Everything you need to know.

FAQS

  • Finding the right clinician is a key part of starting treatment. It can take a few (sometimes many) tries before you find someone you click with. I understand that my approach isn’t a fit for every person and will address this with clients.

    Click through the website and review my bio to get a glimpse into how I think and practice.

    The best way to feel out fit is to meet me. Even a brief phone call can give you a sense of this, but it can take a few sessions to feel it out. The more we communicate about it, the better we will work as a team.

  • If requested, I offer a free 15-minute phone call prior to initiating services to help you determine if I am a good fit for your needs.

    This call is reserved for answering any questions or concerns you may have and discussing if I am suited to help you with your goals. A consult call can help you get an initial sense of fit, but it typically takes one to two sessions to see how we’ll work together.

  • Psychologists are regulated healthcare professionals trained to assess mental health, provide formal psychological diagnoses, and offer evidence-based treatment. We are licensed and overseen by provincial governing bodies like the Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology (NSRP; formerly NSBEP) and the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO), which set high standards for education, ethics, and clinical practice to ensure quality care.

    Both psychologists and psychiatrists can diagnose mental health conditions. Psychologists focus on psychotherapy (or “talk therapy”) to help clients understand patterns and develop skills for lasting change. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health and can prescribe medication.

    “Therapist” is a broad term that can refer to many types of mental health providers (e.g., psychologists, social workers, counselling therapists, mental health nurses, occupational therapists). What sets psychologists apart is the level and focus of training. Psychologists typically complete a PhD or PsyD, which is a specialized education involving more years of evidence-based training and hands-on practice. This training gives us breadth and depth of practice, meaning we can generally work with many different problems and offer more intensive support for complex or severe mental health conditions.

  • I am registered with my regulatory bodies under my full name, Dr. Aleksandra Usyatynsky. My last name is pronounced like you-sit-in-ski. 

    You may call me Sasha, which is a short form of Aleksandra in Slavic cultures. You will see me use Sasha in my email and use my full name on any formal documentation.

Getting Started

  • Research shows that therapy done over video is just as effective as face-to-face treatment. I find my therapeutic relationship with clients is equally strong over video and in person.

    Virtual appointments require some extra steps to ensure your privacy and confidentiality. To meet by Zoom, you must have a private space to set up with a stable internet connection, where you will not be interrupted or overheard. Zoom calls done from your car or a work office are usually not secure or appropriate locations. 

    Once we’ve scheduled the session, you will receive an email with a Zoom link. You can log in a few minutes early to make sure there are no issues. I will join and start the meeting at the session start time.

    I use the Zoom healthcare package that is PHIPA-compliant, to safeguard your protected health information.

  • At this time, I am unable to provide in-person appointments. All services are conducted virtually through Zoom.

  • Every person I meet with has different needs and resources, so the treatment plan will be individually tailored to you. My aim is to help you achieve the most meaningful changes in as short of a time as possible. We will explore your presenting concerns and goals for treatment, your resources to pay for sessions (e.g., coverage limits, out-of-pocket ability), and the frequency of meetings. I offer both brief short-term treatments and long-term intensive treatment plans, and will check in with you regularly to make sure we’re addressing your needs.

    My typical process for a more in-depth treatment is:

    - Initial intake meeting (2 hours) to get to know each other and come up with a tentative treatment plan.

    - 2-4 sessions to continue building our shared understanding of the difficulties and what drives them, working through things as they come up.

    - “Working through” phase of treatment, during which we get at the things maintaining your difficulties. We will check in around every 10 sessions to evaluate treatment progress and revisit remaining goals.

    I typically meet with clients weekly or bi-weekly, because research suggests this is where you see the most therapeutic changes.

  • I am registered to provide services in Nova Scotia and registered for interim autonomous practice in Ontario. This means my clients have to be located in these two provinces. If a client travels out of province, I will typically not be able to see them until they return.

    I am able to provide virtual therapy to clients located in New Brunswick and Quebec. I can also request a certificate to offer limited teletherapy services for clients in PEI. Other provinces/territories in Canada require psychologists to be registered there to see clients from there. 

How I Practise

  • My fees are based on the recommended rates of the psychology regulatory body in the province where a client resides. Because these recommendations differ across provinces my fees are:

    $250/clinical hour for clients in Ontario

    $230/clinical hour for clients in Nova Scotia

    A clinical hour reserves the last 10 minutes of a meeting for doing clinical notes, so typical sessions are 50 minutes. All clinical activities (e.g., report/letter writing, consultations) are pro-rated at the same hourly rate. Fees can change periodically and you will be notified in advance of any such changes.

    The recommended psychologist rate in Nova Scotia is $225, though psychologists with specialized expertise or advanced training may charge higher rates. My rate is slightly increased due to my specialized training in ISTDP and my experience working with complex mental health concerns.

  • Many insurance plans cover psychologists. Please consult your benefits to confirm your coverage. You can pay for sessions by e-transfer or credit card and I will send you the receipt to provide to your insurance for reimbursement.

    I can direct bill to Medavie Blue Cross and Sunlife.

    Private psychological services are not OHIP or MSI-covered. However, psychological services and other healthcare expenses are tax-deductible, so you can keep your receipts for tax purposes.

  • Please provide 48 hours notice if you are unable to attend your appointment or need to reschedule.

    Late cancellations or missed appointments will be billed at the full session rate. Please note, insurance typically does not cover late/missed appointments, so you are responsible for paying the cancellation fee.

    The full session rate similarly applies if you are late for an appointment or have to leave early.

Payment

THE FIRST STEP

A brighter path starts here.

Therapy offers a space to slow down and consider the life you want for yourself. I’ll help you move toward your goals with thoughtful, collaborative support.

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