Frequently Asked
Everything you're wondering about, broken down by topic. Don't see your question? Ask me directly.
First Steps
No referral is needed. You can reach out directly and book a free 15-minute consultation to see if we're the right fit.
No. You don't need a formal assessment or diagnosis to start therapy. Many clients come in just because something feels off, that's often exactly the right time.
If a formal assessment is ever useful, I can help you figure out where to go for one. Psychotherapists don't diagnose, but that doesn't mean the work has to wait.
Email breana@befreetherapy.ca or use the form on the Contact page. I'll get back to you within 1 to 2 business days.
Children, teens and young adults ages 4 to 29, plus dedicated sessions for parents and caregivers. I work explicitly with LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent clients.
All of Ontario. Because sessions are virtual, I see families and young adults from Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Durham Region, Hamilton, Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Windsor and everywhere in between.
Some common signs: changes in mood or behaviour, trouble sleeping or eating, pulling away from friends or family, anxiety that's interfering with school or daily life, grief after a loss, or big feelings that feel hard to manage.
You don't need a crisis to reach out. A free consult is the easiest way to figure out whether therapy is a good fit right now.
People come to therapy for many reasons, and you don't need a specific diagnosis or label to benefit. If something has been weighing on you, if life feels harder than it should, or if you just want a non-judgmental space to work through what's going on, that's usually enough.
What to Expect
People come to therapy for many reasons. Most often people want to talk to someone that isn't a family member or a friend, and they want a space to process and learn about themselves in a non-judgmental setting.
During intake, we establish therapy goals together and revisit them regularly. The therapist creates space for sharing, processing and skill-building, while also holding space for you to feel heard. Family involvement, where appropriate, strengthens outcomes for younger clients.
The first full session (the intake) is about getting to know each other. We'll talk about what's bringing you in, what you're hoping for, relevant background, and how therapy works, including confidentiality and consent to services.
There's no pressure to share more than feels right. Think of it as a conversation, not an interview.
For children under 12 years old, I ask to meet with the parent(s) or caregiver, alone, for the intake session, to get a full picture as to who your child is and what is bringing them to therapy.
For those over 12 years old, I can meet with the youth on their own or the parent(s) or caregiver are welcome to join for the first 15-20 minutes to provide insight and then the remainder of the session will be with your child and me.
If the child is over 12, upon reviewing the intake form, I may ask to have the intake session with just the parent(s) if I have further questions or if there is complexity in the reasons for therapy.
There is no pre-determined amount of sessions, as every client has different needs. Frequency is decided at intake or after the first ongoing session, based on your needs, goals and availability. Most clients start weekly and move to bi-weekly as things feel more settled.
Therapy ends for a few different reasons: the therapeutic goals have been met, the client has a change in heart regarding their need for therapy, fit for service is no longer a match as the client's needs have changed, or the client's financial situation is impacting their ability to attend ongoing sessions.
Closing sessions are planned intentionally, so the ending feels as thoughtful as the start.
All sessions are fully virtual via secure video or phone. This keeps therapy accessible from anywhere in Ontario, home, school, university, any private, comfortable space.
Research consistently shows virtual therapy is comparably effective for most concerns, including anxiety, depression, grief and emotion regulation. It's also more accessible: no commute, more scheduling flexibility, and clients often find it easier to open up from a familiar space.
We'll set goals at intake and check in on them regularly. Progress in young people often shows up outside the session first, calmer mornings, fewer meltdowns, new words for feelings, more willingness to talk.
If something isn't working, we can adjust. That conversation is part of therapy too.
I draw from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a DBT-informed approach, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused Therapy and Person-Centred Therapy. For younger clients, I also use play, art and interactive activities.
I'm trained through the Beck Institute (CBT), University of Toronto Continuing Studies (DBT), Psychwire (ACT), SickKids Learning Institute (Children's Grief, Essential Skills for Assessing and Treating Children & Families, and Complex Trauma Level 1 & 2), ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), the University of Toronto (Bereavement Education) and McMaster University (Addictions Careworker Diploma).
I also attend ongoing workshops throughout the year to stay current with evidence-based practice and the needs of the young people I work with.
For Parents
It depends on your child's age and what they need.
Younger kids (4–10): parents usually join at the start and end of sessions, plus separate parent check-ins. The child has their own therapeutic space during the session itself.
Older kids and teens (11+): the session is typically private. I'll provide general updates and discuss progress with parents regularly, but the content of what your child shares stays confidential (with legal limits I'll walk you through).
We'll decide what makes sense together.
Mostly yes. Confidentiality is not age-limited, so anyone coming to therapy will be informed of their rights to confidentiality and consent to service.
For teens, session content is confidential. I share general progress updates with parents, not verbatim accounts, so your teen can trust the space enough to actually use it.
There are legal limits to that confidentiality, which I walk both you and your teen through at intake:
Anything outside those limits stays in the room.
In Ontario, a young person can consent to their own mental health treatment if they're capable of understanding the nature and consequences of that treatment. There's no fixed age.
In practice, for teens under 16 I generally still involve parents/caregivers in scheduling, payment and major updates, with the teen's consent. Teens 16+ can reach out and book therapy directly with their consent.
That's actually really common, and parent counselling is often the best starting point in that situation. I can work with you on the parent side, on communication, co-regulation and the parent-child relationship, while your child decides when they're ready.
See Parent & Caregiver Counselling for more.
Yes. Parent and caregiver counselling is its own service. It's useful when a child isn't ready for therapy, when you want to get better at the hard moments at home, or as a support alongside your child's own therapy.
Practicalities
Sessions are $150 CAD, the same rate for the intake session (60 minutes) and ongoing sessions (50 minutes).
No. OHIP does not cover psychotherapy services with a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario. Most clients use extended-health insurance for partial or full coverage.
Many extended-health plans cover services from a Registered Psychotherapist (RP). Common covered plans include Manulife, Sun Life, Green Shield, Canada Life and Blue Cross, but coverage amounts vary.
Call your insurance provider and ask whether they cover "a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) in Ontario" and what your annual limit is. A receipt is emailed after each session for submission.
Payment is by credit card only. Your credit card is saved securely when you complete the intake form and charged automatically at the end of each session. E-transfers are not accepted. Receipts are emailed to you for insurance submission.
No. Direct billing is not currently offered. You pay at the time of session and submit the emailed receipt to your insurance provider for reimbursement.
Please give at least 24 hours notice for cancellations or rescheduling. Late cancellations (within 24 hours of the appointment) or no-shows are charged 50% of the session fee. If I have to cancel, I'll reach out to reschedule at no fee to you. The easiest way to contact me to reschedule or cancel sessions is to email me at breana@befreetherapy.ca.
Good to Know
All three titles can provide therapy, but they are registered with different regulated Colleges. Social Workers and Psychotherapists are able to provide counselling services, but are unable to assess and provide a diagnosis, unlike a Psychologist. None are able to prescribe medication.
If you need a formal assessment or diagnosis, I can point you in the right direction.
No, psychotherapists don't prescribe. For medication, you'd need a physician or psychiatrist. I'm happy to support coordination if you're already working with one, or help point you in the right direction if you're not.
No. Psychotherapists in Ontario don't diagnose. If formal assessment (for ADHD, autism, learning profiles, etc.) would be useful, I can point you toward a psychologist or physician who does that work.
Yes, explicitly. Be Free Therapy Group is LGBTQ+ affirming and neurodivergent affirming. You don't need to translate or explain yourself here, that's baseline, not bonus.
I'm not the right fit if you need:
If any of these is what you need, I'll happily point you to someone better suited.
Still Wondering?
Book a free 15-minute consultation. I'll answer anything that's still on your mind.
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