How to Find a Therapist in Ontario and Start Therapy

How to Find a Therapist in Ontario and Start Therapy

• Mandy Sandhu
• 24 Dec 2024

Therapy plays a vital role in building a foundation for better mental health. For some, navigating challenges alone can feel overwhelming, and professional support provides the guidance needed to manage symptoms effectively. This is especially important when substance abuse is a concern, as therapy can help prevent relapse and support long-term recovery. At its core, therapy offers a safe, non-judgmental space where individuals can heal, grow, and regain control of their lives with compassionate, expert care.

This is why it’s important to help our community know how to find a therapist in Ontario, when to seek therapy, and how to approach it. In this blog, we’ll cover all these and more, helping you select the right counselling service based on your needs.

When to Seek Therapy

There’s no single rule for deciding if someone should seek therapy. Mental health challenges, personal struggles, and life events impact everyone differently. Many people seek therapy for sadness, anxiety, depression, anger, or major life changes. Stressors often trigger these challenges, like divorce, loss, or overwhelming events. A registered psychotherapist can help navigate difficult emotions and provide tools for healing.

If any of the following apply, it’s time to try therapy:

• Overwhelm and a prolonged sense of helplessness
• Persistent sadness
• Problems seem to get worse and worse despite support from loved ones
• Concentration is difficult, and performance/productivity begins to lower
• Excessive worry and stress
• Always expecting or dwelling on the worst
• Alcohol and/or drugs are used to cope
• Aggressive or out-of-character behaviour

The Importance of Proactivity

Prioritizing well-being and seeking help early is key. Getting support at the first sign of a problem can prevent anxiety or stress from taking over. While many options have a long waitlist, Freedom From Addiction offers expert support immediately.

Steps to Finding a Therapist in Ontario

Finding the right mental health care provider can be overwhelming, but breaking it into stages can make it more manageable. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Step One: Understand Why You Need Therapy

If you’re unsure about therapy or mental health issues, this is where everyone begins. You might question whether therapy works or if it’s right for you. To find answers, start by:

• Researching therapy methods and mental health resources
• Talking about it with trusted friends, family, or professionals to gain insights
• Reflect on your current predicament, what’s causing your problems, and whether they stem from chronic mental health conditions.

The key is to understand your own needs and how therapy can help them. This narrows your scope in finding the right therapist for you.

Step Two: Find the Ideal Therapist

Once you’re aware of your needs, you’ll have a better idea of the therapist/therapy you want to try. Therapists in Ontario specialize in different areas (e.g., anxiety, addiction, trauma) and use various modalities, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) or psychodynamic therapy.

Here’s what to consider:

• Specialization: Look for a therapist whose expertise matches your needs.
• Credentials: Ensure they’re registered with a professional body, such as the College of Psychologists of Ontario or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
• Compatibility: Most therapists offer consultations, so you can see if you’re comfortable with them.
• Logistics: When making your choice, weigh in options like online therapy and consider location, availability, and costs.

Step Three: Start Therapy

Once you’ve found an available therapist you click with, you’re ready to start your first therapy session. It can be intimidating, but preparing can ease the process. Here are some tips to get started:

• Write down your goals and what you want to achieve through therapy.
• Keep an open mind—therapy is a process that takes time.
• Don’t hesitate to ask questions during your first session.

If you’re seeking therapy as part of recovery from substance abuse disorders, you might also need to prepare for rehab.

Questions to Ask Mental Health Professionals

To ensure you’ve found the right therapist, ask the following questions:

• What training, certifications, and/or degrees do you have?
• What’s your specialty? What do you normally work with?
• How long have you worked in this field?
• What kind of therapy or modality do you have in mind for me?
• Can you tell me about the advantages/disadvantages of other approaches?
• How can we know if treatment is succeeding?
• When can I expect a change?
• How will we assess my progress?
• How much will treatment cost? Are payment plans available? Are health insurance plans accepted?

Image source: Unsplash

Exploring Different Types of Therapy

At Freedom From Addiction, patients can take many avenues to access treatment. The treatment they’ll receive is based on individual needs, mental health issues, and concurrent substance abuse disorders.

Individual Counselling

Individual counselling is between one therapist and one patient. Therapists offer a comfortable, trusting environment for the pair to discuss freely. Here are some types of therapy:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a form of psychotherapy that helps patients develop skills and strategies for a healthier lifestyle. Patients are encouraged to examine the way things affect them and rewire how they should respond.
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): MBCT is designed to treat mood disorders to prevent relapse due to substance abuse. This modality focuses on addressing negative feelings by examining how a patient can respond more functionally.
• Solutions-Focused Therapy: Patients are encouraged to look at future goals and solutions, rather than the problems they’re currently experiencing.
• Narrative Therapy: Narrative therapy looks at a patient’s life as if it’s a story. Events they experience have varying degrees of significance. It helps to look at these events from a third-person perspective. This makes the patient the expert of their own lives.

Group Counselling

Group counselling is a space for a facilitator and multiple patients to discuss stressors and disorders together, allowing everyone to learn and draw inspiration from each other.

• Psychoeducational Groups: This approach focuses on educating the group and directing patients to additional mental health services. The goal is to help them build healthier behaviours and outlooks.
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Groups: DBT uses talk therapy to overcome obstacles, develop coping skills, and improve daily life and relationships.
• Skills Development Groups: Often, people suffering from addiction or mental disorders have forgotten important life skills. This group therapy model helps patients relearn essential skills and learn new skills to manage withdrawal and addiction.
• Process and Support Groups: We offer 12-step philosophy groups, as well as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous, to create a community among people with similar struggles. These groups help patients learn from each other and feel supported.
• Motivational Interviewing: This therapy focuses on a person’s goals and values to promote empowerment. Facilitators help patients define their motivation.

Image source: Unsplash

Get Professional Support in Ontario at Freedom From Addiction

Knowing how to find a therapist in Ontario is the first step in improving your overall well-being, no matter the difficulty you’re facing. Therapy is a valuable tool for personal empowerment and mental health improvement. We don’t expect everyone to have the same capacity or skills to overcome certain challenges, so we focus on providing that necessary support.

If you or a loved one needs professional help, contact us for help. We’re available 24/7 to accept anyone needing immediate support.