Online therapy across Ontario
I can work with anyone physically located in Ontario. You do not need to live in Toronto, and you do not need to travel to it.
Who online therapy tends to suit
- People outside the Greater Toronto Area, where local options for psychotherapy are thinner
- Anyone whose schedule will not survive a commute on top of a session
- Parents and caregivers who cannot easily leave the house
- Students who move between a campus and a hometown through the year
- People who find it easier to speak honestly from a space that already feels safe
- Anyone managing chronic illness, disability or limited mobility
- People who tried in-person therapy once, found the waiting room excruciating, and never went back
Does it actually work as well?
For most common concerns, yes. Research comparing video therapy with in-person therapy has consistently found similar outcomes for things like anxiety and depression, and the therapeutic relationship, which is one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy helps, forms perfectly well over video.
That said, it does not suit everyone or every situation, and I will tell you honestly if I think you would be better served in person or by a different kind of support.
How it works in practice
- Sessions run on a secure, confidential video platform. I send you a link beforehand and you join at the time we agreed
- Sessions are 50 minutes, the same as in person, and cost $170
- You need a reasonably private space, a decent connection, and ideally headphones
- You must be physically located in Ontario during the session. This is a regulatory requirement, not a preference, and it applies even if you normally live here but are away
- A car in a quiet spot counts as a private space, and is more common than you would think. Please do not drive during a session
Privacy
Online sessions are held to the same confidentiality standards as in-person ones, with the same small number of legal and ethical exceptions, which I explain clearly before we begin. Records are handled in line with Ontario's health privacy legislation and the standards of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
The part worth thinking about is your end. It is worth working out in advance where you will be and who might be within earshot, because feeling overheard changes what you are willing to say.
Anywhere in the province
I see clients across Ontario, including Toronto and the GTA, Ottawa, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, London, Markham, Vaughan, Kitchener and Waterloo, Windsor, Barrie, Kingston, Guelph, Oshawa, Sudbury and Thunder Bay. If your town is not on that list it still counts. The only requirement is that you are in Ontario.
Common questions
Do I have to be in Ontario?
Yes, physically, at the time of the session. My registration with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario permits me to work with people located in Ontario. If you are travelling out of province or out of the country, we would need to pause rather than continue.
What if my connection drops?
It happens and it is not a problem. We agree in advance what to do, usually rejoining, and if the connection will not hold we finish by phone. You will not lose the session over it.
Is online therapy covered by insurance?
Most plans treat online and in-person sessions identically. The thing to confirm is whether your plan covers a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), as that varies between insurers. I provide a receipt after every session either way.
Can I do online sessions from work?
Many people do, usually from a bookable room or their car. The only real consideration is privacy, because a session where you are worried about being overheard is a session where you hold back.
If you would rather meet in person, see therapy in downtown Toronto. There is more on what I work with under anxiety, burnout, ADHD and self-esteem.
You do not have to go through this alone.
Send a short message and I will get back to you personally to arrange a free 15-minute consultation. In person in downtown Toronto, or online anywhere in Ontario.