- Gabor Mate
Psychiatric Consultations: Diagnoses, Assessments, and Medication Support
We are committed to making your care as accessible and comfortable as possible.
You deserve to be seen and heard.
Northern Therapy Clinic has partnered with Psychotherapy Matters (an independent Canadian organization that facilitates mental health care), to ensure that you can get connected to an OHIP covered psychiatrist in a timely fashion. This is a virtual platform that connects therapists and their clients to psychiatrists. Psychiatrists are medical doctors that prescribe medication and offer a psychiatric assessment and diagnosis. Throughout the process, your therapist is always present to ensure you feel comfortable, and can contribute to the doctor’s evaluation if required. These consultations come with the added convenience of meeting the psychiatrist virtually while in your therapist’s office, or from the comfort of your own home.
Generally patients wait 18+ months to see a psychiatrist. When a referral is put into psychotherapy matters with Northern Therapy Clinic, the wait time is significantly reduced, usually ranging from 2–6 months depending on the type of assessment.
The psychiatrist can offer assessments for ADHD, assessments for Autism, diagnoses, recommendations for on-going support, and prescribe or make medication changes.
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How does it work?
After attending therapy at least 3 times, you and your therapist will complete a referral. Monthly appointments must be attended until the psychiatric consult. You will get the referral form to give to your family doctor or nurse practitioner. Once the family doctor has faxed the referral form to Psychotherapy Matters, your therapist can book your appointment with the psychiatrist.
Do I need to see a psychiatrist?
Yes! Your therapist will attend all appointments with you, and will be there to support you.
Will my therapist be with me?
Yes! Your therapist will attend all appointments with you, and will be there to support you.
Do I have to pay extra?
No. The consultations take place with both your therapist, and the psychiatrist. The therapist’s regular fees may apply. The psychiatrists time is covered by OHIP.
Please note for Autism and ADHD assessments, there is a fee of $350-$450 to be paid to psychotherapy matters.
How long are appointments?
The initial appointment is 90 minutes long.
Follow up appointments are 20 minutes long, allowing you to work these appointments into your current therapy sessions, and provide ongoing psychiatric and medication support.
What can the psychiatrist diagnose or assess for?
The psychiatrist can provide both ADHD assessments and Autism assessments. The psychiatrist can diagnose both ADHD and Autism, along with borderline personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, dissociative identity disorder, major depressive disorder, and so forth. Anything listed in the DSM-5 can be diagnosed.
Additionally, the psychiatrist will offer any recommendations, prescribe medication or make changes to existing medication, and will book follow up appointments where needed.
