time.  Instead, we provide clients with a receipt to submit for reimbursement from their insurance provider. 

What therapeutic modalities do you use in your practice?

• We incorporate a range of useful therapeutic modalities to meet client needs, including but not limited to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Counselling, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and Mindfulness Meditation. 

Are all of your staff registered Social Workers and Psychotherapist?

• Yes, all of our counsellors are registered Social Workers and Psychotherapists registered with the Ontario Association of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OASWSSW).     

How do I choose the right counsellor?

• We encourage you to read the biographies of our BRI counsellors to see who you think may be the best fit for you. 

What forms of mental health concerns do you provide counselling for?

Some of the issues that we provide support in managing and overcoming include the following: 

• Stress Management
• Relationship Concerns
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma (Intergenerational, Child Trauma, and Racial Trauma)
• Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence 
• Grief and Bereavement

Do you offer free consultations?

• BRI offers a free introductory consultation to interested individuals to provide information about our services and assess their needs. 

Is everything kept confidential?

• BRI Counsellors follow and are bound by the strict guidelines of the Ontario Association of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.  

What are your approaches to counselling sessions?

 At BRI, we believe that the clients are the experts on their own lives and so we start by meeting clients where they are at and addressing their most urgent needs first. 

Our approach is rooted in mutual respect and understanding, and in making you feel seen, heard and valued.  We strive to create a warm, safe, and welcoming space where clients can feel free to be their authentic selves without fear of judgement.  

We embody a strengths-based approach to practice whereby we work to identify and build on our clients’ strengths.  We also practice from an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and anti-stigma position that seeks to advocate for positive social change in the lives of individuals, families, and communities.

 

What can you expect at your first counselling session?

Your first session is an intake appointment.  During this appointment, your counsellor will review a general informed consent form as well as an intake form with you. 

 Your counsellor will contract with you regarding what your top goals are for your counselling sessions and will help you to prioritize and focus on one goal at a time. 

 

Ready for your first session? Read our Blog Post on Preparing for your First Therapy Session at BRI here.