What happens in Psychotherapy?

In this region, the terms “counselling” and “psychotherapy” are mostly used interchangeably. My particular take on psychotherapy focuses on facilitating a therapeutic experience for my clients. So I won’t just be telling you what to do or giving you advice, instead I will be helping you feel empathized with and ultimately helping you learn to self-generate insight about yourself in ways you haven’t before! Depending on the treatment approaches we agree upon, such as cognitive therapy (CBT), we may discuss various aspects of your thoughts, feelings, and actions to help you self-reflect and make changes. For a cutting-edge and innovative psychotherapy based on neuropsychology called EMDR, the area I specialize in, I would be guiding you through a series of deep processing exercises. Check out my page on what EMDR is.

How long will therapy take?

The length of treatment varies from short- to long-term depending on the goals of the client. However, it is a core philosophy in my practice to “work myself out of a job”! This means, I fully recognize that as the connection between you and I become very good, and if the goals are clear, that at some point I will likely bid you farewell knowing that we’ve overcome what you stepped into my office with. I will always balance what is the feasible amount of sessions for you with my recommendations of length of therapy when we consider the scope of your goals together, and I like communicating this to you during or at the end of our first session. I also have a “door-half-open policy”, which means that, if after some time passes and you have new goals or some other things have come up, I’d love to chat with you again to see if it is more psychotherapy with me that I recommend or other helpful options.

What is the first step of starting psychotherapy?

With me, before I even begin seeing a client, I always offer the first 10-15 minutes at no charge to anyone inquiring, usually on the phone, just to chat briefly. This time spent is totally worth it to me, because it helps me see how good of a fit we could be for each other, the general idea of what you’re looking for, and it lets you ask any questions about my locations, setup, or just about anything really! We may choose to begin some psychotherapy, or if I strongly feel a trusted colleague or referral would be better suited for you, I’d be happy to connect you to them. My passion isn’t just in growing my practice, but seeing people get plugged into great psychotherapy experiences and opportunities! Contact me directly by email at iven@ivenchungpsych.com or fill out my simple inquiry form to set up a connect!

How much does it cost?

My standard fee is $170 for a 45-50 minute session, which includes a 10-15 minute period of note-taking, prep, and research that I do each time for your session before and after your visit. Psychotherapy is now HST exempt. I always offer the first 10-15 minutes at no charge to anyone inquiring for the first time. Receipts provided for insurance reimbursement.

Where do sessions take place?

I offer both online and in-person sessions. I currently work out of my home office in the Heritage Park neighbourhood, serving the Kitchener-Waterloo region.

Cancellation Policy

Your appointment time is reserved exclusively for you. Cancellations or missed sessions leave an opening that could have been offered to another client. If a cancelled appointment is rescheduled within the same week, no fee will be charged. For cancellations or missed sessions that are not rescheduled within the same week, a fee of 75% of the session rate will apply. I encourage you to contact me as soon as possible to arrange an alternative time that week whenever needed.

Confidentiality

Your privacy is extremely important to me. I will collect your personal and medical information as part of your care, and I will keep it confidential. I will only share it with others if you give me permission. The only times I am required to break confidentiality are if: I believe you may harm yourself or someone else; I suspect a child is being abused or neglected; I have reasonable grounds to believe another healthcare professional has acted inappropriately; I receive a court order requiring information; or if my regulatory College requests files to ensure quality of care. If you have questions about how your information is handled, I’m happy to answer them.

How do I book a session?

You can book a session with me using my form here: