Booking a session or free consultation is typically done through our Booking Page.
You can also book by calling or texting 705-358-6925, or by emailing info@nipissingcounselling.ca. Follow-up appointments are often scheduled at the end of sessions. If you need to reschedule, you’re welcome to do so through our client management system, Jane, or by phone, text, or email with at least 24 hours’ notice.
NCS is located inside the Port building at 222 Main Street East in North Bay, Ontario. The building is secure and accessible by appointment only. The main entrance is on Main Street East, while the rear entrance and client parking are accessible from McIntyre Street. For the easiest access to the building and parking, head to Municipal Parking Lot 11 at 265 McIntyre Street, North Bay, ON P1B 1C7.
Visit our Contact Page to view photos of the building and parking lot.
There are several convenient parking options when visiting NCS. Most clients use the free designated parking spots (7 to 11) located on the left side of the private lot behind the building. Additional parking is available on Main Street (free for up to one hour) or in Municipal Parking Lot 11, which offers parking at $1 per hour. Please note that parking in the TD Bank lot is not permitted and may result in your vehicle being towed by the bank.
Visit our Contact Page to view photos of the building and parking lot.
Second to safety, confidentiality is of the utmost importance at NCS because we understand the difficulty of reaching out for professional help and the fear of being judged or having personal information exposed. NCS is committed to creating a safe and trusting environment for people to share their concerns without fear of breach of confidentiality.
You are free to share as much or as little as you are comfortable with, and NCS will respect your privacy at all times. NCS social workers are registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and must adhere to a strict professional code of ethics that also require them to maintain the confidentiality of your information. This means NCS cannot disclose your information to anyone else without your consent, either directly or indirectly.
Please know that confidentiality can be discussed at any point in your time at NCS and you can ask for answers to any questions or concerns you may have. NCS believes you deserve to have a space where you feel comfortable and confident in your journey towards personal growth and healing.
Sessions are all about creating a safe and nonjudgmental space where you can openly share your thoughts and experiences. NCS believes that you are the expert on yourself, and takes a collaborative approach to sessions to work with you to capitalize on your strengths and guide you toward the answers within. Your safety, confidentiality, and comfort are our top priorities, and we will never ask you to share or do anything that you're not comfortable with.
Because every person is unique, social workers at NCS tailor their approaches to each individual situation and set of goals and draws on a variety of theoretical frameworks and therapeutic methodologies to create and implement customized treatment plans that meet your needs. In session, you may find yourself overcoming difficult emotions and thought patterns, gaining new perspectives, and developing new skills that will support your growth and well-being.
A typical session at NCS lasts for 60 minutes, although some sessions may be longer or shorter depending on needs and preferences. The 60 minutes includes a standard 50 minutes of direct talk therapy with 10 minutes of administration which includes research, planning, and note taking. Additional time spent on research, planning, or preparation outside of session hours is a regular part of the process and is always provided at no extra cost. The standard 50 minutes provides enough time to work toward treatment goals while also allowing time to emotionally recover if the session is difficult.
Please know that your safety, confidentiality, and comfort are our top priorities at NCS, so you'll only move at the pace that works best for you.
Once you decide to move forward with services, NCS will need to gather more information about your unique situation. This may involve an intake questionnaire or discussing your experiences in-session, depending on your preference. During this stage, you'll work together with an NCS social worker to identify your challenges, strengths, and goals for therapy. From there, your social worker will use a collaborative approach, drawing on therapeutic techniques, knowledge-sharing, skill-building, and strategy implementation to help you develop your strengths and make progress toward your goals. Each session will build on the progress made in the previous session, ensuring that you feel comfortable and confident in your therapeutic work.
Throughout the entire process, you are in control. If you ever feel like you need to slow down or stop altogether, that's completely okay. It's important that you feel empowered and in charge of your therapeutic journey.
No, you do not need to have a formal mental health diagnosis to benefit from counselling or psychotherapy services. Many individuals seek my services to work through challenging life transitions, improve communication skills, manage stress and anxiety, build healthier relationships, and cultivate personal growth and fulfillment.
At NCS, the therapeutic approach to mental health focuses on the individual's unique needs, concerns, and goals, rather than on a diagnosis. Working together can help with a wide range of concerns, whether or not someone has a formal diagnosis. If you are experiencing distress or seeking support and guidance in any area of your life, therapy can offer a safe and supportive space to explore your concerns and develop strategies for positive change.
EMDR is a therapeutical approach that helps people heal from emotional distress caused by disturbing life experiences. It’s based on the idea that trauma and other overwhelming events can get “stuck” in the brain, continuing to affect how we feel, think, and react in the present.
By using a technique called bilateral stimulation, such as alternating eye movements, tapping, or sounds, EMDR helps the brain reprocess these memories so they can be stored in a more adaptive way. This process mimics what naturally happens during rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep, when our brains consolidate and make sense of our experiences.
Click here for an explanatory video from the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).
No. One of the strengths of EMDR is that you don't need to talk through every detail of what happened in order for healing to occur.
Possibly. It’s normal for emotions or physical sensations to come up during sessions. You’ll be prepared ahead of time and your therapist will help you stay grounded and manage anything that arises. Once distressing material is fully processed, it rarely comes back in the same way.
No. You remain fully awake, alert, and in control during EMDR sessions. EMDR is not about being in a trance or being led; instead, it’s about your brain doing the work it already knows how to do when given the right conditions.
It depends. The length of treatment varies based on your goals and the complexity of what you’re working through. EMDR can be effective in fewer sessions for some concerns but longer-term work may be needed for longstanding or layered issues.
Treatment Planning: With your therapist, you’ll identify your goals and create a plan. EMDR may be used alongside other therapeutic approaches, depending on what’s most helpful for you.
The EMDR Process: You’ll identify a memory, belief, or experience you want to process. Your therapist will guide you through sets of bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds) while you notice what comes up (thoughts, images, feelings, or sensations). With EMDR, you don’t need to filter or analyze; instead, just observe and report briefly between sets. This process, called dual attention stimulation, continues until the distress has been reduced and more adaptive insights emerge.
Integration: Once a memory is fully processed, you’ll work with your therapist to apply these insights to your current life.
While some services offered by social workers may be covered by OHIP, such as limited counselling provided within a Family Health Team, social workers working in private practice are self-employed and typically charge an hourly fee for their services. Although social workers and psychotherapists are regulated health professions in Ontario, their fees are not covered by OHIP. However, as of 2012, psychotherapy services provided by a registered social worker are now recognized as an income tax-deductible medical expense by Revenue Canada.
The cost of a session at NCS varies based on the type of service you require.
Our standard rate for individual therapy is $160 per 60-minute session. Couples and family sessions are $180 per 60-minute session. NCS also offers a limited number of sliding-scale sessions for those experiencing financial hardship.
Many extended health benefits plans in Ontario cover counselling or psychotherapy services — especially when provided by a Registered Social Worker (RSW). At NCS, all clinicians are required to be registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
Some insurance plans require that services be provided by an RSW with a Master of Social Work (MSW), while others accept services from any RSW regardless of degree. We’re pleased to have MSW-level social workers on our team, but coverage requirements vary; it’s best to check with your insurance provider to confirm your eligibility before your first appointment.
Nipissing Counselling Solutions is a registered provider with Medavie Blue Cross for Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and can bill directly for eligible services.
No. While we do not offer direct billing with all insurance providers, we aim to reduce financial barriers wherever possible. One way we do this is through the our Delayed Payment Plan. Instead of requiring upfront payment, we issue an invoice after the session, and clients can pay once their provider has processed the claim and issued the funds. This approach helps ease the burden of out-of-pocket costs.
If you’re unsure whether this option is a good fit for your situation, feel free to contact us and we'd be happy to walk you through it.
Yes. If you have an Indigenous status number, therapy may be fully covered through the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program. At NCS, we have approved NIHB mental health providers who can offer eligible clients access to services at no cost to you.
With NIHB, there’s no need to pay upfront. NCS will handle the billing directly so you can focus on care, not paperwork.
Payments at NCS are simple and secure. We accept credit and debit cards, and offer online payment options through our client system, Jane. You can choose to pay manually after each session or keep a card on file for automatic billing.
We also offer a delayed payment plan for clients with insurance. This payment plan allows you to wait until your claim has been processed and funds received before submitting payment.
If you’re covered under Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB), Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), or Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) programs, we can bill directly, so there’s no cost to you.
If you’re ever unsure about your coverage, we’re happy to help you sort it out.
While the rates at NCS reflect affordable access to mental health services, we know the cost of therapy can be a barrier for some people. Therefore, NCS strives to make services accessible to everyone. In doing so, we offer a limited number of sliding scale or "special fee" slots for those who are experiencing financial hardship. Additionally, individualized payment arrangements may also be available after consultation.
If you are interested in any of these payment alternatives, reach out to NCS for a free consultation. Please note that the availability of these options may vary depending on demand and cannot be guaranteed.
"Therapy," "counselling," and "psychotherapy" are often used interchangeably, however there are distinct differences:
Ultimately, the approach will depend on your unique needs and goals, and these terms often overlap in practice. Registered Social Workers are permitted to provide both counselling and psychotherapy services, combining training with a compassionate approach tailored to your specific situation.
Yes. In Ontario, Registered Social Workers (RSWs) are authorized to provide psychotherapy services. That means an RSW social worker can also use the title “psychotherapist” when it accurately reflects the work they do.
Working with a social worker offers unique advantages beyond traditional talk therapy. Social workers are typically trained not only in mental health treatment, but also in advocacy, crisis intervention, case management, and connecting clients with community resources.
This broader scope allows social workers to support clients across many areas of life including personal, relational, and social challenges. They take a holistic approach, looking at how different parts of your life (like family, work, and community) shape your well-being. Care, which isn't one-size-fits-all is tailored to your goals and your context.
Social workers are also guided by a strong commitment to social justice and equity, aiming to empower individuals while addressing barriers that impact their lives.
At NCS, our social work lens means you get a combination of therapy that’s both compassionate and practical with support that meets you where you are and helps you move forward.
Every individual is unique, and NCS understands that your identity is shaped by a variety of factors. Your experiences, background, culture, and beliefs are just a few examples of what makes you who you are. While the mental health providers at NCS may not have worked with someone exactly like you before, they have worked with individuals who have faced similar challenges and have had similar goals.
Regardless of what makes you, you, NCS is ready to provide you with unwavering support. It would be our privilege to work with and help you achieve your goals.
Making the decision to begin therapy is a valuable step towards prioritizing your mental health and well-being. When deciding who to work with, it's essential to consider the qualifications and trustworthiness of the therapist. However, just like any relationship, building trust and rapport can take time and requires a good fit.
As a therapist, Matt strives to create a safe and empathetic space where clients can freely share their experiences without fear of judgment. His practice is rooted in a combination of theoretical frameworks and therapeutic methodologies, which allows a customized approach to each individual's unique situation and goals. While many people go to Matt seeking support for challenges they cannot face alone, the most important thing to acknowledge is that they have taken the courageous step of beginning their journey to mental wellness.