25 February 2020
Interview on Life 101 Podcast
I was recently interviewed for the Life Stuff 101 podcast, talking about couples therapy, what it’s like to be a therapist who works with couples, and how couples therapy differs from individual therapy. In the process of our discussion I mention the SAW films, Phil Donahue, and dismiss the notion that couples therapy is somehow “the beginning of the end”. Enjoy!
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: change• couples therapy• media
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.
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