To choose the right therapist, start with someone registered with an Ontario regulatory college, then look for fit: what they work with, how they work, the languages they speak, and whether they see clients in person. A short consult call with at least two therapists is the clearest way to compare. If the fit is not right after a few sessions, it is okay to switch.
What is the difference between a psychotherapist, social worker, psychologist and psychiatrist in Ontario?
All four can provide therapy, but they answer to different regulators and differ in whether they can diagnose or prescribe.
| Professional | Regulated by | What they do | Diagnosis and medication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Psychotherapist (RP) | College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) | Psychotherapy and counselling | Does not prescribe. |
| Registered Social Worker (RSW) | Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) | Psychotherapy and counselling | Does not prescribe. |
| Psychologist or psychological associate | College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario | Assessment, diagnosis and psychotherapy | Can communicate a psychological diagnosis. Does not prescribe. |
| Psychiatrist | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario | A medical doctor who assesses, diagnoses and treats mental illness, and may also provide therapy | Can diagnose and prescribe medication. Services are covered by OHIP. |
Sources: CRPO, OCSWSSW, College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario and Ontario Health atHome.
“Psychotherapist” is a protected title in Ontario
According to CRPO, only people registered with CRPO, or with another Ontario college whose members may practise psychotherapy, can call themselves a psychotherapist. Six colleges are on that list: CRPO, the College of Nurses of Ontario, the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the OCSWSSW, and the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario.
The controlled act of psychotherapy covers treating a serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory through a therapeutic relationship. Unregulated practitioners cannot perform it. Titles such as “counsellor”, “therapist” or “coach” are used by regulated and unregulated people alike, so the title alone does not tell you much. Look for the regulated designation and check the register.
What does RP (Qualifying) mean?
A Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) is registered with CRPO and authorized to practise psychotherapy with clinical supervision. They are completing the steps to full RP status. CRPO sets these steps and they change from time to time, so see CRPO’s RP (Qualifying) page for the current details.
Do I need a diagnosis to start therapy?
No. Many people begin therapy with no diagnosis at all, and our clinic does not require a referral. If you want a formal diagnosis or think medication may help, start with your family doctor or nurse practitioner, or a psychologist for psychological assessment.
How do I check if a therapist is registered?
Search the therapist’s name on their college’s public register. It takes about a minute and is free.
- Registered Psychotherapists: the CRPO public register shows registration category (such as RP or Qualifying), any terms, conditions or limits on practice, and any discipline. CRPO notes that job titles and credentials are not published on the register.
- Registered Social Workers: the OCSWSSW online register shows registration status, class of certificate and any terms, conditions or notations.
- Psychologists: the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario public register.
If you cannot find someone, try a partial name, then ask the therapist directly. A regulated therapist will be glad to share their registration number.
What makes a therapist the right fit?
Good fit is part practical match and part how it feels to talk with someone. Both count.
What they work with
Look for experience with what is bringing you in, whether that is anxiety, grief, a relationship, trauma or a big life change. A therapist’s profile should name the concerns they focus on. If you are not sure what to call what you are feeling, that is fine. Describe it in your own words and let the therapist help you sort it out.
How they work
Therapists draw on different approaches, and many blend more than one. A few you may see on profiles:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions, with practical skills between sessions.
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): builds skills for strong emotions, distress and relationships.
- Emotion-Focused Therapy and Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): helps you notice and work with emotions.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS): explores the different “parts” of you and how they relate.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): focuses on making room for and accepting hard feelings, while acting on your values.
- Narrative Therapy: looks at the stories you tell about your life and helps you find room for new ones.
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): a structured approach for OCD that involves gradually facing fears without acting on compulsions.
- Somatic and body-based approaches: pay attention to what happens in the body, often as part of trauma work.
- Psychodynamic and person-centred therapy: slower, exploratory work on patterns, history and the relationship itself.
You do not need to pick an approach before you start. Describing what you want help with is enough, and a good therapist will explain how they would work with it.
Language, culture and identity
Some people want a therapist who speaks their first language, shares their cultural background, or understands their community from the inside. Our team works in 8 languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Spanish and Polish. We are a woman-owned and POC-owned clinic, and 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming.
In-person or virtual
In-person therapy can make it easier to settle in and leave the rest of the day at the door. Our clinic is on Lake Shore Boulevard West in Long Branch, with hot drinks, natural wood and soft light, and we are open seven days a week. Video and phone sessions are available across Ontario if travel is not practical. Our space is not wheelchair accessible (the doors are narrow and the washroom is on the lower level), so virtual sessions are a good option if that is a barrier for you.
Practical details
Check fees, hours and whether your benefits cover the therapist’s designation. Our clinic is open by appointment Monday to Friday from 9 am to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm, which helps if you work standard hours. Our guide to whether insurance covers therapy in Ontario lists the questions to ask your insurer, and our Toronto therapy cost guide explains typical fees.
What should I ask in a free 15-minute consult?
There is no right or wrong way to have a consult. Therapists hold consults in different ways, and the time is yours to talk about what matters most to you. Use it to learn how the therapist works and how they guide the conversation, and notice how it feels to talk with them.
Some people spend the call describing what is bringing them to therapy. Others like to ask a few questions. If you would like some ideas, people often find these helpful, and CRPO’s guidance for the public suggests similar ones:
- What experience do you have with what I am dealing with?
- How do you work, and what does a typical session look like?
- What could I expect in the first session?
- Have you worked with people who share my background, identity or language?
- Do you offer in-person, video or phone sessions, and at what times?
- What is your fee, and what is your designation for my insurance?
You do not need to share your whole story on the call. A few sentences about what is going on is plenty.
What are the signs of a good fit after the first few sessions?
Within the first few sessions, you should have a sense of whether you feel safe, heard and that the work has a direction, even when the subject matter is hard.
- You feel respected and not judged.
- You can be honest, including saying when something is not working.
- Your therapist explains their approach and checks in about your goals.
- Sessions feel focused on you, not on the therapist.
- You often leave with something to reflect on or try before the next session.
- Boundaries around time, fees and contact are clear.
Some discomfort is a normal part of therapy. Feeling dismissed, rushed or pressured is not, and it is worth raising.
Is it okay to switch therapists?
Yes. Switching therapists is a normal part of finding the right fit, and a good therapist will not take it personally.
You can bring it up in session, which sometimes clears up a misunderstanding, or ask your therapist for suggestions. If you are working with us, let our team know and we can suggest other therapists to consider.
What if I need help right now?
Therapy is not crisis care. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 any time, or go to the nearest emergency department.
How choosing a therapist works at Thought & Feeling
Many clinics assign you a therapist. We do it differently: you tell us what you are looking for, we reply within 24 hours, and we suggest a selection of therapists who may fit your needs. You book a free 15-minute phone consult with one or more of them, then choose who feels right.
Our team of 16 Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers offers individual therapy and more, in person in Etobicoke and by video or phone across Ontario. You can filter by language and specialty on our therapists page, or get in touch and we will do the matching with you.
