Affordable Therapy
At Private Matters Psychotherapy, we believe that therapy should be accessible to everyone. Private health insurance can help offset the cost of a therapy session, but not everyone has a workplace that offers benefits. That’s why we have developed a Student Therapist Training Program, where Master’s Degree Students in Counseling Psychology, Psychotherapy and equivalent offer low cost and affordable therapy sessions as part of their training requirements to become fully licensed Registered Psychotherapists.
What Is The Student Therapist Training Program?
Private Matters Psychotherapy is a teaching clinic, meaning that we have one or two students per year helping us out in the clinic and working on becoming professional and experienced psychotherapists.
All our students have completed the mandatory coursework for a Master’s Degree program and they are registered with the College of Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) as Registered Psychotherapists Qualifying (RPQ). This means that they are working towards the designation of Registered Psychotherapists and need to fulfil some criteria such as obtaining clinical supervision and acquire a certain amount of supervised client hours.
The Student Therapists start their training program with PMP by shadowing sessions, writing the progress notes, and offering phone consultations. In their second month of their practicum placement, they start opening up their schedules to working with clients.
Our Student Therapists receive weekly supervision and daily check-ins with their supervisor. Their supervisor also reads all their session charts and collaborates with the student on the treatment plan and implementing this treatment plan.
Benefits Of Working With Student Therapists?
Affordability
The students start off their practicum by shadowing sessions by a fully licenced Registered Psychotherapist, before they start opening up their own schedules to work with their own clients. Because they are in the training phase of becoming Registered Psychotherapists, we are able to offer their services at a reduced rate.
2-for-1
All our interns are supervised by Marleen Filimon, owner of PMPTherapy, Registered Psychotherapist, Certified EMDR therapist and Clinical Supervisor. Their journey is followed closely, with weekly supervision and daily check-ins to make sure the therapy they provide is professional, ethical, and of the highest standard.
This also means, that working with a student therapist is like having two licensed therapists working with you for the price of one. The student therapist collaborates with their supervisor on topics that come up in therapy, coping strategies to use and implement, and treatment planning.
Fresh Perspective
A student therapist is well educated in the latest topics in the fields of Mental Health and Wellness, Therapeutic Interventions, and Motivational Coping Strategies. They bring with them a fresh perspective and eagerness to learn as much as possible and use all the tools they have learned to work with their clients.
Mutually Beneficial
Student Therapists are able to offer these affordable therapeutic services and you, as their client, are contributing to the educational growth and development of young therapy professionals in your community.
How Can A Student Therapist Help Me?
Student therapists are well-equipped to help you with a wide range of mental health issues such as:
- Anger Management
- Anxiety
- Burnout
- Coping skills and strategies
- Depression
- Life Transitions
- Grief and loss
- Panic attacks
- Relationship Issues
- Self Care
- Self Esteem
- Separation and Divorce Struggles
- Stress management
- Workplace issues
What Can’t A Student Therapist Help With?
As a therapist in training, more severe mental health struggles are not within the scope of practice of our Student Therapists. These include :
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Autism
- Couples Therapy
- Eating Disorders
- Psychiatric Disorders, such as SchizophreniaTrauma and PTSD
