Psychotherapy is more commonly referred to as “therapy”. Psychotherapy is a form of communicating between a practitioner and client to help address mental distress, mental illness, or life’s challenges. There are different techniques that can be used in a psychotherapy session to achieve the client’s goals. You may see practitioners advertise a variety of modalities such as DBT, CBT, IFS, EMDR, EFT, etc., which can get confusing. You can find a breakdown of the different types of therapy on the Psychology today website.

I personally believe that anyone can benefit from psychotherapy. However, an individual seeking psychotherapy has to be open or willing to open up to the process in order to receive its benefits. One of the wonderful parts of therapy is that you have someone who is detached from your personal life, dedicated to listening and supporting you without the expectation of reciprocation, unlike the experience of talking to a friend or family member. This often helps clients be open and honest about how they are feeling, and when met with non-judgement, can help clients to process their past or present experiences. A strong therapeutic relationship can be a great asset to anyone’s life.

Finding the right therapist can be a challenging and intimidating process. When exploring therapist profiles or websites, I recommend you ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do their values resonate with me?

2. Is it important to me to find a therapist that shares the same or similar identities? Does this therapist either share these identities or express commitment to supporting my experiences? (ex. 2SLGBTQI+ friendly)

3.Does their experience and expertise match what I am seeking support for?

4. Is their availability and pricing in line with my schedule and budget?

5. If I have insurance, does my insurance cover their services?

I always recommend booking a consultation with a therapist prior to booking a session with them, if they offer one. This gives you the opportunity to get a feel for what they offer, your comfort speaking with them, and to ask any questions you may have. Like any relationship, it does take time to build up trust, but we can often get a sense of someone much better over a phone or video call than we can a website or profile.

You can book your free 15-minute consultation with me via my contact page.

The first therapist you pick might not be the right fit for you, and that’s okay. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries to find someone you connect with.

This will very from person to person. Some people find benefit from attending therapy for just a few sessions to get help in addressing a smaller, specific issue. For others, ongoing therapy can be beneficial in order to process and heal from trauma, manage their mental health, and/or help them navigate ongoing concerns in their life. Your therapist should work with you to determine your goals at the start of your work with them, and check in with you as you go to ensure your therapeutic needs are being met.

Deep breath! These titles can be confusing and can even overlap with each other.

The following descriptions apply to titles and practices in Ontario, and may not reflect your province’s categorization.

Social Worker: Social work is a broad profession, and social workers may be case workers, policy makers, counsellors, or clinical social workers (i.e. psychotherapists). Whether or not a social worker can call themselves a psychotherapist depends on their education and experience. Social workers who are also psychotherapists (like me), can offer a variety of therapeutic interventions. Social workers, unless they have other qualifications, cannot formally diagnose or prescribe medication. They can conduct assessments, and often assess clients needs in the broader context of their lives and identity, taking into consideration their physical, emotional, social, cultural, financial, and spiritual needs. All social workers and social service workers are regulated by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).

Psychotherapist: A psychotherapist or registered psychotherapist (RP) is someone who is trained and licensed to practice psychotherapy (see above answer to “what is psychotherapy?”). Psychotherapists cannot formally diagnose or prescribe medications. Psychotherapists can be regulated under a number of colleges, including the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), OCSWSSW, or other professional bodies of nursing, psychologists, physicians and occupational therapists. It is important to note that not all individuals registered with one of these colleges are classified as psychotherapists, with the exception of the CRPO.

Psychologist: Psychologists typically have a Masters degree or PhD in psychology, and can provide formal assessment and diagnosis. Psychologists typically focus on addressing one’s thinking, feeling, and behaviour in their assessment and intervention. Psychologists may provide psychotherapy, however they cannot prescribe medications. They are regulated under the College of Psychologists Ontario.

Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a trained medical doctor, who can assess, diagnose, and prescribe medications. After psychiatric assessment, their primary focus is the provision and monitoring of medication. Some, but not all, psychiatrists will also implement psychotherapy techniques into their practice. Psychiatric services are covered under OHIP, which is not always the case for social workers, psychotherapists, and psychologists. They are regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

Counsellor: Counsellor is not a regulated title, and is not covered under any governing body. Counsellor is typically used as a general term for someone who provides support, advice, encouragement, problem-solving, and strategies for someone navigating an issue. Counsellors who are not qualified under one of the above professions cannot practice psychotherapy or call themselves a psychotherapist, nor can they diagnose or prescribe medication. However, under the Regulated Health Professions Act, Indigenous people providing healing to other Indigenous people can practice what we now call psycho-therapeutic techniques, since many overlapping practices were traditionally used by Indigenous people long before the establishment of psychotherapy as a controlled act.