Written by Catherine Cilia
You’ve decided the time is now. You are ready to start psychotherapy, but you’re not sure where to start! You may have lots of questions, or you may not know what to ask. Taking those initial steps can feel overwhelming. We hear this all the time! It’s perfectly normal!
When situations feel too overwhelming to take on, an effective strategy is to break the task down into chunks. So, we’ve used the same technique here for you!
Step 1:
Go to the Reach us tab on this website, and complete the contact form. Let us know what you are looking for, your availability, and whether you would like your sessions to be in-person or virtual. If you have a preference for a male or female therapists, you can also let us know that too! This information helps us to determine which one of our therapists would be a good fit for you!
You can also email us directly at info@turningpt.ca, or call our main line, (705) 443-8535, and provide the same information as above.
Step 2:
Our administrative support team will be happy to receive your request. We will respond to you as soon as possible (within the business day). We may ask you some questions so that we can determine which therapist might be the best fit for you. We are happy to answer any of your questions and/or concerns.
Step 3:
Our administrative support team will connect with one of our therapists to confirm availability to see you and relay any pertinent information that you have provided.
Step 4:
One of our therapists will reach out to you with the contact information you have provided; within 24 hours. The therapist will offer you options for your initial appointment, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions about fees, experience, qualifications, insurance coverage, and so on. The therapist will provide information to you regarding parking and access to the Turning Point Counselling building if your session is in-person; a web link if your session is virtual.
Step 5:
You are on your way! It’s the day of your appointment. If you are feeling nervous, that’s okay. It’s normal. You are giving yourself permission to be vulnerable, to ask for help, to talk about yourself—your thoughts and feelings—in a way that you may never have done before. We get it. Our job is to ensure you have a safe space to do that. We want you to feel welcome, and we genuinely care about your well-being. You may have lots you want to talk about, or you may not know where to start. For the former, we will create a space for you so that you can talk about what’s important to you. If it’s the latter, we will gently guide our time together so that you feel comfortable with what you’ve shared. We want you to feel heard, and understood, and that there is potential for you to enter into a safe and trusting relationship with your therapist.
You are now on your way to making a turning point in your life!