FAQ

Psychology is an academic/applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behaviour. Psychologists study such phenomena as perception, cognition, emotion, personality, behaviour, and interpersonal relationships. Psychology also refers to the application of such knowledge to various spheres of human activity, including problems of individuals’ daily lives and the treatment of mental health problems.

The title of psychologist, unlike that of psychotherapist, is a protected title in New Brunswick. A psychologist must complete a university program in psychology and take supervised internships to be eligible as a member of the College of Psychologists of New Brunswick. He or she must adhere to the profession’s code of ethics and has a duty to professional secrecy. Therefore a person who chooses to consult with a psychologist is generally better protected than one who consults a psychotherapist.

Psychologists may work in research and as faculty members in universities or in governmental organizations. Others are part of the clinical staff in hospitals, schools, correctional institutions, community clinics, or in private practices such as the Clinic of Applied Psychology.

All of us experience problems of a psychological nature at one time or another in our lives. This can happen suddenly because of a disturbing event, or gradually due to accumulated experiences that end up becoming unbearable. At those times, help from someone outside the problem, and who has relevant knowledge, can make a difference.

Psychological treatment is a collaboration between two persons who are pursuing a common goal: your well-being. It is a meeting of minds in a non-judgemental and respectful space that helps you get a better understanding of what is going on within you.

For many, the work of psychologists remains a mystery. People often wonder: How could a psychologist help me? Do I really have a problem? What goes on during a visit to a psychologist? Deciding to consult a psychologist can be difficult, especially when you don’t quite know what to expect.

A psychologist is a professional who works on building a trust relationship with his or her clients. This is usually done using an objective approach directed at understanding and dealing with your problems. To this end, the psychologist is an attentive and empathetic listener, and does not pass judgement.

Among other things, a psychologist can help you (1) identify/understand your problems, (2) determine the best method(s) of addressing these problems, (3) implement new strategies to deal with them, and (4) avoid repeating the same patterns in the future.

People often confuse the terms psychologist and psychiatrist. On the one hand, psychologists have studied at university in the field of psychology. In New Brunswick, anyone with the title of psychologist must have a master’s or a doctoral degree in psychology. This person also meets all the conditions set by the College of Psychologists of New Brunswick (CPNB), and is thus authorized to practice psychology independently in this province.

On the other hand, a psychiatrist has completed his studies in medicine then specialized in psychiatry. While there are many differences in the two professions, one unique contribution of psychiatry is that it allows its practitioners to prescribe pharmacological treatments. Some, but not all, psychiatrists offer psychotherapeutic services.

As both the psychiatrist and the psychologist work towards the general well-being of clients, they may happen to be treating the same person simultaneously. Their approaches often complement each other. However, psychologists are the only health professionals authorized to administer psychological tests for diagnostic or other purposes.

When we experience problems of a personal nature, every facet of our lives can be affected: family life, working life, social life and so on.

Here are some of the reasons given for coming in for a consultation:

• anxiety disorders (specific phobia, generalized anxiety, social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, etc.)
• mood disorders (depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder, etc.)
• family problems
• marital problems
• burnout
• stress management
• sleeping disorders
• adjustment disorder
• crisis situation
• bereavement
• problems in childhood or adolescence
• adaptation to illness
• problems related to the workplace

This is an open-ended list. If your reason to consult is not listed, you should not hesitate to contact us all the same. We will be able to answer some of your questions and direct you to the appropriate services.

Depending on the client’s needs, a psychological assessment can be performed through clinical interviews with the client, and occasionally with persons closest to him or her (e.g., parents, spouse), and by administering psychological tests.

A clinical interview will consist of the psychologist asking for information on the reason for the consultation (describing the problem) and for details on your personal history. Questions may deal with the root of the problem, things that alleviate or worsen the problem, how it is affecting work, interpersonal relationships, family relationships, etc. Other questions may touch upon your childhood experiences, your work history, your family situation or your social interactions.

Another stage of information gathering may involve the use of psychological tests. These tests are used to provide a better understanding of the problem at hand. They prove useful in assessing and diagnosing a variety of problems, including:

• mood disorders (depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder)
• anxiety disorders
• personality disorders
• cognitive disorders (memory, concentration, attention)

To summarize, psychological tests help the psychologist get an objective impression of your specific problem or make a diagnosis, and determine the best treatment for you

People who are experiencing personal difficulties may decide to undertake a therapeutic process in order to alleviate their suffering. These difficulties may be having an impact in several areas of their lives including work, personal interactions and family relationships.
Here are some of the reasons why people decide to seek psychological treatment:

• Anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, panic disorder, etc.)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder,
• Mood disorders (depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder, etc.)
• Stress management
• Sleeping disorders
• Burnout
• Adjustment disorder
• Bereavement
• Crisis situation
• Marital problems
• Personality disorders
• Adaptation to illness
• Others (the list is not exhaustive, please contact us to inquire for any other problem that is not on the list)

There are often several ways to solve or deal with a psychological problem. The method chosen can depend on the needs of the client or on the psychologist’s training. Because the psychologists and residents at the Clinic of Applied Psychology are strongly encouraged to pursue their professional development, various intervention models are in use at the clinic, including:
- the Cognitive Behavioral model
- behavior therapy
- reality therapy
- brief therapy
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
- Imago Relationship Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Treatment can be provided to an individual, a group, a couple or a family, depending on the problem and the individuals involved.

Generally, any person who is pursuing personal or career goals, and has the determination and will to act and make changes, can benefit from coaching. These individuals are typically in excellent emotional health and are not experiencing any psychological disorders.

Here are a few reasons why people choose to consult a personal coach:

• being in a period of transition (career change, marital break-up, etc.);
• wanting to start a new business or offer new services;
• wanting to evolve and grow as a couple or in one’s parental role;
• wanting to improve one’s time management;
• wanting to increase the level of satisfaction in one’s life;
• any other project that requires change and sustained action

Meetings usually take place once a week and last 30 minutes. Most of the time, these are telephone meetings, which gives clients more flexibility and minimizes travel. The client determines the goal for the session and the coach helps the client proceed towards an action plan that will actualize the chosen goal.

A coaching contract lasts a minimum of three months to ensure that concrete goals can be reached.

Critical incident response protocol
A critical incident response protocol is a document describing the procedure to be followed should a traumatic event occur in the workplace. The document sets out the roles and responsibilities of various individuals and serves as a guide in responding to a critical incident. The Clinic of Applied Psychology can help you develop a critical incident response protocol that is appropriate for your business.

Crisis management
In an environment where a critical incident has occurred, executives and people in authority must be given specific assistance, to ensure that they are doing well and that the incident has not affected them unduly, and to support them in managing the crisis, which may still be in progress.

Group sessions
Defusing and debriefing are two group interventions that are usually conducted within the first few hours after a traumatic incident. Their purpose is the same but the methods differ.
Defusing is a shorter form of debriefing that is offered in the hours following the incident to allow people to talk about the event and their reactions to it; it fosters a quick return to a state of functional equilibrium. It only lasts about 45 minutes.
Ideally, debriefing is offered within 72 hours following the trauma and allows participants to ventilate about their traumatic experience, their symptoms, and how to alleviate them in the short and long term. This session is about two hours in length.

Individual intervention
In specific instances, an individual intervention may be offered to people who were unable to participate in group interventions, or if their condition warrants it. A clinical follow-up is provided for any group or individual intervention.

Debriefing for spouses
The impact of a trauma on the people close to the victim should not be ignored, and debriefing sessions can be made available to them.

• Individual psychological treatment

Trauma victims may need psychological treatment not only shortly after the event but sometimes much later on. A thorough psychological assessment is advised, after which the client may be offered specific psychological treatments. A number of specific methods of psychological intervention (EMDR, cognitive therapy, etc.) have proved effective and are offered by experienced psychologists. Clearly, the psychological intervention is carried out in addition to any pharmacological intervention prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist, as the case may be.

You can call us at (506) 858-9180. You will first speak with the support staff (Mireille Bernard or Linda Daigle). They will ask you a few questions, such as your contact information and your reason for consultation, in order to better direct your request. Then, if a psychologist is available to see you, the support staff will call you back to set up a first appointment according to the psychologist's availability.

Fees for services offered by the Clinic of Applied Psychology are not covered by New Brunswick’s health care plan (Medicare). Clients should check with their private/medical insurers (e.g. Blue Cross, etc.) to see if their policy covers psychological services. However, if you can’t be reimbursed for psychologist’s fees, they are an accepted deduction as medical expenses on your income tax return.

In general, therapy sessions at the Clinic of Applied Psychology last an hour (50 minutes for therapy and 10 minutes for administrative tasks), but this can vary according to the need. In these cases, an agreement will be discussed between you and your psychologist. The length of evaluation sessions is also variable according to the type of assessment involved.

No. Anyone can access services provided by the Clinic of Applied Psychology without necessarily being referred. Therefore, you can call us directly without going through your doctor or another professional.

Please note, however, that some insurance companies require a referral by a doctor before they will issue a reimbursement. It is advisable to communicate with your insurance company to get all the details on this matter.

A psychologist meets all the requirements for the independent practice of psychology, as stipulated by the College of Psychologists of New Brunswick. He or she has completed a university degree, has accumulated the hours of supervised clinical practice, and has successfully passed a written as well as an oral examination.
A resident in psychology has a university diploma (either a master’s or doctoral degree) and is in the process of completing the other requirements. A resident in psychology works under the supervision of a psychologist.

At the Clinic of Applied Psychology, our policy is to return calls as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours, except on weekends.

To ensure good communication, we suggest that you provide our support staff with all numbers where you can be reached (i.e. cell, home phone, phone at work, etc.). It is also a good idea to indicate whether you allow us to leave a voice mail message.

Working hours for our support staff (reception) are:

•  Monday: 8:30 am to 7:00 pm,
• Tuesday to Thursday: 8:30am to 4:00pm
• Friday: 8:30am to 1:00pm

We are closed on statutory holidays. The office is closed for lunch between 11:45am and 12:45pm (with the exception of Fridays).

Working hours for psychologists vary. Some psychologists offer appointments in the early evening. Please contact support staff to find out more.

To maximize the effectiveness of therapy, we suggest that you make it a priority and do all you can to prevent cancelling a session, except in case of emergency, of course.

The usual fees will be charged for any appointment missed or cancelled less than 24 hours ahead of time. Please note that an appointment scheduled for a Monday can be cancelled by leaving a message on our answering machine during the weekend. This way you will avoid being charged for a late cancellation.