FAQ's

Psychologists differ from other counselling professions in many ways, including our extensive training, college registration, scope of practice, and ability to diagnose.

Psychologists have advanced graduate degrees in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions, have extensive clinical training, and are registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, which sets standards for and oversees the work of Psychologists in Ontario.

After completing a doctoral degrees and a one-year residency, registration with the College requires completing a one year period of supervised practice, two sets of written examinations, and an oral exam.

While many individuals are referred by their physician or other health practitioner, this is not required for you to receive services. If your health professional has made a referral to a particular practitioner, please note this in your initial call.

Some insurance plans require a physician’s referral for psychological services before clients can access their extended health coverage.  If so, your physician can Fax the referral to (519) 725-5699.

To book an appointment, simply call us at (519) 725-7949 and leave a message with our Director, Dr. Julie Torrance-Perks.

Dr. Torrance-Perks will get an understanding of your concerns in order to match you with the clinician that will best meet your needs.

If you have a particular Psychologist in mind that you would like to work with, you can simply leave a message at their extension.

Our standard hourly billing rate for individual sessions is $200.00. The initial consultation, which is 1½ hours, is billed at $300.00.

We accept cheque, cash or etransfer as methods of payment. We accept payment at the end of each session and will issue you a receipt, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement if you have extended health coverage for psychological services.

OHIP does not cover psychological services offered in private clinics. However, most clients have extended health benefits through their workplace that cover the services of a Registered Psychologist. Check with your workplace or insurance company to understand the type of coverage your plan offers. Some plans require a physician’s referral for psychological services before clients can access their extended health coverage.

Therapy at KW Psychology is tailored to the needs of your individual concerns. We are trained in a wide variety of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

We use the information you give us and our understanding of your concerns to personalize which approach, or integration of approaches will be most helpful for you.

We are located in the Spurline Centre in uptown Waterloo and can be easily reached by LRT or by car with parking on site. There is an elevator in the building to reach our clinic on the second floor.

We request that people give 48 hours notice to cancel and/or reschedule appointments. Our full fee will be charged for missed appointments not cancelled 48 hours in advance.

Most of our clinicians offer both virtual and in-person sessions depending on the nature of your concerns, your preferences and your schedule. Our virtual sessions are provided on a secure and easy to use video platform or by phone when preferred.

We ask that clients self-screen before each appointment to the clinic. In the event you are feeling unwell and have an in-person session appointment booked, we can switch your appointment to a virtual session.