What to Expect

Therapy is effective for most people experiencing distress. It takes courage to start a relationship with a new therapist, and we understand this. We also understand that it’s a lot of work, and we put the work in with you. We strive to be organized, efficient and present. This way, our patients make the most out of each session. It's common for patients to experience strong emotions and memories during the sessions, and we are experienced and able to support you through this process. We are honest with our patients, and for the patient to get the most out of the treatment, honesty is important. The therapeutic relationship is key to the success of our treatment, and we promise a safe, confidential and judgement-free relationship. Most importantly, our therapy strives for results. We often see patients for XXX- XXX sessions in order to achieve the results.

Confidentiality

Information contained in our files is not released without your informed written consent. This standard is adhered to in all circumstances, with the exception of circumstances where a psychologist is ethically and/or legally obligated to disclose information without your consent. Clinical files are maintained for a minimum of ten years and after that time period, they are destroyed. Only a record of a destroyed file is maintained after that time. As part of their psychological services at Dr. S. Gerald Hann Psychological Services, clients are asked to consent to the following conditions:

  • Clients should be aware that details related to their sessions at the practice may be discussed with other members of the Clinical Team. Clinical consultation is standard practice at Dr. S. Gerald Hann Psychological Services and ensures effective and continuous service to our clients.
  • Psychologists at our practice will not release information about your treatment or assessment to anyone outside of the professional relationship, without your informed, voluntary and written consent. Exceptions to this include exceptional circumstances outlined below.
  • In certain exceptional circumstances, psychologists are ethically and legally required to disclose information to others without your consent. These circumstances include Court order, suspicion of child/elder abuse, and instances where the client may pose an imminent threat of injury to themselves or others. In circumstances where a client poses an imminent threat to himself/herself or others, the psychologist is ethically required to protect the person(s) in danger by informing police, medical or other clinical personnel.

Emotion Focused Couples Therapy

Couples working to fulfil needs within the relationship (intimacy, emotional support, shared parenting, etc.) require habits and choices. Sometimes though, unproductive habits and choices can arise, without either party being aware of it. These become patterns that become destructive to relationships and family. Through therapy, couples learn to recognize the habits and choices, and if it's the right fit for the couple, decide to work together to create healthier patterns. This leads to healthier relationships and a stronger ability to fulfil each other's needs within the relationship.

Personal Health Information

As regulated psychologists we are committed to protecting the privacy of your personal health information. We collect, use and disclose the personal health information you entrust to us for a number of purposes, which are summarized in this policy.

All psychologists at our practice and other authorized practice personnel are only authorized to collect, use, and disclose the personal information needed to fulfill their responsibilities and for purposes permitted under Nova Scotia law, in particular the Personal Health Information Act.

The personal health information that we collect may include: Your name, Date of Birth, Provincial Health Card Number, Address, Health History, Information about tests, procedures and care you received

Collection of personal health information

We collect personal health information directly from you or the person acting on your behalf. Sometimes, we ask other health professionals or health-care organizations involved in your care for your personal information to help us provide care to you.

We may collect personal health information from other sources, if the law allows or with your informed consent. Personal health information may be collected and stored in different ways, such as your paper chart, electronic files and images. We collect personal health information as needed to support the services and activities described below.

Uses and disclosures of personal health information

We use and disclose your personal health information in order to:

  • Treat and care for you during our involvement with you.
  • Help other professionals outside of our practice also involved in your care (e.g., family physician)
  • Receive payment for our services from a private insurer or third-party.
  • Plan, administer and manage our internal operations.
  • Fill other purposes permitted or as required by law e.g. reporting abuse.

Your rights

You may withdraw or withhold your consent for the following uses and disclosures of personal health information and we will do what we can to comply with your wishes:

  • Use or disclosure to a specific health professional or health organization involved in your care

Payment for Services

Private Psychological Services are not covered by MSI. Clients seeking services at our practice are required to pay and then submit their claim through their private health insurance. Clients are advised to check their private insurance plans, as well as any employee assistance programs at work in advance of service, as many plans cover part or all of the fees for psychological services. Your private insurance plan may or may not require a referral from your physician. Please check this in advance. Our rate for psychological service is $210.00 per hour. Dr. Hann’s rate for psychological service may be higher depending on the expertise required. There is no tax on psychological service since it is considered a health related service and therefore HST exempt. Assessment, consultation and group costs depend on the service required. For non-therapy services, we will provide estimates in advance. Therapy costs are billed on an hourly basis for the time used.

If you do not come prepared to pay for service, we will not be able to see you. You may find this strict, but this policy is intended for us to be able to focus on the psychological treatment and to avoid problems that could arise in the future if payment is not made at time of service. We reserve the right to proceed to collection for non-payment of fees.

Method of Payment

We accept payment by Visa, MasterCard or Interac. While we do accept cash, we prefer payment by credit card or debit. Cheques are not accepted. Clients are required to pay the fee prior to each session. Receipts will be provided. We are unable to offer direct billing to insurance companies.

Rates

Therapy and Consultation

Our rate for Therapy and Consultation is $210.00 per therapy hour (50 minute session). Dr. Hann’s rate for Therapy and Consultation may be higher depending on the expertise required. A therapy or consultation hour is 50 minutes of direct service and 10 minutes of indirect service. Indirect service is devoted to notes and file management related to your care.

Late Cancellations and No Shows

Appointment times are reserved for your exclusive use and it is your responsibility to provide us with a minimum of 48-hours’ notice of cancellation, which allows us to offer the time to another client. Monday appointments must be cancelled no later than 5 PM of the preceding Thursday. Appointments occurring on the day after a holiday must be cancelled 24 hours on the day before the holiday (e.g., If the holiday falls on a Monday the cancellation must occur on the preceding Wednesday). When you initiate treatment, we ask you to provide a credit card number and signed authorization to bill your card in the event of a No Show or Late Cancellation. If you decide to not provide us with this information to secure your future appointments and fail to attend a scheduled appointment, we will contact you after the missed appointment and ask you to settle the outstanding bill immediately. No future appointments can be held or made until your outstanding account has been settled. Receipts for missed appointments say “Missed Appointment” as it would be fraudulent to insurers to indicate otherwise.