Frequently Asked Questions

Pathways is for anybody who is looking to improve their mental well being. Some people are not quite sure what is causing their distress or dissatisfaction with life, or in their relationships. For these people, we can help guide them to uncover and understand what might be getting in their way. For others, they may have a clear idea of what is causing their distress, but have been unable to make changes to ease their pain or discomfort. Others still are simply looking to find meaning and purpose.

Self referral: If you have made the decision to begin therapy, well done! It can be daunting and it takes courage to take the first step towards change, but we are so happy that you did. Your next steps will be to contact us to make an appointment for your initial “intake” session. You can contact us by

Counselling and Psychotherapy can sometimes be used to describe different services, but in Pathways we use the words interchangeably to describe the same process. It is a process that is built on a strong, trusting relationship between the therapist and the client. From this foundation of non-judgmental, confidential support, the client is encouraged by and with the therapist, to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the challenges they face in their life. The client will be supported in exploring their internal struggles and external difficulties with an aim to bring about meaningful change and live a more satisfying life. Psychologists offer similar services in addition to psychological assessments, consultation services and mental health training programs.

After your initial intake session which can last up to an hour and a half, all sessions following will be 50 minutes, what many refer to as the standard therapeutic hour. This allows for enough time each session to explore, yet provides a clear timeframe from which to “come out” of the session and the emotions that might accompany it.

Children can sometimes find it difficult to navigate the strong emotions they feel when faced with difficult situations. It can sometimes feel overwhelming for them to feel so much and often try to find ways to cope as best they can. At times this may create behaviours that parents or teachers or friends can struggle to understand or know how to support. Pathways can support the child to identify and work through these strong emotions through therapeutic play and art. Pathways can also help the child's parents to understand the behaviours that can feel disruptive or destructive and teach them how to be more emotionally attuned to what their child might need.

Both on-line and face to face sessions are available for couple and adult sessions. At pathways we believe that for family therapy and play therapy this work is best done face to face.

Your first session will generally be longer than other sessions, it can be an hour to an hour and a half. The reason for this is to allow time for more “information gathering” questions. This will provide your therapist with a good understanding of your development, your medical history, your family history, your current situation and any previous experiences with mental health professionals/ services. It will allow for you and your therapist to get to know each other, and have a good idea by the end of this initial session if you feel you can work together and towards what goal.

Embarking on a new therapeutic relationship can sometimes feel strange, where you will perhaps for the first time, be talking about deeply personal issues to another person. For this reason the “fit” between you and your therapist is very important. The therapeutic work needs to have a strong foundation of trust and openness to bring about change and if you don't feel that with your therapist, talk about it. It is important for you to ask questions and that you feel comfortable doing so. It is your right to check your therapist's qualifications, their “style” of therapy and how they work, this is your space and knowing the answers to these questions might help you to decide if the relationship feels “right for you.”

No two people are the same. Each clients’ challenges and stories are unique and so how long they will stay in therapy will differ. Depending on a client's goals, the work may be short or long term. In most cases sessions will be weekly.