I've spent the better part of my career building Myndplan for my clients. Now that I'm winding down my practice, I've decided to open it up to the public. It's my way of giving back to the community that supported me through the years in my work as a clinical psychologist. Plus, the prospect of marketing a product that was built to help people improve their mental health just doesn't appeal to me.

You can view your results at any time. Dr. Shepherd can also access your results, but will only do so with your consent. No one else can access your data without your consent.

Development of the scans required the generation of a large item pool, which was then completed by a large number of subjects, with the resulting data subjected to statistical procedures designed to reveal an underlying structure. Repeated testing was conducted on additional samples to fine tune item selection and establish reliability and validity.

No psychological test of any sort can provide a psychological diagnosis. Only a qualified health professional who is licensed to perform the act of diagnosis can do this. However, most psychologists use questionnaires like the scans to support this process.

A mental health diagnosis is useful in determining the most appropriate treatment for your symptoms. This is because most research-backed treatments are tested on groups that have a specific diagnosis and compare the results to a healthy control group.

This means that the treatment has stood up to rigorous scientific testing, including comparison to a placebo control group or a wait-list control group.

While recent research suggests that self-directed treatment using online tools can be effective, most findings indicate that face-to-face delivery provides the strongest results.

Most qualified therapists used validated treatments like those contained in the Toolbox. They are always looking for resources to help support their work that clients can use between sessions.

The research is pretty clear that most medications only provide partial relief from symptoms. Augmenting your use of medication with other validated treatments is a way of increasing the likelihood of you feeling better, and ensuring that the change you experience lasts.

Many therapists offer at least some pro-bono services, usually for clients who can't afford to pay for therapy. In the present case, I do it because I love to help others and no longer depend on a paycheque to survive.

No. During consults I am acting as an expert in my field, but not in my capacity as a clinical psychologist. I can however answer any questions you have about what goes into a diagnosis and why this might be relevant when you are trying to make sense of your own symptoms.

Not at all. As with providing a diagnosis, therapy is a controlled act in most states and provinces, and there are lots of rules governing who delivers it and how. A quick online consult may help answer some important questions that you have about treatment, but it is not therapy.

Anyone, anywhere can book a consult with me.

No. You must provide your legal name and current address or other suitable contact information. This is a requirement set out by the College of Psychologists of Ontario in their Standards of Practice. I also require accurate identifying information for any other services that I provide.

Research evidence so far suggests that the online experience matches traditional face-to-face sessions with respect to both client satisfaction and treatment outcomes.

Dr. Shepherd uses Google Meet. Once you establish a meeting time, you will be sent a session link by email. This grants you entry to the meeting space. You do not need to install any additional software or apps to attend the session.

I offer a variety of services that are delivered through video sessions. In addition to providing assessment and therapy, I can answer questions about how the scans work and explain Myndplan content. I also provide mentoring to other therapists.

I can only engage in controlled acts - such as providing psychological assessment and treatment services - for residents of Ontario. However, when it comes to questions about the content of Myndplan Scans and Toolkits or other working relationships, such as getting some coaching or mentoring, anyone can talk to me.

Dr. Shepherd uses Google Meet for sessions. It is  is an advanced VoIP and videoconferencing service that can be used by healthcare providers to provide telehealth services, remote consultations, and virtual patient visits, and is HIPAA compliant.

I offer a free 15 minute consult to anyone who wants to learn more about therapy, mentoring, or anything to do with Myndplan. For those who want to to follow up, whether for therapy or just to ask more questions, I book using 15 minute intervals. So you can spend as much or as little time talking to me as you want.

Sessions provided by Dr. Shepherd can be paid by e-transfer from your bank account. Direct the payment to dr.r.shepherd@gmail.com.

In the province of Ontario, most insurers cover part or all the costs of psychotherapy when it is provided by a registered psychologist. However, check with your insurer to determine the limits of your policy. Currently psychological services are not covered by public health insurance plans, such as OHIP.