+ Why are Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) so awesome?

MFTs are rigorously trained mental health professionals who have completed over 1000 hours of therapy with individuals, families, couples and groups during their training while under the supervision of an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. That’s as many or more clinical hours than Clinical Psychologists and Social Workers trained in Manitoba!

We help people understand and heal a wide range of individual and relational issues including depression, anxiety and other mental health issues, couple and family relationship problems, parenting concerns, workplace issues, and everything in between. MFTs help people see their situations from more helpful perspectives by supporting their strengths and inviting change.

Our holistic approach makes us known as system changers rather than just symptom changers. Research has shown that after receiving treatment from an MFT, the majority of clients demonstrated significant and lasting improvement. Research indicates that Marriage and Family Therapy is as effective, and in some cases more effective than standard and/or individual treatments for many mental health issues.

Woven into the fabric of MFT training is a spirit that honours diversity in ability, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, race, sexual orientation, relationship structure, spirituality and socioeconomic status. Everyone is welcome here. When working with an MFT, you’ll be treated with dignity and respect. You’re the expert on your experience and that expertise is honoured and valued within the therapy process.

You can learn more about us from our professional associations: Canadian Association for Marriage and Family Therapy ​American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

+ Why should I see an MFT for individual therapy?

​Marriage and Family Therapists broaden the traditional emphasis on the individual to take a holistic perspective to mental health care. We know the best way to achieve mental health is by taking a holistic approach that considers the individual and the relationships they live in and we do this by using a systems perspective that’s unique to MFT training.

+ How much does therapy cost?

Our fee for a one-hour session is $120 (GST included)

+ What forms of payment do you accept?

​We accept cash, e-transfer, cheque and credit card. Sorry, no debit!

+ Will I get a receipt for my session fees?

​Yes. A receipt will be emailed to the email address on your file as soon as payment is processed.

+ Do you accept insurance?

​Check out this handy infographic for answers to all of the insurance questions you thought to ask, and many you probably didn't.

+ Why would someone choose NOT to use insurance if they have it?

There are two main reasons that people choose not to use insurance for therapy, even if they have it: choice and freedom.

Choice: Most insurance plans will restrict coverage to therapists within the insurer’s network or with a particular professional designation. Using your insurance means you don’t get to choose the therapist who you feel is the best fit for you, but rather the one that your insurance will cover. We know that working with a therapist who is the right fit is the most important part of successful therapy, so having this choice is very important.

Freedom: Insurance plans always have session limits and some (mainly EAPs) don’t allow you to continue seeing your therapist after you’ve used up your allotted sessions, even if you’re willing to pay for it. By choosing not to go through your EAP, you retain the freedom to see your therapist as often and as long as you like.

+ What if my insurance doesn’t cover Marriage and Family Therapists?

If your policy won't cover a Marriage and Family Therapist, you can advocate for the services of your preferred therapist to be included in your coverage. You can do this by speaking to the person responsible for your benefits at your place of employment. Therapists do not have influence over plan coverage.

+ Does Manitoba Health cover the cost of therapy?

​Manitoba Health does not cover the cost of therapy/counselling.

+ Are your therapists covered by FNIH?

​Marriage & Family Therapists are not covered by First Nations and Inuit Health.

+ What if I can’t afford therapy?

​We understand that therapy is an investment and everyone’s budget is unique. One of our superpowers is finding ways to get you the most value from what you can afford. For example, a monthly session with focused between-session “homework” can be super productive and works out to about $25 a week. Communicating your budget to your therapist at the start of therapy enables you to create a plan together that gets you the most bang for your buck.

+ What’s your cancellation policy?

​If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we request 24 hours’ notice so that someone else can benefit from the time. Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice are subject to the full fee for the appointment.

+ How long is a session?

A standard session is one hour. We also offer 30-minute check-in sessions and 90-minute couple or family sessions when an hour doesn’t feel like enough time.

+ Do you do evening or weekend sessions?

Yes, we hold sessions seven days a week and offer evening appointments on weekdays. Each therapist maintains their own schedule and offers a variety of daytime, evening and weekend availability. You can find each therapist’s availability in their bio.

+ Do you offer phone or online therapy?

We sure do! If you’re interested in one of these methods, just let your therapist know when you’re booking.

+ How often do I need to attend?

​Frequency of therapy sessions is unique to each person and situation. Most clients like to start with sessions weekly or bi-weekly and then space sessions out as they gain momentum and begin to experience improvement. Every therapist is able to create a therapy plan based on the frequency that feels manageable for you, taking into consideration your availability, financial situation, and other factors.

+ How many sessions will I need to attend?

​Humans are unique, and everyone’s needs from therapy will vary. In most cases, we leave this decision to the client because we believe that you’ll know when your work with us is done. You’re under no obligation to attend a specific number of sessions. Sometimes one session is all it takes! Most individual concerns will require at least three sessions. Couples typically start to see change around the sixth session. Families vary widely but generally we recommend committing to at least three sessions.

+ What happens in the first session?

​A first session typically starts with filling out and reviewing a couple of forms. You won't need to bring any special documentation or information to fill them out, and this usually takes five to ten minutes. Then we’ll spend some time exploring what has brought you to therapy. This is also your opportunity to ask your therapist any questions you have.

During the session we’ll ask a few questions to guide you or to clarify information. Your therapist will primarily be curious about your reasons for coming to therapy, what you have tried (successfully and unsuccessfully) in the past, and what your hopes and goals might be for your work together.

​At the end of your time you’ll be asked to give some feedback on how you felt about the session and whether or not you would like to schedule another appointment. Your therapist will give you some feedback as well, and comment on the potential areas she can help you work with and how you might do that together.

+ What happens after the first session?

​If you decide to continue with therapy, you and your therapist will make a plan for future sessions together. Most sessions will include a brief check-in at the beginning where you might give an update or discuss what you’d like to do with the time. The bulk of the hour will be spent working on your chosen focus for the session, and the final 10-15 minutes will be spent on final thoughts, reviewing plans for the time until the next session, taking payment and scheduling the next appointment.

+ When is a good time to start therapy?

​Anytime, but especially right now! Many clients report that they wish they would have started therapy sooner so that they could have seen improvement in their quality of life earlier. According to relationship expert Dr. John Gottman, couples suffer an average of six years of unhappiness before getting help. Individual, couple or family therapy – taking action as early as possible means things can start getting better before they get worse.

+ What do you mean by ‘the fit’ between client and therapist?

‘The fit’ refers to the quality of the relationship between client and therapist. It’s sometimes described as feeling “like we click”, or someone might say, “she really gets me” when the fit is good. Here’s a post that explains how you’ll know when it’s right.

+ Why should I care about choosing a therapist based on fit?

Clients who see a therapist who’s the right fit for them have significantly better outcomes in therapy, and there’s a boatload of research to back that up. Taking the time to find the right fit is your best tool to get the most value from the time and money you’re investing in therapy. You can find more information here.

+ I don’t know if/how therapy can help. What can you do for me?

Many clients aren’t clear on if or how therapy can help when they first attend, which is why assessment is such an important part of the early stage of therapy. In the first meeting we’ll use our skills to understand what’s made you ask yourself if therapy can help and identify possible goals or hoped-for changes. We’re really good at listening for the clues to what’s bothering you and what you’d like to see change. So, if you aren’t sure if we can help, part of our job is to help you figure that out.

Most people will at some point in their life face an obstacle that feels too difficult to tackle alone. Individual therapy can help identify and address these concerns, whether they're related to a suffering relationship, mental health issue, grief, trauma, identity questions or the stresses of your daily life. Our goal is to create a safe, supportive environment for you to explore these concerns and find solutions to the challenges that brought you to therapy. Whatever the issue may be, we can help and we're happy to walk this path with you.

+ Can you help me with…?

We work with everything. Like seriously. Everything. If you’re not sure, drop us a note and we’ll get back to you very soon!

+ What if my partner doesn’t want to attend couple therapy?

​This is a common experience and we have a few ways of being helpful in these situations. Some possibilities include: You make an appointment for yourself and invite your partner to attend with you. Often when one partner makes this first step, it gets the ball rolling instead of remaining stuck in stalemate. You make an appointment for yourself and invite your partner to have an individual session separately, which may be followed by a couple session if you both agree. You make an appointment for yourself and attend individually until your partner feels ready to join you. Depending on the number of sessions you attend individually, you may need to see a different therapist for your couple work to make sure it feels fair to both partners.

+ We’re not sure if we should stay together. Can you help us?

​Definitely. MFTs aren’t only here to help couples who want to stay together. Couple therapy can be many things including separation therapy to help a couple end a relationship well, or discernment therapy to help a couple decide if the relationship is one they both want to stay in.

+ I think we have a unique problem and I’m not sure if you can help.

​We work with everything. Like seriously. Everything. If you’re not sure, drop us a note and we’ll get back to you very soon!

+ What kinds of issues can you help with?

We work with everything. Like seriously. Everything. If you’re not sure, drop us a note and we’ll get back to you very soon!

+ How can family therapy help?

Family life today is more challenging than ever. Workplace demands, separated, divorced and blended families, busy kids and busy parents... how do we find the time to manage it all? Family therapy can be a highly effective way to deal with the concerns that affect the unit as a whole because family therapy looks at the whole system, not just the individual. In fact, research has demonstrated that even individuals benefit from quicker progress when treated within the context of the family. Whether your family is in the midst of a tough time or anticipating a challenge or transition up ahead, we can help to smooth the road.