Straight answer. Most private therapy in Ontario runs $120 to $300 per session depending on who you see. Here is the full breakdown, what insurance actually covers, and every legitimate way to pay less.
Most private therapy in Ontario costs between $120 and $300 per session, depending on the type of professional you see. Registered Psychotherapists and social workers typically charge $120 to $180, psychologists $200 to $300, and a session usually runs 50 minutes. OHIP does not cover private practice therapy, but most workplace extended health plans reimburse part or all of it, and there are legitimate free options if paying privately is not realistic.
That is the short answer. The rest of this page is the math nobody puts in one place.
What each type of therapist charges
| Who you are seeing | Typical Ontario rate (2026) | OHIP? | |---|---|---| | Psychiatrist (MD) | Covered with a doctor's referral | Yes | | Psychologist (PhD/PsyD) | $200 to $300 per session | No | | Registered Psychotherapist (RP) | $120 to $180 per session | No | | Registered Social Worker (MSW/RSW) | $120 to $170 per session | No | | My practice (Resolve) | $150 per 50-minute session | No |
Two things are worth knowing about those ranges. First, the title matters less than the fit. All four are regulated professions in Ontario, and the research on what makes therapy work keeps pointing at the relationship, not the letters after the name. Second, psychotherapy delivered by an RP is HST exempt, so the price you see is the price you pay.
Does OHIP cover any of this?
Mostly no, with three exceptions worth checking before you spend anything:
- Psychiatrists are covered with a referral, but they mainly do assessment and medication management. Ongoing weekly talk therapy from a psychiatrist is rare.
- Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) offers free, CBT-based therapy for anxiety and depression. You can self-refer. The trade-offs: a waitlist, a set number of sessions, and less choice in who you see.
- Community agencies (CMHA branches, community health centres, family service agencies) run free or low-cost counselling, usually with waitlists.
What insurance actually covers
Most extended health plans through work reimburse therapy, but read your plan for two lines: which professionals are covered (some older plans say "psychologist" only; many have added Registered Psychotherapists, but confirm) and your annual maximum (commonly $500 to $1,500 per year).
At $150 per session, a typical $1,000 benefit covers six to seven sessions fully. I provide a receipt after each session that you submit to your plan. You do not need to name a diagnosis to your employer, and nothing goes on any workplace record.
What a realistic course of therapy costs
Honest math, using my rate:
- A focused piece of work (a specific pattern you want to change): often 6 to 10 sessions, so $900 to $1,500 before any insurance reimbursement.
- Deeper or longer-standing patterns: often 12 to 20 sessions, so $1,800 to $3,000, usually spread over several months as sessions space out.
- Many men start weekly and move to biweekly as the work progresses, which cuts the monthly cost in half.
I will not pretend that is nothing. It is a real expense, and you should expect a therapist to treat it that way: a clear focus each session and a plan you both understand, not an open-ended commitment.
Every legitimate way to pay less
- Free 30-minute consultation. Most therapists (including me) offer one. Use it to check fit before spending anything.
- Sliding scale. I hold a number of reduced-rate spots; you only need to ask. Many practices do the same.
- Extended health benefits. Check both your plan and your partner's; you can often coordinate the two.
- OSP or community agencies. Free, structured, waitlisted (above).
- EAP (Employee Assistance Program). Usually 3 to 6 free sessions. Short, but a real start, and it can bridge you to longer-term work.
- Student and intern clinics. Supervised therapists in training at reduced rates (for example, university psychotherapy training clinics).
Where I land on all this
My rate is $150 for a 50-minute virtual session, anywhere in Ontario. The consultation is free, there is no charge for receipts or admin, and there are no packages to buy. If money is the thing stopping you, say so in the consult. Between sliding scale, insurance, and pacing sessions out, there is usually a workable path.
Book a free 30-minute consultation · See full pricing details