How to Find an Online Therapist in Toronto
It can be hard to know where to start when looking for an online therapist in Toronto. There are thousands of registered in-person and online therapists practicing in Toronto, and even more in the province of Ontario.
But what are the first steps to finding an online therapist in Toronto? How do you even get started?
Working with KMA Therapy since 2008, I’ve helped people looking for online therapy in Toronto to find just the right therapist who is the best fit based on what they want to achieve.
This article will help you discover what you need to know about finding an online therapist in Toronto, Ontario.
To help answer all your questions, we’ll cover:
- What are the different types of therapists practicing online therapy in Toronto?
- Which type of online therapist in Toronto is best for you?
- Where exactly to go to find the online therapist for you
By the end of this article, you’ll have a roadmap to finding the right online therapist for you.
What types of online therapists even practice in Toronto?
In Ontario (which includes Toronto), there are several different kinds of therapists. These include:
- Psychotherapists
- Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Counsellors
While these therapists may all offer online options, they will vary in terms of their session costs, areas of expertise, and ability to prescribe medication. When finding an online therapist, make sure to explore what type of therapist you want to speak with.
Which type of online therapist in Toronto is right for me?
You want to work on your marriage, relationship, or dating:
Toronto has many great therapists who practice online and work with relationship issues. If you want to talk about dating or relationship issues, you’ll likely want to search for:
- A psychotherapist who specializes in relationship issues
- A social worker who specializes in relationship issues
- A psychologist who specializes in relationship issues
- A counsellor who specializes in relationship issues
You’re experiencing anxiety, depression, or stress:
If your issue is a generalized mental health issue such as anxiety, depression, stress or panic, search for:
- A psychotherapist in private or group practice
- A psychologist in a private or group practice
Psychotherapists and psychologists (many of whom offer their full range of services online) are trained in the spectrum of mental health and can offer virtual treatment effectively.
You want anger management counselling:
Most designations of therapists in Toronto offer anger management, so if you need help with anger management, the most important thing to consider is the practitioner’s experience and expertise with anger management. Search for one of these professionals who offers anger management therapy online:
- Psychotherapist
- Social Worker
- Psychologist
- Counsellor
You want to talk about life issues, family, body image or self-esteem:
Issues that are often traced back to our childhood such as family, body image, eating disorders, self esteem, interpersonal issues and confidence, are often best served in long term, talk-based therapy. The most important factor in this category is your personal connection to the therapist themselves. Search for this type of therapist online and pay close attention to what you think your personal connection will be:
- Psychotherapist
- Counsellor
You want a formal diagnosis:
If you aren’t sure what your issue is and need help from a professional to figure it out, OR, if you’re pretty sure you know what it is but want an official diagnosis, a psychologist is the best choice. So if you would like a diagnosis, seek out:
- Psychologist
- Psychotherapist who is supervised by a psychologist
Psychotherapists in Ontario can also offer a diagnosis when they are supervised by a licensed psychologist, so if you are already seeing an online psychotherapist, be sure to check their supervision status with them.
You’re dealing with trauma, grief, bereavement or loss of a loved one:
The most important factor when searching for a therapist to work with you on trauma or grief is the therapist’s experience and training with trauma and/or grief. This is a very specialized area that requires extensive training. We recommend finding one of these therapists who has plenty of experience with trauma and bereavement:
- Psychotherapists
- Social Workers
- Counsellors
Where should I look for an online therapist in Toronto?
Find a therapist with Local Search and check if they offer online therapy:
Whether you live at Yonge and Eglinton, Etobicoke, The Beaches, King West, Parkdale, or Yorkville, you can easily find therapists who offer online therapy by searching within your geographical area. This is a great option if you want to stop by for in-person sessions once in a while.
Go to online directories like Psychology Today and search anywhere in Ontario:
Online directories have thousands of therapists in Toronto and Ontario to choose from. If you live in Toronto, therapists located anywhere in Ontario are permitted to provide you with healthcare. This is a great option if you want to filter by area of expertise, location, gender, credentials and many more.
Try Therapy Apps such as BetterHelp or Talkspace:
Therapy apps provide mental health support across the world and can be a very effective way to access online therapy. Just make sure to do thorough research on if your assigned professional is licensed in Ontario. This will likely be the determining factor on whether the services will be covered under your insurance plan.
Find blogs you love on the issues you’re dealing with - and check to see if the person who wrote it is in practice:
Sometimes reading articles about the issues we’re dealing with can be transformational. Reading a therapist’s blog articles can give us a sense of how they practice, their unique quirks, and can help us know if they’re the right fit for us. From OCD, to panic, to stress, to relationships, to sex, there’s likely an awesome Toronto therapist who writes about it.
Ask your doctor for a Toronto therapist referral:
You never know, your family doctor or specialist may know some therapists practicing in the city. This is a good option if you don’t feel comfortable searching online and doing the research yourself. It doesn’t hurt to ask!
What are my next steps if I want to work with an online therapist in Toronto?
Once you’ve found your favourite bunch of therapists, most people usually reach out to a bunch (or check out their websites) to understand more about their work.
Some practices have waiting lists and some will no longer be in practice, on maternity leave, etc, so it’s good to start with at least a few therapists you feel like you can connect with and go from there.
Here at KMA Therapy, we offer both in-person and online therapy with a diverse and experienced team of psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers. Our team has a wide range of areas of expertise and credentials, and there’s a chance that one of our therapists could be a fit for you based on your needs.
If you work with us, you’ll get started with a 50-minute online introductory session with a specialized intake therapist to find the best possible match within our practice.
Whether you work with us, or another therapy group, we encourage you not to give up in the search for the best online therapist for you. Check out this article to learn if psychotherapy will help you with the issue you’re dealing with.
If you’re interested in booking an introductory session here at KMA and starting your therapy journey with us, fill out the “Register Online” form, or you can book online using our online scheduler.
About the Author:
Kimberly is the founder of KMA Therapy and one of Canada's most experienced media relationship experts. She received her doctoral degree in Counselling Psychology in 2015 at Middlesex University, where her doctoral research studied the emotional psychology of entrepreneurs. She also has a Masters Degree in Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Guelph.
