The emotional cost of being unable to access services quickly can be high. When seeking psychotherapy/counselling services, there is generally an issue that is pressing to the point that it resulted in taking action to schedule an appointment. Without timely access to service, problems tend to get worse, and in some cases, new problems arise that can negatively impact all facets of an individual’s life. This can all be quite discouraging.    

At Sullivan + Associates, we do our best to provide quick access to service and have consistently added Clinicians to our clinic to help reduce wait times. Typically, we are able to book initial psychotherapy/ counseling appointments within 1 to 2 weeks. In some instances, appointments within the week are available as openings in therapist’s schedules become available. We also do our best to ensure that regular appointments are available after the first session. 

Psychological assessments are often requested for a variety of reasons, including: diagnostic clarification, treatment recommendations, access to supports and services, and to aid in funding applications. Lengthy wait lists for an assessment can result in discouragement, loss of motivation, ongoing school or workplace difficulties and challenges with self-esteem. With autism assessments, a quick first appointment can be especially critical, especially with younger children. New studies show that early identification and treatment (techniques taught to parents) of infants with the first signs of autism can reduce symptoms by as early as age 3.

As such, we attempt to schedule psychological assessments within 1 to 3 weeks, whenever possible. A feedback session is typically scheduled approximately 1 – 2 weeks after the initial appointment. More specialized assessments, such as psychoeducational, Autism and Neuropsychological assessments, generally takes 4-6 weeks to book, although this time frame can increase during busier times of the year. Due to the complexity and time intensive nature of these assessments, it generally takes 6 weeks to complete the report and schedule a feedback session.