Frequently Asked Questions

Do you do a free consultation?

No, as 15-30 minutes will never be enough time to feel if our dynamic is a good fit. An Initial Counselling Appointment will invite you to be curious about what you want most from yourself, with a pace that enables us to figure out if it’s a good fit for both of us. There will never be an expectation to continue booking, as the relationship needs to be supportive in order to bring about the change you are wanting for yourself.

Do you diagnose?

No, only psychiatrists and psychologists can diagnose mental health disorders.

Do you do direct billing?

No, you will be sent an invoice after our session that you can send to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Are your services covered under benefits?

It depends! Please check if your insurance/benefits provider covers "Psychotherapy", as I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). If yes, you can submit invoices to your insurance company for reimbursement.

What is the cost?

Each 50-minute session costs a total of $170

How can I book?

To book an initial session, you can email me at hello@andreabessa.com to determine what would best fit your needs. You can also join the waitlist for an appointment through my online booking system. 

*For new clients, please choose: Initial Counselling Appointment

What approaches do you use and what are they used for?

My work is grounded primarily in the Neuroaffective Relational Model (NARM), a nervous system and relational-oriented approach that addresses the attachment patterns underlying long-standing psychobiological symptoms and interpersonal difficulties. NARM focuses less on symptoms themselves and more on the deeper organizing patterns that keep them in place, helping clients reconnect with a fuller sense of themselves and their capacity for connection. You can learn more about NARM here: https://narmtraining.com/what-is-narm/

I also draw on Somatic Experiencing (SE), a body-based approach to trauma resolution rooted in the understanding that unresolved responses to threatening experiences can remain held in the body, continuing to shape how we feel and function. You can read more about SE at www.traumahealing.com.

For complex trauma, I use Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), a neurophysiological approach that works with midbrain and brainstem structures involved in the body’s earliest orienting response to shock and threat. By focusing on the physical tension that arises before the emotional response, DBR allows traumatic memory to be processed in a highly titrated way, without becoming overwhelming. I may also use neuroaffective touch and primitive reflex integration, a modality that uses gentle, movement- and touch-based techniques to support nervous system regulation and help the body become a safer place to notice and feel.

You can learn more about DBR here: https://deepbrainreorienting.com/, about neuroaffective touch here: https://neuroaffectivetouch.com/, and about primitive reflex integration (RMTi) here: https://rhythmicmovement.org/