My Approach
Mental health is so much more than a checklist of symptoms, and treatment should be about more than just the “problems.” In the field of mental health, we often get bogged down in symptom counts and lose focus of the reason (many) people come to therapy: to build a better life for themselves.
We will work together as a team to help you: - Understand and address the symptoms, internal experiences (e.g., memories, emotions, thoughts), and circumstances that are keeping you stuck
- Define what meaningful living means to you
- Build the sort of life you want to live
Values
Genuineness: There is no ‘fake therapist’ voice here. The therapeutic relationship is a real relationship, albeit a professional one, and I always treat it as such.Presence: Have you ever talked to someone, and it seemed like they were zoning out? We have all had that experience, and it doesn’t feel good. It is so important that you feel like your therapist is (mentally) in the room and there with you every step of the way. So much happens within the therapeutic relationship, and research supports that the quality of that relationship is a significant contributor to therapeutic outcomes.
Empowerment: I will support you in taking back control of your life. My goal is to work myself out of a job.
How My Services are Different
Free Consultation: All new clients receive a free consultation. Consults for therapy are the length of a full session, meaning your first session is essentially free (should you choose to continue with me). This is an opportunity for you to determine if my approach is a good fit for you. Many psychologists offer free consultations, but they are usually around 15 minutes. In my opinion, that’s a short time for you to get a sense of whether you would feel comfortable placing your trust in that person (because participating in psychotherapy is a HUGE act of trust).
Phone Coaching: Unless you are participating in Standard Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (where phone coaching is a formal component of treatment), most therapists do not offer regular support between sessions. This is unfortunate because it is more difficult to apply new skills in the real world than in the therapy room. Every person I work with has access to phone coaching as part of their treatment. Coaching calls serve as a bridge between therapy sessions and real life to increase your confidence, reinforce learning, and improve your ability to apply new skills across different types of situations.
Areas of Practice: I am licensed to practice in the areas of Clinical, Forensic, and Neuropsychology with adults in Ontario. According to the College of Psychologists’ public register, there are just over 4000 members authorized to provide psychological services in Ontario, and only 16 members are licensed to practice in all three of these areas (accurate as of June 2022). What does this mean for you? Psychologists undergo rigorous examination in every practice area they declare. This means I have specialized training beyond clinical psychology (needed to become a clinical psychologist), which informs my practice.
As a clinical neuropsychologist, I understand how various conditions (e.g., ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, traumatic brain injury) and mental states (e.g., high levels of emotion) affect our thinking and ability to learn new information. I always tailor my approach using this lens to maximize how much you get out of treatment.
As a forensic psychologist, I work with people who experience difficulties that have led to legal problems. To provide effective treatment, an in depth understanding of mental illness, personality functioning, and their relationship to challenging behaviours is required. The good news is that you don’t need to be in trouble with the law to benefit from my experience in this area. Do you find yourself doing things that are getting you into trouble at work, in relationships, or another area of your life? We can work together so that when you encounter difficult situations, you have more choice over how you choose to respond. Reduced Rate: I charge $175 for a one-hour individual psychotherapy session. In 2022, the Ontario Psychological Association announced that they will no longer be making recommendations around fees, but for the past seven years, the recommended rate was $225.
You might be wondering why my rate is lower than the recommended rate. Psychologists receive the most training in the assessment and treatment of mental health difficulties relative to any other mental health profession, but because psychological services are not covered by OHIP, many people cannot afford a psychologist. This means they go without help or they seek services from mental health professionals that might be less qualified to treat their particular difficulty. I want to change that.
Experience with Complex Clinical Concerns: Having the knowledge and expertise of a psychologist is particularly advantageous for individuals experiencing severe mental illness (e.g., psychosis) or complex mental health difficulties (e.g., multiple diagnoses). Not all psychologists have training in this area, however. I have concentrated my training and career on assessing and treating complex clinical concerns.
How to Get in Touch
There are four ways to connect with me. Using any of the methods below will allow you to contact me directly. I do not employ a receptionist or an assistant to take my calls. I want to be your first point of contact.- Use the contact form on theravive
- Call me at (249) 488-1557
- Email me at psychologicalservices@drkgrimes.com
- Book an appointment directly through my secure client portal
Please note that with the exception of forensic evaluations, all services occur remotely via a secure videoconferencing platform.
Dr. Kyrsten Grimes Reaches
Barrie ON