Psychiatric Consultation Services
Now offering psychiatric assessments, diagnosis, and medication management, without the referral or the wait. Our Nurse Practitioner sees clients aged 14 and up anywhere in Ontario, working alongside your existing therapist or as your first step into care.
Virtual appointments across Ontario Open to everyone, not just Lotus clients
Why this matters
Accessing specialized psychiatric support in Ontario can be challenging. That’s why Lotus offers it in house. Our Nurse Practitioner provides psychiatric assessment, diagnostic clarification, and medication management, in the same practice as your therapist.
Short wait times and clear, up front fees mean you can get a full range of mental health support from one team. You don’t need a referral, and you don’t need to be a Lotus therapy client. For people who need a psychiatrist’s consultation specifically, that pathway is still available: see below.
Who you’ll see
Meet our Nurse Practitioner
Shahnawaz Ali, NP
Shahnawaz Ali is a Nurse Practitioner who has specialized in psychiatry and addiction care across a fifteen-year nursing career. His clinical experience spans hospital and community settings, working with a wide range of ages and presentations.
He holds a Master of Nursing from the University of Toronto, where he is now on faculty, teaching other nurse practitioners in advanced mental health and addiction care. His training includes cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and motivational interviewing. He has worked in psychiatric inpatient and outpatient departments across Canada, in the community with the Canadian Mental Health Association, and in clinical and leadership roles at private clinics across the Greater Toronto Area.
His approach is holistic and functional: care built around your particular life rather than a protocol, and attention to what is underneath the symptoms rather than only the symptoms themselves. He deliberately keeps his practice independent of any pharmaceutical company affiliation, so that his recommendations are unbiased. Those recommendations might be medication, or therapy, or a change in sleep, or a considered decision to wait.
Outside of work, Shahnawaz lives in Georgetown with his family and enjoys the outdoors, travel, gaming, and music.
Credentials and experience
- Master of Nursing, University of Toronto
- Faculty, University of Toronto: teaching advanced mental health and addiction care to nurse practitioners
- 15 years in nursing, specialized in psychiatry and addiction
- Experience across psychiatric inpatient and outpatient care, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and private clinics in the GTA
- Trained in CBT, DBT, ACT, and motivational interviewing
Scope of practice
What a Nurse Practitioner can do
Comprehensive psychiatric assessment
A full diagnostic assessment that looks at symptoms, history, physical health, sleep, substance use, and the life you’re actually living, not a fifteen-minute checklist.
Diagnosis
Nurse Practitioners in Ontario diagnose independently. You’ll leave with a clear formulation of what’s going on and why, in language you can use.
Prescribing and medication management
Starting, adjusting, switching, and tapering medication, with follow-ups built in, so nobody is left on a prescription that stopped working two years ago.
Lab work and investigations
Ordering and interpreting bloodwork and other tests where they’re relevant to your mental health picture: thyroid, iron, B12, medication monitoring.
Forms and documentation
Work and school accommodation letters, insurance and disability paperwork, sick notes, and return-to-work documentation.
Referrals and coordination
Referrals to specialists where they’re needed, and, with your consent, direct communication with your Lotus therapist and family doctor so everyone is working from the same plan.
What we treat
Areas of care
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Depression
- OCD
- PTSD and trauma
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance use and addiction
- Mood dysregulation
- Sleep difficulties
- Stress and burnout
Nurse Practitioner appointments are available to clients aged 14 and up, virtually, anywhere in Ontario.
Therapy and medication, in one place
Many people do best with both. If you are already seeing a therapist at Lotus, your Nurse Practitioner can coordinate directly with them, with your consent, so your medication and your therapy are working toward the same goals instead of running on separate tracks.
If you are coming to us only for psychiatric care, that is equally welcome. There is no requirement to start or continue therapy here, and no requirement to be an existing Lotus client before you book.
If you would like both, our team can help you find a therapist to see alongside your Nurse Practitioner appointments, and you can look through the full range of services we offer.
Nurse Practitioner or psychiatrist?
Which one do I need?
| Feature | Nurse Practitioner | Psychiatrist |
|---|---|---|
| Referral | Not required, book directly | Must be initiated by your clinician |
| Typical wait | Weeks | Often many months |
| What happens | Assessment, diagnosis, prescribing, and ongoing follow-up | Consultation and recommendations, usually sent back to your primary care provider |
| Ongoing care | Yes, your Nurse Practitioner manages your medication over time | Usually not; prescribing typically returns to your family doctor |
| Cost | Private pay: assessments from $295 for 60 minutes, follow-ups from $100 | Covered by OHIP with a valid health card |
| Who can book | Anyone in Ontario, aged 14+ | Existing clients, by clinician referral |
| Where | Virtual, across Ontario | Virtual, across Ontario |
For most people, the Nurse Practitioner is the faster and more complete option: you get assessment, a prescription, and someone who keeps managing it over time. A psychiatrist’s consultation is most useful for complex or treatment-resistant presentations where a second medical opinion is specifically warranted, and it’s initiated by your clinician rather than booked directly. If you’re not sure which fits, ask your therapist or call us and we’ll help you sort it out.
How it works
Getting started
- 1
Book directly
No referral, no waitlist, and no need to be an existing Lotus client. Book online or call us.
- 2
Initial assessment
A 60-minute virtual appointment with our Nurse Practitioner, 90 minutes if you’re coming for an ADHD assessment. Bring any medication history, previous assessments, and questions. You’ll leave with a diagnostic picture and a plan.
- 3
Treatment and follow-up
If medication is part of the plan, a prescription goes to your pharmacy the same day. Follow-ups are booked in the length you actually need: closer together and longer while adjusting a medication, brief and further apart once you’re stable.
- 4
Coordinated care
With your consent, your Nurse Practitioner communicates with your Lotus therapist and your family doctor so your treatment stays joined up.
What it costs
Fees
Nurse Practitioner appointments are not covered by OHIP. Most benefit plans do not cover Nurse Practitioner services, though some extended health plans will reimburse them. You’ll need to check directly with your insurer before booking, as coverage varies by plan.
Fees are transparent, with no subscription or membership required.
| Appointment | Length | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| ADHD Assessment | 90 minutes | $495 |
| Mental Health Assessment | 60 minutes | $295 |
| Follow-ups | From 15 minutes | Starting at $100 |
Follow-ups are booked à la carte, starting at 15 minutes: a short check-in after a dose change costs less than a full review, so you pay for the time you actually use.
Also available
Psychiatric consultation
Lotus Counselling Services offers access to psychiatric consultation for eligible clients as part of a collaborative mental health care model. Psychiatric consultations are covered through OHIP for clients with a valid Ontario health card.
A referral is required from a physician or primary care provider before an appointment can be booked. Referrals are reviewed for appropriateness and availability.
When a consultation is accepted, the psychiatrist may provide diagnostic impressions, medication recommendations, and treatment planning suggestions. Ongoing prescribing and follow-up care may remain with the client’s primary care provider unless otherwise arranged.
If what you need is someone to assess you and manage your medication over time, the Nurse Practitioner is likely the better fit.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Nurse Practitioner care
Is a Nurse Practitioner the same as a psychiatrist?
No, though their work overlaps considerably in mental health care. A psychiatrist is a physician who has specialized in psychiatry. A Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse with graduate-level education and an expanded scope of practice that includes diagnosing, ordering and interpreting tests, prescribing medication, and making referrals. In practice, for most mental health concerns, a Nurse Practitioner can do what you came for, and can usually do it much sooner.
Do I need a referral to see the Nurse Practitioner?
No. You can book directly.
Do I have to be a Lotus therapy client?
No. Anyone in Ontario can book a Nurse Practitioner appointment. Many clients do find that having their therapist and their prescriber in the same practice is what makes the difference, but it isn’t a requirement.
How old do I have to be?
Nurse Practitioner appointments are available to clients aged 14 and up.
Can a Nurse Practitioner prescribe medication?
Yes. Nurse Practitioners in Ontario prescribe independently, including most psychiatric medications, and can start, adjust, and taper them over time.
Is it covered by OHIP?
No. Nurse Practitioner appointments in private practice are not covered by OHIP, and most benefit plans don’t cover them either, though some extended health plans will reimburse Nurse Practitioner services. Check with your insurer before booking. Psychiatric consultation with our physician is OHIP-covered, when initiated by your clinician.
Can I keep my family doctor?
Yes, and we’d encourage it. With your consent, your Nurse Practitioner will keep your family doctor informed so your care stays coordinated rather than duplicated.
Can you assess and treat ADHD?
Yes. ADHD assessment and treatment is one of our Nurse Practitioner’s areas of focus, for adults and for youth aged 14 and up. The initial ADHD assessment is a 90-minute appointment.
Are appointments in person or virtual?
Virtual. Nurse Practitioner appointments are offered online anywhere in Ontario.
Is this a crisis service?
No. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call 911, go to your nearest emergency department, or contact your local crisis service.
Disclaimer
Psychiatric consultation is not a crisis service. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 911, go to your nearest emergency department, or contact a local crisis service.
Ready to take the next step?
Ready to talk to someone who can help with medication?
Book directly with our Nurse Practitioner: no referral, no waitlist, and no need to be a Lotus client. Or reach out and we’ll help you figure out whether a Nurse Practitioner appointment or a psychiatric referral makes more sense for you.
Prefer to book by phone? Call (289) 895-8906 or toll-free 1-855-695-6887.
Nurse Practitioner appointments are virtual. Our office is at 299 Dundas Street East, Waterdown, ON L0R 2H6.