Frequently Asked Questions

The cost depends on what type of service you need. Our fees are in line with what the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta (PAA) recommends.

Counselling involves working with a certified counsellor on a specific issue. For example, you can take marriage counselling, family counselling, substance abuse counselling, and mental health counselling, to name a few.

Therapy can be more long-term and focuses on the underlying patterns, such as how you see yourself, how you see the world around you, your thoughts, and your behaviours.

We offer many counselling services, including anxiety, depression, grief & loss, trauma, OCD, social skills, eating disorders, life skills, relationships, anger management, ADHD, parenting, substance abuse, and more.

No, but a psychologist can.

A psychological assessment can help identify the underlying causes of an individual’s symptoms, behaviour, and thoughts. Assessments provide a basis for understanding the issue and developing a treatment plan tailored to the client’s needs. At The Family Psychology Place, our assessments range from basic to complex and straightforward to multidimensional. Learn more about our assessments here. 

The cost varies depending on what you are needing and the number of hours. For example, a mental health assessment where you need documentation for your family doctor takes about 2 – 3 hours, a psychoed assessment can take anywhere from 10-15 hours, and autism assessments anywhere from 12-16 hours.

While a psychological assessment varies between individuals, there are some standardized questions that include your overall health, medical history, and any medications you may be taking. During the assessment, your psychologist will note your overall mood, behaviour, physical appearance and observe cognitive functioning.

We offer assessments for Autism Spectrum, ADHD, learning abilities, mental health, behavioural, and other assessment services. Learn more about our assessments here.

If your child is experiencing challenges at school and with learning, a psychological assessment is the first step to helping your child develop a healthier relationship with learning and education.

An assessment is the first step in uncovering your child’s difficulties, and the sooner you have a diagnosis, the sooner we can start the right treatment. Everyone learns at their own pace, and at The Family Psychology Place, we can help your child understand things in a way that works with their brain.

ASD assessments are comprehensive assessments that include a variety of different elements, including psychosocial functioning, developmental history, an evaluation of cognitive and academic abilities, and, when necessary, a school visit. At The Family Psychology Place, we start with a 1-hour conversation with you to discuss why you decided to undergo an assessment for you or your child. We use evidence-based practice and gold standard assessment services. 

These assessments are typically at least 15 hours of work. This includes direct contact with parents, the child, and report writing. A good rule of thumb is to budget at least $4000 for an ASD assessment, but they can be more, especially when the diagnosis is not clear-cut.  

A series of tests will be assigned based on your particular concerns and questions about your child. We may discover you have nothing to worry about and put your mind at ease, or we may uncover a deeper issue during your visit. 

All our assessments vary depending on the age of the child and the specific scenario. Our assessments need to be as unique as the individual with whom the appointment is about. Test results from the assessment will be the primary determining factor in establishing treatment options.

During an assessment, we conduct an interview with your child, observe their behaviour, and take a look at their developmental history. Some screening tools include questionnaires, behaviour scales, checklists, rating scales, and more to help us diagnose where your child is on the spectrum.

The most effective treatment really depends on each individual. We ensure all possible angles of treatment are explored to help you and your family learn to deal with ASD in the best possible way. With the help of our psychologists, autism no longer becomes a burden but a manageable part of your life.

While symptoms can vary, some of the most common signs of ASD include:

• Non-responsive to their name by 12 months old
• Provide unrelated answers to questions
• Repeatedly flap their hands, spin in circles, or rock their body
• Repeat words and phrases over and over
• Have difficulty understanding other people’s feelings
• Difficulty with social skills (e.g., fleeting eye contact, interrupting others frequently, ask inappropriate questions)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that makes it difficult for you to stay still and pay attention to or focus on tasks. Individuals with ADHD typically act without thinking and have challenges with daily functions. With ADHD, organizational skills and the ability to control emotions are difficult.

When trying to discover if your child has ADHD, information from caregivers, schools, and parents is gathered. Your child’s behaviour is compared to other children of the same age. A physical exam is required, along with a medical history.

All tests used at The Family Psychology Place will vary depending on the age of the person and the specifics we are looking for. ADHD can affect children’s schoolwork and relationships with other people. Adults with this disorder can have a hard time regulating their attention and impulses.

• Difficulty completing tasks
• Consistently late and forgetful
• Poor organization capabilities
• Short temper
• Employment issues
• Low self-esteem
• Hard time controlling your behaviour
• Anxiety
• Restlessness

Yes. With the right treatment, counselling can help improve a child’s behaviour, self-control, and self-esteem. For adults, ADHD can lead to significant problems, such as financial issues, low self-esteem and confidence, and challenges with interpersonal relationships. Counselling can help you learn how to live with ADHD and provide you with the tools to manage your life.

You can help your child prepare for an ADHD assessment by talking to them about their upcoming appointment. We recommend a simple approach with an encouraging explanation, such as “We’re going to talk to someone who can help us make things easier at school and at home.” 

For adolescents and teens who may be more familiar with ADHD, we recommend reading about the condition together and having a more in-depth conversation with them about it. 

For adults, no preparation is needed.

There is no difference between ADD and ADHD. ADD (attention-deficit disorder) is simply an outdated term, and is now referred to as ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). While some individuals may not display hyperactive behaviour, the diagnosis will still be ADHD. 

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is known to be the most effective and widely used treatment for anxiety disorders, including panic disorders, phobias, social anxiety, and more. CBT focuses on improving specific skills and gradually returning to anxiety that once gave you anxiety.

Some of the most effective treatments include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Mindfulness
• Medication
• Psychoeducation

You can learn more about the above treatments here. 

This depends on your situation. Many people see significant improvement in 8-10 sessions, but we are here to help you as long as you need. 

• Thoughts dreading bad things that might happen
• Avoiding feared activities, places, or people
• A racing pulse, possible chest pain, heart palpitations
• Nausea and vomiting
• Shortness of breath, dry mouth
• Trembling, muscle tension, shaking
• Hot flashes and sweating or chills
• Dizziness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating

If you are experiencing anxiety symptoms and it’s impacting the quality of your life, anxiety counselling can help. At The Family Psychology Place, we help you explore the cause of these feelings and understand them. Our evidence-based treatments can help you cope with anxiety and provide you with the tools to help manage anxiety in your daily life. 

No treatment can get rid of anxiety – we need anxiety to help us make safe and reasonable choices. However, we can help you learn the tools to cope with anxiety that is impairing or causing the expected behaviours or life to be more challenging. Most clients are able to reduce or eliminate symptoms of anxiety after just a few sessions.