FAQs Help Center
How Do I Make An Appointment?
The quickest way to an appointment is to complete Seriyani’s Adult Intake Form.
We will usually respond to you within 24 hours Monday – Friday.
Depending on the volume of requests we receive we can offer appointments within a few days to a couple of weeks, based on the therapist’s availability and yours.
If the therapist’s schedule is full, there is an option to go on the waitlist. When a new time slot is opened you will be notified immediately.
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What Really Happens During a Therapy Session?
When we experience an ear ache, we go to an ENT specialist and typically expect that he/she will look into our ear and often prescribe ear drops. Even if the visit does not follow that progression to a T, we have an idea that at least one of the aforementioned things will occur.
However, it’s not always so clear when we make a therapy appointment. The following questions might come to mind: Can my therapist read my mind? Will I be hypnotized and reveal something I didn’t want to? Am I going to be diagnosed with something as soon as I walk through the door? The list is endless.
This video below may help you understand what therapy may look like.
Do I Have to be Going Through Something to See a Therapist?
No, you do not. Think of therapy this way. When you have a serious flu, or you suspect that you might have an infection, you go and see a doctor. When you need to go for an annual checkup, you probably go to see the same doctor. This doctor is trained to provide services to clients with varying needs.
In the same way, some therapists may specialise in working with clients with suicidal thoughts, schizophrenia, and/or various forms of addiction. These same therapists are also capable of working with clients who require help dealing with life’s challenges such as stress management, career change guidance, setting of goals, strengthening skills, and relationship challenges.
In actuality, most of my clients are healthy, successful, high-achieving people who just need a listening ear as they work through their goals, navigate the dating scene, strengthen their marriages, aim toward weight-loss, try to create a healthy work-life balance and explore techniques that boost wellness.
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How Long Does Each Therapy Session Take?
The therapy session is often referred to as the “therapy hour.” However, it is important to note that a therapy session is actually 50 minutes long, even though clients are always scheduled for the full hour.
Free Session
Is the first session free?
The first session is not free. It’s an initial session that is 50 minutes long to get to know new clients and begin to assess goals and needs.
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Online Therapy Sessions
How do online therapy sessions work?
The differences between virtual therapy sessions and in-person therapy sessions are minimal.
Online sessions are the same price as in-person appointments.
Online sessions require the same expertise, preparation, care and commitment from the therapist who will be seeing you.
For the session (50- or 90-minutes duration) to remain private, it is important for you to choose a time and place that enables you to fully engage without the possibility of interruption. Please remove any other distractions and use headphones to prevent unwanted sound feedback.
The link to join your therapist will be sent to you via email.
Learn More About Online Therapy Session
Insurance
Seriyani Therapy Group is a private therapy service that ensures full confidentiality. This means you must pay in full for your session, and then submit your invoice to your insurance company.
Your therapist can provide you with invoices if you would like to seek reimbursement from your insurer for your sessions. We do not guarantee reimbursement. That will be up to your insurance provider.
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How many sessions do I need?
We usually recommend at least 6-8 weekly sessions to start with. However, the number and frequency of appointments you will need depend on many factors.
It has been found that weekly sessions for 12-16 weeks are most productive, but that varies depending on the client and the concerns.
You can speak with your therapist about it during the first session.
What is the general goal of therapy?
Overall, the goal of therapy is to improve your well-being.
Whether that is helping you to achieve your potential, improve relationships, deal with anxiety or depression, or learn strategies to cope, the goal is usually to feel better.
Therapy is not like a medical doctor visit. Getting better calls for an active effort on your part and takes time.
For therapy to be most successful, you will have to work on things talked about both during sessions and at home.
Your therapist will do their best to assist you. However, therapists cannot offer you a guarantee you will find the outcome you are seeking, particularly if you are attending relationship counselling.
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Sessions Frequency
If I have less frequent sessions (biweekly, monthly), does it mean it won’t work as well?
If you go to the gym infrequently, will you get the same results as if you attend consistently?
Therapy is very much like the gym in this respect. It requires a consistent weekly commitment for the first 6-8 sessions at least.
Depending on the severity of your concerns and your needs, in some cases moving to biweekly or monthly sessions after the initial period is sufficient for a client to maintain their well-being.
You can speak to your therapist about their recommendation of the frequency of your sessions.
Sharing About Therapy
It is your decision whether to share with your family and friends that you go to therapy.
Of course, we think therapy is great and we are all for breaking mental health stigma!
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5 Reasons We Resist Therapy (and 4 Reasons We Shouldn’t)?
1. We don’t want to face our feelings.
This is unfortunate, but also completely understandable. For example, if you are grieving a divorce or break up, it’s “easier” to buy a new outfit than to describe your shame, fear, or anxiety to a total stranger. Some people worry that if they “dive into” whatever they’re feeling, it will “unleash” something dangerous and unmanageable. Clients have said to me, “If I start crying, I don’t think I will ever be able to stop.” This fear can inhibit people from seeking help. They just don’t want to “go there.”
2. We crave a “quick fix.”
Therapy and coaching are powerful processes, but rarely does either work overnight. Both require you to show up and “do the work”—often for a period of weeks or months. There’s no miracle balm when it comes to emotional well-being. From a consumer’s standpoint, commitment and dedication to emotional healing over time might not sound as tantalizing as a new tablet that can be shipped to your door in two days or less. We tend to crave a “quick fix,” and that’s not something that (good) therapy or coaching can promise.
3. We feel that investing in our happiness is “frivolous.”
Some people are taught at an early age that pursuing happiness is frivolous or even selfish. These lessons can become deeply ingrained. I’ve heard people say things like, “I don’t deserve to spend money on this retreat (or program). That would be frivolous.” Yet, that same person might spend hundreds of dollars on a concert ticket or a trip to Las Vegas—something that provides an instant but fleeting sense of enjoyment. Strange, right? It has become acceptable in our culture to invest heavily in our entertainment—but personal growth and healing, less so.