Kindly review our updated billing policies and procedures prior to attending your appointment. Questions can be sent to info@wholetherapy.ca
View Billing Policies and Procedures
Answers about billing, insurance, payment, sessions, and getting started at Wholetherapy.
Counselling and psychotherapy services may be covered by your extended health benefits, workplace insurance plan, motor vehicle insurance, Workers' Compensation, Veterans Affairs Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, Victim Services Nova Scotia, or another approved third-party funding source.
Every insurance plan is different. Before your first appointment, we recommend contacting your insurance provider to confirm:
Some clients are eligible for direct billing. Other clients pay upfront and submit their receipt to their insurer for reimbursement.
Wholetherapy offers direct billing where available through supported billing portals.
Telus eClaims. Wholetherapy can direct bill many insurers through Telus eClaims, including Manulife, Canada Life (including legacy Great-West Life plans), and other smaller insurers supported through the Telus eClaims network. Coverage through Telus eClaims depends on your specific plan, clinician designation, and whether your insurer allows direct billing for counselling or psychotherapy services.
Other direct-billing portals and programs. Wholetherapy may also direct bill through separate insurer or program portals, including:
If your insurer or funding source is not listed above, you may still have coverage, but you will likely need to pay upfront and submit your receipt for reimbursement.
If your insurance provider does not allow direct billing, you will pay for your session and receive a receipt. You can then submit the receipt to your insurer for reimbursement.
Your receipt will include the information typically required by insurers, including the clinician's name, designation, registration number, date of service, and session fee.
Some Wholetherapy clinicians may work with clients whose therapy is funded through a motor vehicle accident claim. This is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Before services begin, Wholetherapy requires written confirmation from your insurer, case manager, or adjuster confirming:
Your insurer, case manager, or adjuster can email info@wholetherapy.ca or fax 902-404-3250.
If written authorization has not been received before your appointment, you will be responsible for paying upfront and submitting your receipt to your insurer. If reports or clinical documentation are required, these are billed separately at the clinician's hourly rate unless the insurer has confirmed in writing that they will cover the cost.
Client privacy is very important. Receipts are sent only to the client email address on file unless the client provides written consent for the receipt to be shared with someone else.
For child and adolescent clients, receipts and billing communication may involve a parent or legal guardian, depending on consent, custody, and payment arrangements.
If direct billing is not available, or if your insurance does not cover the full session fee, you are responsible for paying the remaining balance.
For private-pay sessions or client-paid balances, Wholetherapy accepts:
After your session, you may be prompted to pay through your Jane account. If you choose to save a credit card on file, your card may be automatically billed after each session unless otherwise arranged. If you would like a saved card removed from your Jane account, please contact us at info@wholetherapy.ca.
Wholetherapy does not accept cash.
You may contact your therapist between sessions for brief administrative or therapy-related updates, such as:
Email can be helpful, but it is not intended for crisis support, urgent clinical care, or therapy outside of session time. Wholetherapy clinicians are not able to provide crisis response by email or phone between appointments. If you are in immediate danger or experiencing an emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.
If you need urgent mental health support in Nova Scotia, you can contact:
A 15-minute consultation is a free phone or video call with a clinician.
The purpose of the consultation is to help you and the clinician determine whether there may be a good therapeutic fit. It is also a chance to briefly share what you are looking for support with and ask basic questions about the clinician's approach.
A consultation is not a therapy session. It is a short fit-focused conversation to help guide next steps.
Wholetherapy offers secure telehealth sessions through Jane, our clinic management platform. To prepare for your online session:
For EMDR and trauma therapy, your therapist may provide additional instructions about how to set up your space safely and comfortably.
Yes. Wholetherapy offers both in-person and virtual therapy, depending on clinician availability, client needs, location, and service type.
Virtual therapy can be a strong option for clients across Nova Scotia and may make it easier to access a clinician who fits your needs, even if you do not live near one of our physical office locations. In-person availability varies by clinician and office schedule.
Yes. Some Wholetherapy clinicians provide couples and family therapy. Couples or family therapy may be helpful when people want to improve communication, repair connection, navigate conflict, or work through a difficult life event together.
A few things to know:
For children and adolescents under 18, consent requirements depend on the young person's age, maturity, family circumstances, and custody arrangements.
In most cases, Wholetherapy requires consent from the child's parent or legal guardian. Where two parents or caregivers share decision-making authority, consent from both may be required. Adolescents aged 14 and older may sometimes be considered mature minors and may be able to consent to therapy independently, depending on the clinical situation.
If there is a custody agreement in place, Wholetherapy may request a copy of the agreement and may require written consent from both parents or legal guardians before therapy begins. If you are unsure what applies to your situation, please contact our office and we can help clarify the consent process.
Yes. Wholetherapy has clinicians trained in EMDR therapy and trauma-focused approaches.
EMDR therapy may be used to support clients experiencing trauma, PTSD, anxiety, grief, distressing memories, and other concerns. Your clinician will determine whether EMDR is clinically appropriate based on your goals, history, and current stability. EMDR may be offered in person or virtually, depending on the clinician and the client's needs.
Wholetherapy's team includes clinicians with different professional designations. Your insurance plan may cover some designations and not others, so it is important to confirm coverage before booking.
A Registered Psychologist is regulated by the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology. Psychologists can provide counselling and psychotherapy, and some also provide diagnostic assessment services.
A Registered Counselling Therapist is regulated by the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists and provides counselling and psychotherapy services.
A Registered Counselling Therapist-Candidate is also regulated by the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists and works under approved clinical supervision while completing candidacy requirements.
A Registered Social Worker or Clinical Social Worker is regulated by the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers. Social workers may provide counselling and psychotherapy services depending on their training, role, and scope of practice.
“Psychotherapist” is often used as a general term for professionals who provide therapy, although the legal use of the term varies by province.
Some Indigenous clients may be eligible for counselling coverage through Non-Insured Health Benefits or related Indigenous Services Canada programs.
Eligibility may apply for First Nations and Inuit clients, and in some cases for people connected to residential school, day school, Sixties Scoop, or Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit+ funding streams. Coverage and eligibility vary, so our team can help review what information may be needed before booking.
Wholetherapy is honoured to support Indigenous clients and families seeking trauma-informed counselling.
You can book an appointment through Wholetherapy's online booking system or contact the office for support choosing a clinician.
If you are not sure who to book with, a 15-minute consultation can help determine whether a clinician is a good fit. You may also contact the admin team for help finding a therapist based on your needs, availability, insurance coverage, and preference for virtual or in-person care.
That is very common. Choosing a therapist can feel like a big decision.
You can start by reviewing clinician profiles, booking a free 15-minute consultation, or contacting our office for help. Our team can help match you with a clinician based on your goals, concerns, preferred therapy format, insurance requirements, and availability.
Sumi Iqbal offers therapy in English, Urdu, and Hindi, in person in Dartmouth and Halifax and online across Nova Scotia. Learn more on our multilingual therapy page.
Yes. Sumi Iqbal focuses on supporting newcomers and immigrants and is an Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provider, so eligible refugee claimants can access therapy with coverage billed directly. See our IFHP page.
Mitzi Mitchell is our Clinical Specialist for Veterans, serving members, and RCMP clients. She works across every coverage stream we accept — VAC, CAF, RCMP, NIHB, and most private insurance — with weekday daytime availability. See Veterans & First Responders.
Yes. Charise Besson focuses on chronic illness, invisible disabilities, and burnout, using a trauma-informed, DBT-informed approach. Learn more on our chronic illness & invisible disabilities page.
Yes. Charise Besson draws on DBT skills — emotion regulation and distress tolerance — as part of a trauma-informed, integrative approach. Several of our clinicians integrate DBT-informed skills alongside EMDR and other modalities.
Our admin team is happy to help with billing, booking, or finding the right therapist for you.