Choosing a psychologist is a personal decision. We believe that feeling comfortable, understood, and respected is an important part of doing good work together.

• We focus on teens and young adults - adolescence and early adulthood come with their own unique challenges. We are experienced in helping with these stages of development.

• We value supporting the context in which teens and young adults exist - this is why we offer Parent Support Sessions for parents who want guidance in supporting their teen or young adult.

• We offer a small, cozy clinic that focuses on quality support in a low-volume environment (this means we don't have a huge staff and multiple offices that are trying to push through as many clients as possible)

You don't need to have a diagnosis or be certain that something is "wrong" before reaching out. Therapy can be helpful when a young person is feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stuck, disconnected, or is having difficulty coping with things that used to feel manageable. If you're unsure, we're happy to discuss your concerns and help determine whether therapy or another type of support would be appropriate.

Ideally, yes... especially as teens get older. Therapy works best when a young person has some willingness to participate. That doesn't necessarily mean they have to be excited about therapy! It's very common for teens to be hesitant about starting. We can help make the process feel comfortable and collaborative rather than something being "done to them."

This is a very common concern. If your teen isn't ready to participate, a Parent Support Session can be a helpful place to start. You can come on your own, talk through what's happening, and get guidance about how to support your teen without escalating conflict or putting additional pressure on them.

Yes! Our goal is to make mental health support as accessible as possible, which means we are always trying to provide direct billing options to as many providers as possible. Currently, we offer Alberta Blue Cross, Greenshield, and many companies under Telus eClaims.

Most extended health plans provide coverage for services, but coverage varies between plans. We recommend checking with your insurance provider to understand your specific coverage.

You'll find plentiful free parking right outside the building, and when you enter FLIP Psychology you'll be greeted by a large, comfortable waiting room. Feel free to grab a beverage or a snack, cozy up on the couch, and your therapist will be with you at your appointment time. 

The first session is primarily about getting to know one another and understanding what's bringing you in. We'll talk about what's been happening, what you'd like to be different, and what might be helpful. There isn't a test to pass or a right way to do therapy. Over time, sessions may involve talking things through, learning practical strategies, building emotional awareness, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, or working on specific goals.

Individual Therapy or Parent Support sessions are typically 50 minutes.

This depends on the individual and what you're hoping to accomplish. Many clients begin with weekly or biweekly therapy sessions, with frequency adjusted as things change. We'll work together to determine what makes sense.

This depends on age and the circumstances - generally, we suggest that a parent attend the first session when a teen is under age 18. This will typically involve a portion at the beginning of the session where the therapist talks with the teen and parent(s) together, followed by one-on-one time with the teen.

Regarding ongoing parent involvement in therapy - this depends on what everyone agrees would be helpful.  Parents may be involved in some aspects of treatment while still respecting the young person's privacy and developing independence. We'll discuss this at the beginning of therapy so everyone understands what to expect.

Privacy and confidentiality are an important part of creating a safe space for therapy. At the beginning of treatment, we'll talk openly about how information is shared with parents, so expectations are clear from the start. We'll also explain how confidentiality works and the circumstances in which information may need to be shared, including situations involving safety concerns or legal requirements.

There’s no set length of time that everyone spends in therapy. Some people benefit from a few focused sessions to work through a specific challenge or learn new strategies. Others may choose to continue therapy for longer as they work through more complex or ongoing concerns.

We’ll regularly check in about how things are going and whether therapy is still meeting your needs. The goal isn’t to keep you in therapy - it’s to help you make meaningful progress and feel confident moving forward. As things improve, sessions may become less frequent, or you may decide that you’re ready to wrap up. And if you need support again in the future, you can always reach out.

If your teen is experiencing difficulty in school, or having a hard time concentrating or keeping up despite putting in effort, it may be time to look into an assessment. If you suspect a family history of ADHD or Learning Disorders, your teen may be working with some undiagnosed difficulties and require extra support. 

This is the first step in the assessment process. Its purpose is to help your psychologist understand what brings you in, clarify the questions you would like the assessment to answer, gather relevant background information, and determine which assessment approach will be most appropriate for you.

We’ll take some time to explain the assessment process, including what the different appointments will involve, what information may be helpful to gather, and what you can expect along the way. You don't need to prepare a perfect summary of your history or know exactly what information is important. We’ll guide the conversation and make sure we cover what we need to know. Most importantly - come as you are. The intake is a conversation (not a test), and there are no right or wrong answers. It is an opportunity for us to understand your unique circumstances and make sure the assessment is tailored to your needs.

Conducting assessments takes time. Each session may be between 1 and 3 hours, and can sometimes go even longer. For this reason, we split up sessions over the course of a few weeks. It gives the client the best chance at succeeding if they do Cognitive Testing one week and Academic Testing on another. Especially if someone is dealing with a Learning Disorder, processing speed concerns or ADHD, it’s not fair to ask them to sit through 4-6 hours of testing in a single day. 

Interpreting results and writing reports must be done carefully and with great attention to detail. If the administering psychologist is a Registered Provisional Psychologist, they will also need to have the report signed off by their supervisor, which adds to the timeline. From the initial intake session to the debrief session, the entire process should take about 10 weeks. 

One of the important hallmarks of many diagnoses, especially ADHD, is that symptoms are present in more than one setting. We need to get a good idea of how your teen acts at home, as well as at school. It’s important to get feedback from parents, teachers, and the client themselves, as everyone is going to have different perceptions of their struggles. The more sources of data we have, the more accurate conclusions we can draw.

We understand that the cost of a psychological assessment can feel significant, and it’s completely reasonable to have questions. A comprehensive assessment involves considerably more than the time you spend in the assessment room. Behind the scenes, your psychologist spends substantial time reviewing your history and referral questions, selecting and administering appropriate assessment measures, scoring and interpreting results, integrating information from multiple sources, preparing a detailed report, and developing individualized recommendations.

Psychologists also invest significant time and resources in maintaining specialized training, assessment materials, and up-to-date knowledge of psychological testing. Our assessment fees reflect the total time, expertise, and care involved in providing a thorough and meaningful assessment, from the initial appointment through to the final report and feedback.

This is where we put all of the pieces together! The assessment debrief is an opportunity to sit down with your psychologist and talk through the findings of your assessment in a clear, understandable, and supportive way. We will review the results, discuss what they mean in the context of your individual experiences, and explain any diagnoses or areas of concern that were identified.

There will also be time for you to ask questions, share your thoughts or reactions, and make sure the results make sense to you. Our goal is for you to leave the debrief feeling informed rather than overwhelmed. You don't need to have the right questions prepared ahead of time - we will take the time to walk through the findings together and make sure you understand what they mean and what your next steps might look like.