FAQ

What is therapy? What can I expect?

Therapy is a confidential meeting between a person or persons and their therapist to get some help working on or through something that is giving them a hard time. Each person may have different ideas about what is hard and how they might like to work on it or through it, so therapy is also a very individual experience that will be tailored to you and your needs, and/or your child and their needs. The approach used at mighty minds mending does not involve telling you and/or your child what to do, though your therapist will regularly offer ideas and advice to support you and/or your child. Therapy also often involves talking about challenges, feelings, thoughts, behaviours, and successes, which can be hard work in itself. Since young children also may not always have the words to express themselves fully on these topics, you can also expect that they will do less talking and use more play, activities, and experiential learning as the way to communicate.

Is therapy right for me?

Therapy is work, so it may not be for everyone, or now might not be the best time for therapy. This is why a 15-minute consultation is offered with your therapist to determine whether now is the right time and therapy is a good fit for you.

How can I tell if my therapist is right for me?

Each person is different, and for therapy to be as effective as possible, it helps if you and your therapist “click.” If you have made your way to this page and didn’t click away after reading the homepage overview, that is already a pretty good sign that you might be in the right place. You also have the option (though it is not required) to book a free 15-minute consultation session to speak with the therapist to get a better sense of whether you feel like they will be a good fit for you.

How much time and money does it cost?

The time commitment varies from person to person, because people have different goals and needs. Some people may find they only need a few sessions before they feel ready to close, and others may find that they feel they need ongoing support for a much longer period of time. Some people find that a full hour is sufficient, while others find that more frequent but shorter meetings are a better fit, or longer but less frequent meetings are preferrable. Your therapist will discuss timing with you throughout the therapeutic process to support you finding a good fit for you.

Mighty minds mending follows the fee recommendation set out by the Psychologists Association of Alberta, which currently suggests a rate of $235 per hour. Mighty minds mending offers this rate for a full hour, not a 50-minute hour. If you have concerns about cost, you are invited to discuss this with your therapist during the free consultation, as there are limited spaces available for sliding scale clients based on need.

Direct billing to insurance companies is not offered at this time.

What if I don’t have a goal when I start? What if I have several goals?

That is ok!

Although you likely have a reason for seeking out therapy services at this time, not everyone comes into therapy with a fully-formed goal. Often the reason is just knowing that something doesn’t feel right, or that they are feeling quite overwhelmed, and knowing that they need help. Part of the therapist’s job is to then help you determine what your goal will be

Alternatively, you may have many ideas about things that you would like to work on, or that you would like your child to work on in therapy. Your therapist will discuss these with you and make a plan to address them. This plan may include narrowing the goals down, since often challenges are linked together, and resolving one concern will likely have a positive impact towards solving others.

How can I talk to my child about therapy?

Assuming that you child did not request to be in therapy themselves, children are often aware that they need help and you can start the conversation by acknowledging this and letting them know that you think you have found someone who can help. Sometimes, children (and adults!) feel like asking for help means that there is something wrong with them, they have done something wrong, or they are in trouble and they may be a bit resistant to it. If you suspect your child may feel this way, it is important to let them know that therapy is not a punishment; it is a chance for them to talk to an adult who is going to really listen to them, try to help them out, and not tell them who and how they should be. It may also help them to compare to other service providers they are familiar with, like when we don’t feel well in our bodies, we go to the doctor, and when our thoughts and feelings are giving us a hard time, we go see a therapist.

During therapy, consider that therapy is very private and personal, and children may not always have the words to talk to you about it. They will also be informed that their therapist will talk to their parent(s)/guardian(s), as well, and may not have anything to add after. Avoid asking questions like, “did you have fun?” “how was it?” or “was it ok?” These questions put pressure on your child to give a specific response that therapy was fun, good, and fine, when it is usually a lot of work, and they may still be processing what they learned immediately after their session. Instead, consider letting them know that if there is anything they want to talk to you about later, you are ready and willing to listen to them.

At the end of therapy, the therapist will have already been actively engaged in discussing closing with your child, and will offer you some suggestions on things that you can do to support with ending therapy at home.