insurance coverage
Are holistic nutritionists covered by insurance?
Please check with your specific insurance provider about if they cover Registered Holistic Nutritionists as this varies significantly.
Do you do direct billing?
Psychotherapists do not do direct billing to insurance companies at the moment. As such, it is your responsibility to provide session receipts to the provider. Be sure to confirm that psychotherapy services are covered BEFORE your first session so you are not caught off guard later.
What are my options if my insurance provider doesn't cover psychotherapy?
If you only have coverage for a Social Worker or Psychologist, we still have options! I am supervised by both a Social Worker and Psychologist who can "sign off" on sessions so long as they provide supervision for them. In this case, however, you'll just have to complete separate paperwork as all of the invoicing will be done through their practices rather than my own.
What if I don't have any insurance coverage?
If you are paying out of pocket, some ways to make therapy more affordable are to:
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Making therapy accessible is important to me, which is why I DO offer a sliding scale fee of $100 + HST per 50-minute session for five sessions, so long as you are able to attend a daytime appointment (3pm or earlier). After these five sessions, the rate increases to the normal fee of $150 + HST per 50-minute session, though you are welcome to come at any time of day.
Are psychotherapists covered by OHIP?
Unlike services provided by psychiatrists, psychotherapy services are not covered by OHIP. That said, more and more private insurance companies are covering psychotherapy services (see FAQ question, 'What insurance companies cover psychotherapists?').
What insurance companies cover psychotherapists?
Although the list below describes which companies do or do not cover psychotherapy services, it's important to note that it is also up to your emplpoyer to decide if psychotherapy will be included in your benefits. Therefore, please be sure to confirm with your employer what your coverage entails.
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Equitabe Life Insurance: majority of their plans do cover psychotherapy, though they do not state the word 'psychotherapy' in their description. Rather, if your plan says you have 'clinical counselor benefits,' this typically means that you have coverage for a psychotherapist. Source: email with a representative from their Customer Care Centre. -
Empire Life: my credentials and associations meet their criteria for "Clinical Psychologist," meaning you will receive coverage for psychotherapy. Source: email with Customer Service, Group Solutions. -
Co-operators Life Insurance: psychotherapists are included under their "Paramedical" category of services. They also offer EAP programs. Source: email with Group Sales & Service Associate. -
Green Shield: they DO cover psychotherapy and I am listed as one of their providers. -
Desjardins: although they DO cover psychotherapy, the decision to include this benefit is up to your employer. If your specific plan does not include psychotherapy, it might be worth asking your employer about if they could make an exception for your plan, specifically, given that Desjardins themselves will provide coverage. Source: email with representative of Customer Contact Centre at Desjardins.
My insurance company needs some additional information about your credentials. Where can I find this information?
Within 24 hours of your session, you'll be sent an email receipt that contains all of the necessary information for your insurance company. This typically includes: my credentials, registration number, address, and more. Here is where all of this information can be found on the receipt:
Like a degree or house, therapy is an investment. And this usually comes with a decent price tag. After all, the minimum educational requirement for a psychotherapist is a master's degree so we can gain specialized training on how to deal with incredibly complex situations, people, and dynamics. And for someone like me who is very committed to my clients and passionate about my work, I am continually attending additional trainings, seminars, and conferences to enhance my skills, all of which add value to the work I do but also have their own price tag.
Unfortunately, however, coverage for psychotherapy services is incredibly complicated, so please peruse our FAQs for more information. Please note that there are still options available to you if you do not have coverage with a Registered Psychotherapist, which are also discussed below: