220 – 2186 Oak Bay Avenue
Phone: (250) 588-9744
(587) 897-3759 
Email: Amber@DrAmberHills.ca

Fees and Policies

Fees

*Psychological fees for individual, couple, family or group therapy are based upon an hourly fee as recommended by the College of Psychologists of British Columbia and the College of Alberta Psychologists.

*Fees for individual, couple or family psychological therapy are currently set at $235 (BC rate) or $220 (AB rate) for each 50 minutes of time. In addition, fees may apply for telephone or other consultations longer than 10 minutes, and for communications via email.

*Group therapy rates are $120 per person, per 50 minute hour.

*The number of sessions required to be of assistance depends upon the needs of each client, and ranges from one or two meetings to much longer.

*Psychological reports or letters are not released until fees are received in full.

Payment and Insurance Coverage

*Session fees may be covered by your Extended Health Care Plan, such as Blue Cross. Some companies and organizations have health care spending accounts which also provide coverage for therapy or counselling sessions. Ask your employer or benefits provider about health coverage options.

*Any fees paid to a Registered Clinical Psychologist (that are not reimbursed by an insurance provider) are tax-deductible medical expenses.

*Payment may be made by e-transfer or major credit card.

*All fees are due at the time of service.

*Receipts will be issued for insurance and tax deduction purposes.

*I am unable to offer a sliding scale fee option at this time.

Third-Party Payers: In some cases, psychological fees may be paid in whole or in part by a third party. Examples of third party payers include Victim’s Services, Child and Family Services, the Department of National Defense, the RCMP, Veterans Affairs, certain Provincial or Federal government employment and education programs, and the Workers’ Compensation Board.

Cancellation Policy

I appreciate your efforts to provide at least 2 business days’ notice if you need to cancel a scheduled appointment. When adequate notice has not been received, the appointment time cannot be filled with another client. Thus, fees will be charged for appointment cancellations without 2 business days’ notice. You will be billed for one full session when you do not attend your appointment, or you do not provide 2 business days’ notice for a cancellation. This policy will be waived in cases of emergency such as serious illness or accident.

*Appointments must be cancelled with at least 2 business days’ notice. Fees will be charged if cancellation is within 2 business days, barring serious medical reason.

Confidentiality

All information that you share with your psychologist is kept confidential. There are some exceptions to this confidentiality agreement which are set out by Alberta legislation and the Standards of Practice for Psychologists in Alberta. These exceptions will be thoroughly reviewed with you during your first appointment to ensure you are comfortable with any potential limits to confidentiality.

Communication with any other professionals involved in your care (e.g., family physician, psychiatrist) will be discussed with you in advance and will require your written consent.

Psychologists are required by our professional colleges to document clinical contact with clients and keep appropriate records of professional therapy services. These records are secured, and all electronic records are password-protected. These practices will also be discussed with you during our first meeting.