I provide speech-language pathology services for preschoolers, school-aged children, teenagers, and adults. I support individuals with a wide range of communication needs, including speech sound disorders, language delays, autism, social communication differences, AAC (augmentative and alternative communication), and more.
No. A physician’s referral is not required to book an appointment. Families, individuals, schools, physicians, and other professionals are all welcome to contact me directly.
The first appointment is an opportunity to get to know the client. We will discuss your concerns, review relevant history, and determine whether an assessment, consultation, or therapy is the best next step. This takes approximately one hour.
If available, please bring any previous assessment reports, school reports, Inclusion and Intervention plans, hearing test results, or other relevant documents. This information helps build a complete understanding of communication strengths and support needs.
All other intake forms should have been filled out prior to coming to the first session.
Appointment length depends on the service provided. Most therapy sessions are 30–60 minutes, while assessments may require multiple appointments depending on the individual’s age and needs.
I provide comprehensive speech, language, social communication, and AAC assessments using standardized and functional assessment tools. Every assessment includes individualized recommendations and a written report when appropriate.
My practice is neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based, and relationship-focused. Therapy is individualized, meaningful, and designed collaboratively with clients and families. I value communication in all its forms and focus on supporting participation in everyday life.
Yes! I have extensive experience supporting autistic children and teens. Services focus on building communication, self-advocacy, AAC, social understanding, and meaningful participation without expecting individuals to mask who they are.
Absolutely. Parent and caregiver involvement is encouraged whenever appropriate. Communication strategies are often most successful when they are used consistently across home, school, and community settings.
Yes. With consent, I collaborate with teachers, educational assistants, and other professionals to help support communication across environments.
Virtual services may be available for consultations, parent coaching, certain assessments, and therapy, depending on the individual’s goals and needs.
Fees vary depending on the type and length of service. Please contact Joshua Tree Learning Centre for current rates.
Many extended health benefit plans provide coverage for speech-language pathology services. Coverage varies by insurer, so I recommend checking directly with your benefits provider.
Recommendations are based on each individual’s goals, strengths, and needs. Some clients benefit from weekly therapy, while others may attend less frequently with home practice or caregiver coaching between sessions.
If you have concerns about your child’s speech, language, understanding, social communication, or communication development, an assessment can help determine whether support would be beneficial. You do not need to wait for someone else to recommend an assessment.
I believe communication is more than talking. My practice emphasizes respectful, collaborative care that honours each person’s unique strengths, communication style, and goals. I work closely with families and other professionals to create practical strategies that support meaningful participation at home, school, work, and in the community.
Simply reach out through the contact form, email, or phone and someone from Joshua Tree Learning Centre will help determine which service best meets your needs and guide you through the booking process.
Most benefit plans cover psychological services. We recommend you contact your insurer to find what and how much your plan covers. We will provide you with itemized invoices to submit to your insurer for reimbursement.
Due to the high demand for assessment services and ongoing waitlists, Joshua Tree Learning Centre requires a $240 deposit to reserve assessment appointments.
The deposit helps ensure that appointment spaces are held for families who are ready to begin the assessment process while allowing us to provide timely access to services for other clients on our waitlist.
Our assessment services are individualized to meet your specific needs. At your intake appointment, your psychologist will provide you with a quote for services. Once you agree to this quote, the assessment process can begin and appointments will be booked accordingly.
If you are a post-secondary student with a suspected or confirmed learning disability, you can receive up to $22,000.00 per program year through the Canada-Saskatchewan Grant for Services and Equipment. This grant can reimburse the costs of a psycho-educational assessment used to officially verify your learning disability and academic accommodation needs.
First Nations children under 18 (living on or off reserve) who require a developmental, behavioural, or psychological assessment can secure full funding through the federal Jordan’s Principle Initiative. This covers a wide range of health and educational assessment needs without requiring a pre-existing diagnosis.
Métis individuals can apply to Métis Nation to secure funding for a variety of mental health services, such as Tutoring, Counselling, and Psycho-Educational Assessments.
Residents aged 16 and older who have a disability and require extraordinary support to find or keep a job may qualify for provincial employment program funding. This funding can specifically be used to conduct psycho-educational and vocational work assessments to determine your workplace accommodations.
If you have private health insurance (such as Blue Cross, Canada Life, or Sun life), your policy may feature a psychological services allowance. Check with your provider to see if they cover the services of a Registered Psychologist performing diagnostic testing.
A psycho-educational assessment consists of a series of appointments. The first appointment is the intake meeting with parents and is 60 minutes. The testing appointments are typically 3-4 hours and are with the psychologist or psychometrist. The time may vary depending on the assessment required. This will be discussed with you at your initial appointment. The psychometrist works under the direction of a Registered Psychologist and only administers the tests. The final appointment to go over the results is 60 minutes. The length of time to complete the assessment from initial intake to final debrief will vary depending on the specific needs addressed in the assessment. This will be determined at your initial session.
We typically book 3 months in advance for assessments. Once a spot opens up, we will have a Placement Coordinator contact you for booking. We work very hard to streamline our processes to ensure wait times for assessments are reasonable.
Yes, ADHD assessment is part of the comprehensive psycho-educational assessment. This allows us to make a thorough differential diagnosis.
Yes, these are terms for learning disabilities that we assess for in our psycho-educational assessment.
Yes, we assess cognitive and adaptive functioning as part of our psycho-educational assessment.
Most benefit plans will cover the cost of psychological services. We encourage you to contact your provider prior to booking to determine if your plan provides this coverage.
Due to the high demand for assessment services and ongoing waitlists, Joshua Tree Learning Centre requires a $240 deposit to reserve assessment appointments.
The deposit helps ensure that appointment spaces are held for families who are ready to begin the assessment process while allowing us to provide timely access to services for other clients on our waitlist.
Our assessments are individualized to meet your specific needs. A quote will be provided at your initial appointment. Once the quote is approved by you, the series of assessment appointments will be scheduled.
We can assess for ages 3 and up. For children younger than 6 we encourage an assessment with our speech and language pathologist, your pediatrician and a psychologist.
If you are a returning client, you can book online using your Jane account. If you are a new client, we ask that you contact our office for a placement call with our Placement Coordinator. This helps us place you with a counsellor that will meet your needs. At this time your Jane profile will be set up and online booking will be enabled.
Yes, written consent is required by all legal guardians, and it is the guardian(s) responsibility to ensure all documentation is signed prior to the first visit. If there are special circumstances, such as legal agreements or lack of, please contact our office for more information and guidance in this area.
Once your child turns 18 they are able to provide consent for their own counselling services.
Counselling with a practicum student costs $100. Practicum students are supervised by a Registered Psychologist.
Counselling with a Canadian Certified Counsellor is $190. Please note, that Canadian Certified Counsellors are not covered under all insurance plans. You are encouraged to check with your provider to confirm you have coverage before booking.
The price for counselling with a Registered Psychologist or Registered Psychologist (Provisional) is $240.
The price is $175.
The price is $190.
We provide direct billing for CanadaLife, Manulife, and Greenshield. We do not provide direct billing for all insurers, and not all of our clinicians are direct billable. Please ask our admin team, prior to booking, if we are able to direct bill for your specific plan and clinician.
A psychologist has studied psychology at the masters or doctoral level and has completed supervised placements, written a licensing exam, completed an oral licensing exam and is licensed with a college. They are able to administer psychological assessments and provide diagnoses. They can also provide counseling therapy. A psychologist can not prescribe medication.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental illness. Psychiatrists are able to prescribe medication. Psychiatrists in Saskatchewan do not typically provide counselling therapy.
A counsellor has a masters degree. They do not conduct assessments or provide diagnoses. They focus on mental wellness and providing treatment.
A social worker can provide counseling with either a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree. They do not conduct assessments or provide diagnoses. They focus on mental wellness and providing treatment.
A psychometrist has either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in psychology with specific training in conducting psychological assessments. They only administer assessments. They do not purchase assessment tools, interpret results or diagnose. They do not provide counseling.
Yes, all of our counselors provide both in person and online services.
We typically provide direct counseling support to individuals aged 3 and above. Often when children are younger than 5, we provide counselling support to the parents/guardian which can be very beneficial in addressing the needs of their child.
Yes, the counselors who are NIHB approved are: Catherine Young, Karen Wotherspoon, Tiara Hogberg, Laura Tendler and Brittany Doncaster, Sophie Littlechief.
Yes, we offer family counseling both in person and online.
If you are working with Joan Helmsing, then your tutoring sessions may be covered by insurance. We encourage you to check with your provider prior to booking.
If you are working with Upasna, your tutoring sessions will not be covered by insurance, however they may be covered if you have a health spending account.
Sessions can be provided both online and in person.
