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FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Sex therapy is a specialized form of talk therapy that focuses on sexuality, intimacy and relationships. It's a space to explore things like desire, pleasure, arousal, pain, shame, identity, and communication with partners, as well as how your sexual self fits with the rest of your life.
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I don't see sex as separate from everything else. Stress, grief, past experiences, how we were raised and how we relate to others all show up in our sex lives. Our sex lives, in turn, often shape how we feel about ourselves and our relationships. So even if we start with a specific sexual concern, we'll look at the whole picture.
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As an AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist, I've completed specialized training beyond my counselling education. You're welcome to come on your own, with a partner or with partners. All bodies, identities, orientations and relationship structures are welcome here.
The first question you have to answer is if you're looking to work on yourself as an individual, or on your relationship with your partner. When partners come to see me, I'm 'the relationships' therapist. The context of the lives of those who are in the relationship is taken into account when healing and building the relationship, however we are not working on individual issues.
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Once you know if you're coming to work on individual issues or as part of a partnership, that's the important part.
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Many clients who see me for sex concerns find that they bring up issues from other areas of their lives, and that’s all right. On the other hand, clients who step foot in my office to manage anxiety or stress issues are surprised when they begin discussing their sex life! There’s nothing wrong with this, and I want to support you with what you initially bring into the therapy room, in addition to whatever comes up throughout our work together. This also happens when couples come to see me, perhaps the original issue was sex-related, but they have worked on communication skills that have helped them schedule and logistically run their lives.
Absolutely. Many people do. You don't need a partner to work on your relationship with your body, pleasure or intimacy, and partnered concerns can also be explored individually.
No. Sex therapy is talk therapy. There is never any touching, nudity or sexual activity in session, whether we meet in person or online.
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With your consent, we may sometimes bring gentle awareness to your body in session, like noticing your breath or where you feel something. Between sessions, I might suggest things to explore on your own or with a partner, like reflection prompts, reading or body-based exercises. These are always optional, happen in your own space, and go at a pace that feels right for you.
Therapy looks different for everyone, so there's no set number of sessions. How long it takes depends on what you're hoping to work on, how ready you feel to explore it, and how comfortable you are approaching tender or difficult topics. It also depends on what else is going on in your life, like your physical and mental health, your schedule, and how much space you have for practice between sessions.
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Many people start with weekly or every-other-week sessions and space them out as things begin to shift.
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We'll check in on your progress together along the way and adjust our approach if something isn't working. You're always welcome to pause or end therapy whenever it feels right for you.
Yes. As a Certified Canadian Counsellor and an AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist, I'm ethically obligated under the CCPA and AASECT codes of ethics to protect the confidentiality of our work together and everything you share with me.
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There are a few rare situations where I'm legally or ethically required to share information:
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1. When sharing information is necessary to prevent serious harm to you or someone else*
2. When I'm ordered to by a court
3. When the law requires it, such as reporting concerns about the safety of a child or of an adult in care
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*If you're having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, we can talk about this openly in session without me breaking confidentiality. If you tell me you have immediate plans to end your life, or to harm yourself in a way that could put your life at risk, and we aren't able to make a safety plan together for the next 24 to 48 hours, I may be required to break confidentiality and get you additional support.
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If you have any questions or concerns about confidentiality, please reach out to me and we can talk it through.
New clients: The best place to start is my contact page. Send me a note about what you're hoping to work on, and I'll get back to you about availability and next steps, including a free consultation call. If my caseload is full, I'm happy to add you to my waitlist.
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Current clients: You can book, view and manage your sessions anytime through the client portal. If it's been more than six months since your last session, please send me a quick email before rebooking so we can get you set up again.
Yes. I offer sessions by secure video, as well as in person in Winnipeg.
My fee is $135 for individual sessions and $160 for couples sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes long, allowing me 10 minutes to review the file and finish note-taking.
I offer a limited number of spots on a sliding scale; however, those spots are currently full.Many insurance plans include coverage for psychotherapy, but this varies depending on your provider and your specific plan. I recommend contacting your insurance provider to confirm your coverage. When you do, you'll need the following information:
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Mikayla Lanoie, MACP; Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCPA #10008188); Certified Sex Therapist (AASECT #1404388)
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Unfortunately, I cannot offer direct billing at this time. After payment, I will send you a detailed receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement if your coverage provides.
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Please note: Insurance providers don't cover no-show fees, cancellation fees or late-notice rebooking fees, so you'll need to pay these out of pocket. You can still submit the receipt to your insurance provider if your plan might cover it.
Payment is due at the end of each session. You can pay by e-transfer, by credit card kept securely on file through my client portal, or with cash at in-person sessions. Card payments include a 2.4% processing fee.
Life happens, and I understand that plans sometimes change. I ask for at least 48 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule, which gives me a chance to offer that time to someone else.
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Please use the client portal to cancel or reschedule. Once you're within 48 hours of your session, the portal won't let you make changes, so please email me at info@mikaylalanoie.com instead.
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• 24 to 48 hours' notice: 50% of the session fee
• Less than 24 hours' notice, or a missed session: the full session fee
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If you're more than 20 minutes late without letting me know, the session counts as missed. If you arrive late, we'll still end at the scheduled time and the full fee applies.
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If you've opted in, I'll send you a reminder 48 hours before each session. The policy applies whether or not you get a reminder.
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Insurance providers don't cover cancellation or missed-session fees, so you'll need to pay these out of pocket.