High Park
Couples Therapy
IFS and IFIO therapy for couples
For Couples
I only see couples, that is all I do.
Please note that many psychotherapists say they see couples but have not been specifically trained in that modality. A good question to ask them as you search for a therapist is what percentage of their client base is couples and what is their couples specific training.
About Ted
I am 60 years old and live in Toronto, Canada with my partner, Liz. I have two grown children and a Shetland Sheepdog named Ziggy. I became a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario over a decade ago.
I have studied mindfulness, psychology and mental health at the University of Toronto - looking at the mind, consciousness, cognitive science, and health psychology, to understand the contributions of mindfulness to the modern understanding of consciousness, and mental and physical health and illness.
My particular interest lies with couples and relationships. My couples training has been with Dick Schwartz and Toni Herbine-Blank (I am a Certified IFS Therapist and an IFS-I Approved Clinical Consultant and have helped staff over 17 IFS and IFIO trainings). I have Level One and Level Two Gottman training with John Gottman. I have completed Emotionally Focused Therapy -EFT- Externship and EFT Core Skills with Gail Palmer and Sue Johnson. My family training has been with Gail Palmer (Emotionally Focused Family Therapy).
I adhere to the codes of ethics mandated by the Ontario Society of Registered Psychotherapists, the Canadian Association for Psychodynamic Therapy and the Toronto Institute for Relational Psychotherapy and provide a non-judgemental, accepting, LGBT friendly and safe environment.
My Approach
IFS and IFIO
There are many different approaches to couples therapy many of which share a lot of similarities. We call these modalities. Originally I was trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), an approach to working with couples popularized by Sue Johnson. I have also been trained in The Gottman Method, a research based modality used by John and Julie Gottman.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a my preferred approach to working with couples. Toni Herbine-Blank developed an IFS method of working with couples called Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO). I use this modality primarily since it is very understandable and has the greatest benefits for most couples
Online Sessions
I only see people online because I believe the benefits of meeting online outweigh the downsides. One of the biggest benefits is that you do not have to be physically close to my office in order for us to meet—this helps immensely with scheduling and of course there is no travel time. This is especially convenient when we have to coordinate three schedules!
Number of Sessions
There is no commitment to how many sessions you must agree to but I initially limit the number of sessions I see couples for to 10 sessions. I find this gives us some focus and also gives you a sense of expectation on pacing. My preference is to see couples every other week—this is enough time for things to naturally develop between sessions but not so much time that we are playing catch up each time we meet.
Credentials
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
Registered Psychotherapist #004659
The Council of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario is the governing body of the health regulatory college in Ontario. The College is established under the Psychotherapy Act, 2007 and the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA). To practice psychotherapy in Ontario, one must be a registered psychotherapist.
I adhere to the code of ethics mandated by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
Ontario Society of Registered Psychotherapists (OSRP)
Clinical Member
I am a former President and board member of the Ontario Society of Registered Psychotherapists. The OSRP is the professional voice of Registered Pyshcotherapists in Ontario representing the diverse clinical, economic, social and political interests of all psychotherapists.
Toronto Institute of Relational Psychotherapy (TIRP)
Graduate
My psychotherapy training is from the Toronto Institute of Relational Psychotherapy, a three year intensive theoretical and clinical training program in relational, intersubjective and psychodynamic therapy.
Internal Family Systems Institute (IFS-I)
Certified IFS Therapist
Approved Clinical Consultant
My primary approach is an IFS one. I am both a Certified IFS Therapist and an Approved Clinical Consultant with the IFS Institute. I have assisted as a staff member at over many IFS Institute Level 1 and Level 2 trainings and as an IFS Clinical Consultant have helped therapists in the becoming certified in the IFS model.
Intimacy from The Inside Out Organization (IFIO)
Regular Staff Member
Intimacy From The Inside Out builds on the work of IFS and applies it to couples. I have helped Toni Herbine-Blank and other lead staff train new and experienced couples therapists at over 15 trainings.
International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)
Clinical Member
The International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy serves as a centre of excellence for the promotion of secure, resilient individuals and successful relationships between partners and within families. Their mission includes the further expansion and refinement of the Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) model through process and outcome research. Another central aspect of their mission is to educate health professionals and to increase public awareness about the efficacy of EFT and its role in strengthening relationship bonds and mental health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting started with me is simple. Just reach out via email to schedule your appointment. My hours of practice are weekdays between 9 am and 3 pm in the Eastern Time Zone. I do not see clients on weekends or in the evenings. At the moment I have very few openings so it may be difficult for us to find a perfect time for us to meet but I will do my best to accommodate everyone's needs.
During a therapy session you can expect a secure and confidential environment where you and your partner can openly discuss your thoughts and feelings. I will actively listen, offer guidance, and collaborate with you to explore solutions and foster growth within your relationship. The first session tends to be a lot of information gathering; the second session will give us a good sense of how well we work as a team.
If you have coverage for Registered Psychotherapists (which is what I am) then my fee is often reimbursable to you through your insurance company but not always; it will depend on the exact policy you have. If you have coverage for Registered Psychotherapists then I will be covered. The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) does not cover psychotherapy unfortunately.
At our tenth session, we will evaluate our progress towards your stated goals, at which point we can consider extending the number of sessions as needed at that time.
My preference is to always see you together. There are rare occasions when seeing one or both of you on your own may be beneficial but that is decided on a case by case basis. I don't take on clients for individual work but if you contact me I can recommend some excellent IFS therapists.
Certainly. I see siblings, business partners, housemates, friends. If you are in relationship to another person and you are struggling then I would be glad to help you.
Yes! If you are located in the US or internationally the fee for individuals is $250 USD (€230 in Europe and £190 in Great Britain) per 50 minute session. All taxes are included. The fee for couples is also $250 USD per 50 minute session but couples therapy benefits from 75 minute sessions (in other words, one and a half regular sessions) and that is my preference. For those 75 minute sessions that comes to $375 USD (€345 in Europe and £285 in Great Britain). The fee can be paid prior to the session either by PayPal or Wise.com to tleckie@gmail.com. One thing to note is that I am physically located in Toronto, Canada. My regulating college (the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario) does not prohibit me providing services internationally but there may be jurisdiction-specific laws in your country or state that guide the work of health care professionals; for example, health care consent laws, information privacy laws, vulnerable person protection laws, and so on that may or may not meet practice standards in your jurisdiction. There may be other restrictions or considerations in providing counselling or psychotherapy services where you live that I am unaware of. With all that in mind, if we do decide to proceed then I would suggest that we consider what we do “relationship coaching” rather than “therapy” and that the services would be considered as happening in Ontario, Canada. If that is all okay for you then we can proceed.
Fees
The fee for couples is $250 per 50 minute session but most couples therapy benefits from 75 minute sessions (in other words, one and a half regular sessions) and that is my preference. For those 75 minute sessions that means $375.
If you have coverage for Registered Psychotherapists (which is what I am) then this fee is often reimbursable to you through your insurance company but not always; it will depend on the exact policy you have. If you have coverage for Registered Psychotherapists then I will be covered.