23 December 2019
Psychotherapy in Ontario: a provider synopsis
I thought I would provide a general breakdown of how public and private psychotherapy services work in Ontario. One reason for this is a long-standing confusion about who-does-what and what is (and isn’t) covered by either OHIP or health benefits.
*cracks knuckles* Ok, let’s go…
Let’s start with a general list of mental health practitioners:
Psychiatrist
Psychologist
Psychotherapist
Social Worker
What’s the difference? Good question! Here’s that list again:
Psychiatrist: medical doctor, able to prescribe medication, able to provide diagnoses, covered by OHIP. The downside: not all Psychiatrists practice psychotherapy, and, at least anecdotally, it seems less and less Psychiatrists each year practice psychotherapy.
Psychologist: doctorate in Psychology, not able to prescribe medication, able to provide diagnoses, not covered by OHIP. The downside: not all Psychologists practice psychotherapy; their services tend to be more expensive than Psychotherapists whether or not they are covered by health benefit plans.
Psychotherapist: graduate of a qualifying school or institute (as recognized by the CRPO as Registered Psychotherapist or Qualifying), not able to prescribe medication, not able to provide diagnoses, not covered by OHIP. All Psychotherapists practice psychotherapy; their services are typically less expensive than Psychologists, however (although there are improvements every year) they are less reliably covered by health benefit plans.
Social Worker: typically Masters in Social Work, not able to prescribe medication, not able to provide diagnoses, not covered by OHIP. The downside: not all Social Workers practice psychotherapy, however, like Psychologists (and this is a particular artefact of things before the CRPO was formed) they are typically recognized by more health benefits than Psychotherapists.
Something to note: anyone who practices psychotherapy in Ontario must be a member (or qualifying member) of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. More info on this here.
Lastly, if you are hoping to use your health benefits please check to make sure before booking an initial consultation with a psychotherapy provider that their profession (Psychologist, Registered Psychotherapist, or Social Worker) is covered your policy.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
filed under: CRPO• policy• psychotherapy• regulation
15 August 2019
Coming From a Place of Ignorance
It would be nice to believe that we know everything, but we don’t. That’s a fairly common-sensical statement. However, as we become more aware of societal inequities based on things like race, gender, or the legacy of colonialism, it’s easier (not to mention more socially acceptable) to be in front of such issues and to at least appear cognizant of their truth and context rather than to actually do the tougher work of understanding the whys and hows of them, as well as how we might have been mistaken ourselves.
I come from a place of ignorance. To some degree we all do, depending upon the subject. For me, growing up in mostly rural areas which, in Ontario at least, are white enclaves, I was rarely exposed to persons of colour (POC) and even then rarely were my interactions direct. The legacy of this has been uncomfortable, to say the least — for both myself and POC acquaintances/workmates who had to endure my awkwardness once I moved to the big city in my 20s.
People such as myself who were raised in isolated communities had to rely (actively or passively) on the words of our families and what media were at our disposal (in my case, good ol’ radio and broadcast TV). Often, depending upon the circumstances, that just isn’t enough.
I have a certain amount of regret, and a certain amount of shame, around my ignorance. The thing about shame especially is that we don’t want to feel it just as we wouldn’t want to feel a hot poker on our skin. And so, for some, it might be easier to pat ourselves on the back and pretend — once we are, to use a word, woke — that we have always been this way, this enlightened person. And I think this is nonsense and can contribute to those who are working through their ignorance to be tempted to abandon their work — the work being understanding and self-reflection — perhaps because they don’t want to be seen as containing the shame of that ignorance.
We all come from a place of ignorance. It could be about gender roles, it could be about sexuality or class structure. There can never be enough mirrors in the automobile of life to help us recognize our blindspots, so I think it is important for us to admit that we don’t know everything when it becomes apparent. And when we do grow, when we do accept that we come from a place of ignorance and make strides to inform ourselves and come to terms with our mistaken assumptions, I think it’s important to keep our eyes open for those in a similar position who might need guidance themselves.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
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