Cancellation Policy for Individual appointments

Our office requires 2 business days (Mondays to Fridays only) to cancel or change a one-on-one appointment. This amount of time will allow us to offer your time slot to someone else in need of attention.

Late Cancellation, Late change or missed Individual appointment fees

Please note that OHIP does not pay for late cancelled or missed appointments. If you cancel, change, or miss a one-on-one appointment with less than 2 business days notice, our office will charge $85 for an intake appointment and $170 for a group consolidation appointment.

Patients will only be re-booked once they have paid their missed appointment fee. 

Missed Group Session Policy and Fees

We reserve a spot for you when you join a group program. If you miss a session, we cannot fill your spot with another patient. Because OHIP will not pay for missed sessions, you must pay a fee for any group session that you miss:

-        Missed Sessions/out of Ontario care: $90 (for a 3-hour group session) / $75 (for a 2.5-hour group session) / $65 (for a 2-hour group session).

-        Late Arrivals/Early Departures: $15 per half-hour or part thereof. Late fees are charged commencing 10 minutes after the start time of the session. The same fees apply for early departures.

-        Early Withdrawal: If you withdraw from a group less than 30 days before the start of the program, or after, there will be a $270 charge.

These fees apply regardless of the reason for the missed session.

Exceptions: you can miss one session without charge due to a religious holiday, hospitalization, or personal health emergency preventing even partial virtual attendance. If you miss more than one session, or if you miss a session for any other reason, the fee will apply. Please note that being on vacation, forgetting the session, double-booking yourself with work/events/other plans or appointments, travelling, or having technical troubles will result in partial or full missed session fee(s).

Repeatedly being late, leaving early, missing sessions, or not paying bills may result in termination from the group.

Please email or call ahead to let Dr. Alexander know if you will be late or if you need to miss a session. Check for what you missed with another group member.

Group Deposit

We appreciate a $270 fully refundable attendance deposit to register you in a group program. A sliding scale is available to those on ODSP, CPP-disability benefit or Ontario Works. We will refund your deposit after the last group session, less any fees for early withdrawal, missed sessions, late arrival, or early departure. If you attend every session in full, your deposit will be refunded in full at the end of the program.

Group Guidelines

Confidentiality: Everything discussed in the group is confidential. Please be careful to never share names or other information about fellow group members. Group members are also asked to not gossip about other members.

Punctuality: Please be on time for group so that we can start and end on time, together.

Giving Feedback to Others: You will learn how to give kind and, constructive supportive feedback to others in this group. Please try to refrain from giving “advice” to other group members, unless they ask for it.

Kind speech: Group members are encouraged to phrase all feedback to the group in a nonharmful way. Words that harm you or another group member are not helpful and are not permissible in the group. If you are bothered or angry, you will learn ways to speak your truth in a way that does not harm others.

Time-out: You are always welcome to take a break when you need to do so. If you need to leave the room (in-person or virtual), please return to the group room within 5 minutes. All group sessions will have 1-2 formal break(s).

Participation: You do not need to talk in group if you do not want to. In this group, you can make the choice to speak up or stay quiet, depending on what serves you and the other group members best.

Listening: All group members deserve to be heard. Please refrain from interrupting someone else, or from talking with others or using the virtual room chat function, while someone else is speaking.

Scent-free policy: The office is a scent-free place. Please do not wear any perfumes or colognes. Please also ensure that you do not smoke just before the group meeting, or during the breaks.

Individual Therapy: This course is not meant to be a substitute for individual psychotherapy. You are strongly encouraged to see an individual therapist or counsellor during your involvement in the group.

Discontinuing the Group: It takes time to become comfortable in a group setting, and it is normal to need a few sessions to feel more at ease with others. Dr. Alexander strongly urges you to attend four (4) group sessions before discontinuing. However, if you wish to discontinue, here are some guidelines to make it easier for you, your fellow group members and Dr. Alexander.

1. Advise Dr. Alexander ahead of time that you wish to leave the group at the next session.

2. Attend the next session, and remain for the duration of the session. This allows you to say your goodbyes, and deal with any unfinished material or questions. It also allows the other group members to say goodbye to you, which helps them move on as a group without you.

3. Meet individually with Dr. Alexander for at least one session. This allows you to address with her any concerns, questions or grievances you may have.

(Adapted with care from the text of Dr. G. McFarlane)

Crisis Care Is Not Available Through Our Office

Due to the limited nature of Dr. Alexander's office hours and group services, she cannot provide emergency crisis care to patients. Should you require medical or psychiatric services in a crisis, please call one of these crisis services, call 911, or proceed immediately to your family doctor's office, a walk-in clinic or your local Emergency Department.

Communications

Dr. Alexander does not offer medical or psychotherapy services by email or text. Due to the sensitive nature of integrative medical care, she will only discuss confidential details with you in person. E-mails, texts and phone calls are for the purpose of administration only (e.g., making, changing &/or cancelling appointments).

Forms

In general, OHIP does not pay for forms (e.g., sick notes, disability forms, etc) to be completed. Therefore, it is your responsibility to pay in advance for any form that needs to be filled out by Dr. Alexander.

Fees for forms range from $15 - $175, depending on the information required. Please contact our office for further details.

Personal Information

Please ensure that your file is kept up to date with a current phone number, cell phone number, address, OHIP number, insurance information and emergency contact information. Please inform Dr. Alexander of any changes to your personal information upon arrival at the office. 

Behaviour in the Office

Please be considerate of the administrative staff and other patients, either on-line or in the building.  Please follow all instructions in the waiting and clinic areas regarding footwear and our scent-free policy.  Dr. Alexander will not tolerate any rude or aggressive behaviour.

If you have any problems associated with your visit, please contact Dr. Alexander in person or in writing.