Frequently Asked Questions

What's a Clinical Psychologist?

In Ontario, a Clinical Psychologist historically was required to have a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. The title "psychologist" is no longer exclusive to doctoral level practitioners registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO). However, the title "doctor (Dr.)" is reserved for those psychologists who have completed a doctoral degree in psychology, and that title continues to be protected by CPO. Psychologists who are "Drs." have typically received 11 years of university education in the field, including a full-time residency. This leads to high levels of education, training, and supervised practical experience in the mental health field.

How do we start?

You don’t need a referral to access psychological services. Many people feel nervous about the first step of making a phone call, meeting their psychologist for the first time, and sharing personal information with a stranger. People also often feel more at ease, or even relieved, after taking these first steps in the process. We want to make your experience feel as comfortable and safe as possible. When you take the first step of calling or emailing our office, Dr. Zayed will get back to you and answer any questions you may have, and then help you decide what kind of service will best meet your needs.

The first meeting allows your psychologist to get a sense of you as a person and the kinds of issues and struggles you're facing. That first meeting also gives you an important opportunity to get a sense of them and whether they're the right fit for you. It’s essential that you feel that you have found the right person to help you with your struggles and life goals.

What's your approach to therapy?

ZPS endorses an integrative approach to therapy which includes:

• A caring and collaborative working relationship which is non-judgemental.
• Gathering a deep and comprehensive understanding of your struggles and life goals.
• Well-established treatment approaches which incorporate principles from psychodynamic/interpersonal, existential/humanistic, cognitive behavioural (CBT), and family systems therapies.

How long will therapy take?

Improvement, growth, and change are complicated, and impossible to properly assess until your psychologist gets to know you. Your focus might be resolution of symptoms, personal growth, or very practical changes. In general, treatment length ranges from short-term (12- 20 sessions) to long-term (over a year). Regardless of its duration, you should notice signs of progress throughout your therapy process, which can emerge in various different ways.