John Kovac, Whitby - Oshawa Counselling and Psychotherapy Services

Common questions

Do I have to be married to go to a Family Therapist?: No. Individuals or couples often seek help with Behavioural problems, relationship issues, or mental and emotional disorders. MFT’s provide the same services as other mental health professionals, with a systemic orientation. Family therapy is effective with just one individual or with couples, families or groups.

MFT’s work in many different settings. Examples are; schools, hospitals, nursing homes, community mental health offices, employee and family assistance programs and private practice. Ask MFT when seeking help.
What is the cost for a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist’s services?: Mental health services provided by MFTs are cost-effective. MFTs often provide brief, solution-oriented therapy that can result in lower costs to the client. Employee and Family Assistance Plans often cover MFTs. MFTs in private practice set their own fees.
How do I choose a RMFT?: Telephone and interview potential Registered Marriage and Family Therapists to find out if they satisfy your needs. Some questions to ask include:

Are they a Clinical Member of the Canadian Registry and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)? MFTs who use the designation “RMFT” after their name are Clinical Members of the AAMFT and the Canadian Registry. This also means their practice meets an established and demanding professional ethical code set by the AAMFT.
Do they have experience treating the kind of problem you are experiencing; for example depression, child’s behaviour, marital stress, intimacy, sexual problems, alcohol abuse? MFTs are trained to provide the full range of mental health services. Like all mental health professions, each individual therapist may vary according to expertise. You should inquire as to the therapist’s training and experience with the problem you are facing. MFTs develop specialties in other areas as well, including sex therapy, addictions, eating disorders, separation, divorce and remarriage, child and youth therapy, spousal abuse, sexual abuse recovery, adoption, loss and grief, trauma and mental illness. To be a clinical MFT, members have successfully completed a Masters or Doctoral degree in a human services discipline. RMFTs training includes hundreds of hours of supervised direct clinical service.
Are MFT services covered by your health insurance? Some employee assistance programs provided through an employer contract with MFTs. Contact your plan or payer to ensure they reimburse services provided by MFTs. Marriage and family therapy has been shown to reduce health care use by 21.5%.
What is the average length of marriage and family therapy? Length of therapy depends upon various factors, including seriousness of the problem. Generally, couple and family therapy tends to be short term. Research shows that the median length is 12 sessions, with 65% of cases completed within 20 sessions. Though length of therapy differs from case to case, couple and family tends to be briefer than many other types of therapy.

What Distinguishes MFTs from other mental health professionals?: A family orientation coupled with rigorous training requirements make MFTs uniquely qualified to provide mental health services. MFTs are trained in various models of therapy in order to prepare them for work with individuals, families, couples, and groups. The training of MFTs includes live supervision by experienced MFTs, which is unique among the mental health disciplines.
MFTs focus on the relationship between a person and others, and on viewing problems within a context. This focus, plus specialized training, distinguishes us from other professional therapists.
What qualifications should I look for in a MFT?: Specialized training in coupled, marriage, and family therapy is the hallmark of Marriage and Family Therapists. Look for the designation “RMFT” behind your therapist’s name. This means they are members of the Canadian Registry, and Clinical Members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). AAMFT has developed standards for the education and training of Marriage and Family Therapists in U.S., Canada and internationally. To use the designation RMFT, Canadian Registry members must have met these rigorous standards.



* Home Page * Finding the Right Therapist * When to Consult a Therapist * How Can a Therapist Help * Meet John Kovac * Common Questions * The Adlerian Approach * Treatment Philosopy * Marriage & Family Therapist (OAMFT) * Contact Me * Kovac Renelli Site * Links of Interest HOURS By Appointment Email: John@WhitbyOshawaTherapist.com	Common questions Do I have to be married to go to a Family Therapist? No. Individuals or couples often seek help with Behavioural problems, relationship issues, or mental and emotional disorders. MFT’s provide the same services as other mental health professionals, with a systemic orientation. Family therapy is effective with just one individual or with couples, families or groups. MFT’s work in many different settings. Examples are; schools, hospitals, nursing homes, community mental health offices, employee and family assistance programs and private practice. Ask MFT when seeking help. What is the cost for a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist’s services? Mental health services provided by MFTs are cost-effective. MFTs often provide brief, solution-oriented therapy that can result in lower costs to the client. Employee and Family Assistance Plans often cover MFTs. MFTs in private practice set their own fees. How do I choose a RMFT? Telephone and interview potential Registered Marriage and Family Therapists to find out if they satisfy your needs. Some questions to ask include: Are they a Clinical Member of the Canadian Registry and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)? MFTs who use the designation “RMFT” after their name are Clinical Members of the AAMFT and the Canadian Registry. This also means their practice meets an established and demanding professional ethical code set by the AAMFT. Do they have experience treating the kind of problem you are experiencing; for example depression, child’s behaviour, marital stress, intimacy, sexual problems, alcohol abuse? MFTs are trained to provide the full range of mental health services. Like all mental health professions, each individual therapist may vary according to expertise. You should inquire as to the therapist’s training and experience with the problem you are facing. MFTs develop specialties in other areas as well, including sex therapy, addictions, eating disorders, separation, divorce and remarriage, child and youth therapy, spousal abuse, sexual abuse recovery, adoption, loss and grief, trauma and mental illness. To be a clinical MFT, members have successfully completed a Masters or Doctoral degree in a human services discipline. RMFTs training includes hundreds of hours of supervised direct clinical service. Are MFT services covered by your health insurance? Some employee assistance programs provided through an employer contract with MFTs. Contact your plan or payer to ensure they reimburse services provided by MFTs. Marriage and family therapy has been shown to reduce health care use by 21.5%. What is the average length of marriage and family therapy? Length of therapy depends upon various factors, including seriousness of the problem. Generally, couple and family therapy tends to be short term. Research shows that the median length is 12 sessions, with 65% of cases completed within 20 sessions. Though length of therapy differs from case to case, couple and family tends to be briefer than many other types of therapy. What Distinguishes MFTs from other mental health professionals? A family orientation coupled with rigorous training requirements make MFTs uniquely qualified to provide mental health services. MFTs are trained in various models of therapy in order to prepare them for work with individuals, families, couples, and groups. The training of MFTs includes live supervision by experienced MFTs, which is unique among the mental health disciplines. MFTs focus on the relationship between a person and others, and on viewing problems within a context. This focus, plus specialized training, distinguishes us from other professional therapists. What qualifications should I look for in a MFT? Specialized training in coupled, marriage, and family therapy is the hallmark of Marriage and Family Therapists. Look for the designation “RMFT” behind your therapist’s name. This means they are members of the Canadian Registry, and Clinical Members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). AAMFT has developed standards for the education and training of Marriage and Family Therapists in U.S., Canada and internationally. To use the designation RMFT, Canadian Registry members must have met these rigorous standards.
	John Kovac, Copyright 2010