FAQs
Are you accepting people on your waitlist?
Please email me at Laurel.Richmond@intentionalpychology.com
Are sessions offered in person?
I am offering sessions in person or remotely, over an encrypted video and audio connection.
Do psychologists prescribe drugs?
No, psychologists do not prescribe medication. Psychotropic medications are typically prescribed by a family physician or psychiatrist.
How old do I need to be to consent to treatment?
The Province of New Brunswick requires that individuals be at least 16 years old in order to consent to receiving psychological services.
Consent by a parent or guardian is required for individuals younger than 16 years old.
Do you offer child therapy?
Yes, and for children under 12 I often like a parent or caregiver to be involved in the treatment. It’s important for parents to learn the skills used in therapy so the ideas can be reinforced in day to day life.
What is your confidentiality policy?
Your confidentiality is of my utmost concern. All information shared or disclosed in sessions will remain confidential, unless you request and provide signed consent to disclose specific information to a specified third party, such as your doctor, general practitioner or employer.
Limits to Confidentiality
I am legally obligated to report information to the proper authorities in the following circumstances:
If I believe that you or another person is at clear risk of imminent harm, such as suicide or homicide.
If a child or vulnerable person is or may be at risk for abuse of any kind, neglect, or is in need of protection.
If the court orders the file or testimony in court.
If your records are requested by the Workers Compensation Board.
In couples and family counselling, there may be times when partners or family members may be asked to attend the individual session(s) for the purpose of assessment and/or dealing with obstacles to progress. Information that is revealed and documented in those sessions will be open for discussion in couple and family sessions and are part of the group file.
Diagnosis and Assessment
Psychologists use a range of techniques to help individuals understand, manage, and overcome a variety of mental and emotional issues. Some Psychologists are doctors, but not medical doctors. A psychologist in New Brunswick must have a Master or Doctorate degree in psychology.
Sometimes getting a diagnosis can be a huge relief, and a step towards helping you understand yourself better, but there are specific situations where a diagnosis is helpful and some situations where it isn't. If we together believe a diagnosis would be helpful, I will gladly work with you and your doctor to find the right diagnosis and treatment plan. A diagnosis sometimes suggests a particular mode of therapy. Thus, for instance, the diagnosis of a PTSD may lead to medication or prolonged exposure therapy (or other evidence based treatments), or both.
Some diagnoses require a more formalized assessment process, these include autism and ADHD. If you need a formal diagnosis you can contact your doctor and ask them to refer you to a private psychiatrist or you can try a clinic like Beyond ADHD at ( https://beyondadhd.ca/ ).
Does Intentional Psychology direct bill to insurance?
I am an approved Blue Cross provider, but this is the only direct billing that I do thus far.
As a Licensed Psychologist, my fees are often covered by employee benefits or other third-party insurance. Talk to your insurance carrier to see if you are eligible.
Do I need a doctor's referral to make an appointment?
I don't require one, but some insurance providers require a doctor’s referral.
Do you offer after-hours emergency & urgent services?
I do not offer after-hours emergency services. I will do my best to respond to your calls during business hours in a timely manner. If you are in need of urgent or emergency services, please call the Mobile Mental Health Crisis Line at 506-453-2132, call 911, or proceed to the nearest hospital emergency room.
How long is a session?
Each session is 50 minutes. I will require the remaining 10 minutes to record important notes for your file.
How often should I come?
Most research funded today has the goal of proving the effectiveness of therapy. Therapy has been found to be most productive when incorporated into a client’s lifestyle for approximately 12-16 sessions, most typically delivered in once weekly sessions for 50 minutes each. For most folks that turns out to be about 3-4 months of once weekly sessions. Once you factor in time off, travel plans between both client and therapist, etc. this time commitment ends up being significant. In some cases, clients may prefer shorter or longer courses of treatment depending on their goals and the complexity of their concerns.
I’ve worked with clients who started therapy with me in order to address a particular issue, or help them reach a more concrete goal. For those clients, a shorter time frame generally makes a lot of sense, as well as taking a more behaviorally focused approach to our time together. For others, therapy is more about an ongoing exploration of deeper trauma or relational issues that require ongoing support. Neither focus is objectively wrong and one is not better than the other — therapy is well-suited for both. Many times, I find myself drawing from different models of therapy to best meet client needs. Therapy is wonderfully adaptable and can be a flexible process.
Multiple Relationships
Unfortunately, I don’t see people who are closely related or close friends or colleagues to the individual I am seeing. Trust is an essential part of therapy and it can get compromised too easily if information unwittingly got shared by the therapist to another family member that wasn't supposed to be shared. In addition, I might obtain information from other family members that might not have come up organically on its own, and it will affect the treatment one way or another, as people disclose personal vulnerabilities on their own timeline. The "outed" client will feel a loss of control over their information and it may lead to a lot of hurt and mistrust.
I also see my role as a champion and advocate for my clients and their goals. If I see multiple people in their circle and some conflicts between them arise, it's possible that a client may question my loyalties. Sometimes therapists do family counselling where the entire family is in therapy together. In these situations my client is the family. In family counselling all family members agree to a no secrets policy and the family usually works on specific goals together like better communication and other relationship building skills.
Do you offer evening and weekend appointments?
My private practice is part time.
Please check my calendar for my hours, but reach out to me prior to booking as I may have a waitlist.
Calendar: https://intententionalpsychology.janeapp.com/#/staff_member/1/treatment/2
What will our first session look like?
During our first session, we’ll explore our compatibility as well as your expectations.
Your first session is considered a consultation meeting. It gives me the opportunity to get to know your history, your concerns, and the goals you’d like to reach. Together, we develop a treatment plan. This session is also for you to get to know who I am and how I work, so that you can decide if we’re a good fit.
What if I am unable to make my appointment?
Please help me give quality care to as many clients as possible by following my cancellations & missed appointments policy.
I ask for at least 24 hours notice prior to the session time, which allows me time to accommodate other clients. You will be charged the full fee for any missed appointments and late cancellations for reasons other than health-related emergencies.
You can always leave a message on my confidential voicemail or by email if it's after hours.
Custody Agreements
To ensure that everyone follows their court order and to keep me in the position of helping your child I require:
* If the parents/legal guardians are not together, I require all parents/guardians to know AND consent to the child receiving the services.
* If parents/legal guardians are NOT together, or if you are NOT the adoptive/biological parent of the child: It is your responsibility to provide a copy of legal documentation such as a parenting plan or other court order clarifying parent/guardian rights regarding medical/healthcare/psychological decision making and access to the child’s healthcare information.
Secrets in Couples Therapy
I will NOT share your confidence with your partner, but WILL insist that you share it. I will help you prepare; we will explore together your fears about what might happen if your partner learns the truth, and I' will figuratively hold your hand through this process in a non-shaming and caring way. Believe it or not, sharing hard stuff is where a lot of the possibility for righting your relationship lives. When we are keeping secrets from our partners, it is a block to our ability to be open and intimate. The tensions that might arise when you share the secret may be necessary to help you and your partner see each other more clearly.
How do you work?
I primarily use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) in my practice. You can learn more about ACT here. You can learn more about CBT here.
ACT and CBT are a very active form of therapy and not just talking about problems. These therapies require learning skills to handle difficult thoughts and feelings more effectively, so they have less impact and influence over you.
I want you to leave at the end of each session with a plan of action – something you can take home and do between sessions that will make a positive difference. Like playing a guitar – new skills need practice both in session and between sessions.