FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Health E-Counselling right for me?
Health E-Counselling believes that online therapy is a modern way of providing services that traditionally have only been provided through face-to-face interaction. While online therapy has many benefits, it is not capable of substituting for traditional face-to-face therapy in every situation. To determine if Health E-Counselling is right for you, review the following criteria:
- Health E-Counselling provides individual therapy only
- Health E-Counselling only provides services to those located in Ontario
- Health E-Counselling only provides services to those age 18 and older
- Health E-Counselling requires you to be proficient in the English language
- Health E-Counselling requires you to have a valid email address
Who is not suitable for Health E-Counselling?
While Health E-Counselling attempts to remove barriers to service and make therapy more accessible, there are limitations to the nature of the service. Heath E-Counselling is not a 24 hour service and cannot provide immediate response to crisis situations. Please review the list of crisis situations below and access help immediately if you meet any of the criteria. Immediate help can be found by contacting 911, a local 24 hour crisis response line, or by attending directly at your local hospital emergency department.
Health E-Counselling is not appropriate when you are:
- thinking of hurting yourself or others (suicidal or homicidal)
- at risk of domestic violence
- planning to address undisclosed trauma or abuse
- experiencing psychosis or worsening mental health symptoms
What problems are not suitable for Health E-Counselling services?
Problems that are not suitable for online therapy are those that require a level of care greater than what online therapy can provide. For example, problems related to risk of harm that require immediate attention like thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else, situations of relationship violence, disclosing for the first time a traumatic or abusive experience, or increasingly worsening symptoms of mental illness or psychosis are all situations that may need immediate intervention and support and so are not suitable for online therapy.
What are the advantages to online therapy?
People may find accessing traditional in-person therapy difficult for a variety of reasons such as childcare, transportation, scheduling barriers, or lack of services in their home community. Sometimes, people can be anxious about leaving their home or being seen accessing counselling services. All of these reasons could mean that someone doesn’t access any service if the only one available is the traditional in-person modality. Health E-Counselling attempts to remove barriers to accessing professional psychotherapy services by providing three different modalities that offer the convenience, accessibility, mobility, and anonymity of the online format.
What are the disadvantages to online therapy?
While Health E-Counselling is an advocate for the benefits that online psychotherapy services can provide, it also recognizes there are limitations due to the nature of the service, technology, and the internet. Please read more about this here
How is my privacy protected?
Health E-Counselling safeguards your information through end to end encryption using SSL/TLS technology and the website is hosted on Canadian servers. Health E-Counselling uses OnCall software as the platform for online sessions and this software is compliant with healthcare regulations including the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). OnCall servers are also located in Canada. The following link details how OnCall protects your privacy: https://oncallhealth.ca/privacy/
While extensive measures have been taken to ensure your privacy, there are no guarantees that information is 100% secure when using online services. You can help ensure your privacy by avoiding use of public computers or engaging in service while on a shared network, such as public Wifi networks or Hotspots. It is recommended that you use an email account that is password protected that only you can access and that you don’t leave confidential information open on a device for others to see. For your added protection, avoid the use of “auto-remember” for user names and passwords. It is your responsibility to ensure that your end of communication will be private and secure.
Who will provide me therapy?
Lorral Deline is the sole provider of psychotherapy services at Health E-Counselling which operates as a division of Lorral Deline Psychotherapy Professional Corporation. She is a Registered Psychotherapist that you can connect with in a private online therapy environment. For more information about Lorral, read her bio here.
How do I book a session?
Click on any of the links found in the Services tab and after completing a brief screening questionnaire, you will be directed to a calendar of Lorral’s availability. You can choose any of the available time slots to secure your session time. Your provided email address will deliver you the necessary information and confirmation of the appointment you have selected.
How do I pay for Health E-Counselling services?
All payment is processed through the secure OnCall software system at the time of booking the appointment. Services are $135 (including HST) for a 50 minute session or $85 (including HST) for a 30 minute session. You will not be billed for the service until after the session has occurred. You will receive an e-receipt for your payment that may be useful in seeking reimbursement from your insurance provider.
Can I be reimbursed by my insurance?
Some insurance providers recognize the services of Registered Psychotherapists. Coverage from one insurance provider to another can vary, so please check your plan carefully prior to accessing services if you anticipate coverage. Lorral’s e-receipts provide the required information you need to seek reimbursement if this does apply to you.
Can we be friends on Social Media?
It is not ethically appropriate for Lorral to maintain contact with clients through social media sites.