Service
Vehicle desensitisation
Regaining confidence behind the wheel, one kilometre at a time.
After a road accident, getting back behind the wheel (or even being a passenger) can become an unbearable source of dread. Vehicle desensitisation in psychoeducation is a structured process for reducing travel-related anxiety and giving you back your freedom of movement.
What we do
Taming the road, one kilometre at a time
Unlike a driving school, we do not work on your technique. We work on managing your emotional response to the road.
- Mapping the triggers. Pinpointing exactly what generates the fear: highways, bridges, weather, particular intersections.
- Preparation first. Teaching calming techniques (breathing, grounding, restructuring catastrophic thoughts) before you even get into a car.
- Gradual exposure, in vivo. We are physically with you in your vehicle. We start simple (sitting in a parked car) and work towards the situations you dread, at your pace.
- Getting the confidence back. Turning avoidance into a sense of control and safety.
What it brings
What this support gives you
- A reassuring presence. The psychoeducator is beside you to adjust the exercise and step in if the anxiety gets too sharp.
- Real routes. We practise on your everyday journeys (work, the school run, the grocery store) so the gains are immediately useful.
- Works with SAAQ files. This service is frequently covered as part of a rehabilitation plan after a road accident.
- Built around you. No needless pressure. The exposure plan is built to your own tolerance threshold.
Practical terms
Fees and travel
- Opening a file$30
A file-opening fee, payable to cover the initial call, the creation of the client file and holding a place in one of our psychoeducators’ schedules.
- Assessment meeting$175
A 90-minute meeting to assess needs.
- Follow-up meeting$120
A 50-minute meeting to work on the needs identified at the assessment.
- Desensitisation session$180 + travel if required
An 80-minute session working on desensitisation to triggers, of which roughly 50 minutes is active desensitisation.
- Travel fee$50 / 30 min
Per 30 minutes of travel, one way only. We charge the outbound trip alone, which is why the figure looks higher; it covers the psychoeducator’s travel time and mileage.
Where this service is offered
Available anywhere in Quebec by teleconsultation.
- Montréal
- Saint-Eustache
- Oka
- Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac
- Deux-Montagnes
- Boisbriand
- Rosemère
- Bois-des-Filion
- Sainte-Thérèse
- Blainville
- Mirabel
- Saint-Jérôme
- Lachute
- Saint-Colomban
- Prévost
- Saint-Sauveur
- Morin-Heights
- Sainte-Adèle
- Val-Morin
- Val-David
Frequently asked
What people ask us most
Do I have to drive in the first session?
Absolutely not. The first meeting is for assessing your needs and giving you calming tools. Physical exposure only begins once you feel ready and equipped.
Do you offer this if I am only a passenger?
Yes. Travel anxiety affects passengers too. We work on desensitisation whether you are behind the wheel or in the seat beside it.
How long is an exposure session?
Desensitisation sessions are often longer (around 80 minutes) so the nervous system has time to settle during the exercise and consolidate what was learned.
What if I have a panic attack while driving?
Preventing exactly that is our job. We progress in steps small enough that the anxiety stays manageable. If something sharp does come up, we have immediate stop-and-settle protocols.
What does a desensitisation follow-up look like?
It involves two assessment meetings, followed by psychological education on strategies for managing the stress and symptoms that can arise while driving. After that we put a gradual exposure plan in place. Together, the psychoeducator and the client set the order of exposures while driving, from least to most stressful. The goal is getting back on the road safely and functionally.
My car was written off. Can I still do desensitisation?
It depends. We can work on desensitisation with you as a passenger in the psychoeducator’s car if needed. But if you need to be desensitised to driving itself, you will need your own vehicle.
You will not drive in the first session
We start where you feel comfortable, and move at your pace from there.
Or call directly: 438-403-6597