What is a Registered Psychotherapist?
A Registered Psychotherapist is a regulated mental health professional in Ontario, trained in talk therapy and overseen by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
Read moreTherapy basics
What is the difference between therapy, counselling, and psychology?
Therapy, counselling, and psychology are not the same thing, but the words get used like they are. In Ontario, "psychotherapist" is a protected title under provincial law. "Counsellor" is not protected at all. Psychologists have many more years of school and can diagnose. The right one for you depends on what you need, not on which word sounds bigger.
Short answer
In everyday talk, "therapist" and "counsellor" get used as if they mean the same thing. In Ontario law, and often in your insurance plan, they do not. Here is what each one actually means, and why the confusion exists in the first place.
Therapy vs counselling vs psychology
Saalvio is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you are in a mental health crisis, please call 988 (the Suicide Crisis Helpline of Canada) or visit your nearest emergency department.
Therapy (psychotherapy) is structured, regulated talk treatment for a serious, ongoing mental health concern.
Counselling is supportive talk help, usually shorter-term, often for one clear problem.
Psychology is the science of the mind, plus formal clinical testing and diagnosis.
Why these terms are often confused in Canada
In Ontario, psychotherapy is what the law calls a controlled act. According to the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 sets out fourteen controlled acts in total, and only members of six specific regulated colleges are legally allowed to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy.
"Counsellor," on the other hand, is not a protected title in Ontario. Anyone can call themselves a counsellor without registering with any college. That gap between a protected title and an open one is the real reason these words feel so tangled.
What is therapy (Psychotherapy)?
Therapy means working with a regulated professional to treat a serious, ongoing pattern in your thoughts, mood, or behaviour, things like anxiety, depression, trauma, or grief that has not eased on its own. It happens through an ongoing relationship with your therapist, using techniques backed by research, like CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy).
Definition of therapy in Canada
The controlled act of psychotherapy is legally defined, according to the CRPO, as treating, through a therapeutic relationship and using psychotherapy technique, a serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception, or memory that may seriously impair a person's judgment, insight, behaviour, communication, or social functioning. A Registered Psychotherapist is registered with the CRPO to do this work and is held to a code of conduct.
Who provides therapy
Therapy can be provided by Registered Psychotherapists, Registered Social Workers, psychologists, and physicians, each working within their own scope of practice. If you are trying to understand exactly where a Registered Psychotherapist fits among these, what is a Registered Psychotherapist covers that directly.
When therapy is used
Therapy is often used for anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship concerns, identity work, workplace burnout, and other longer-term mental health support. According to a review by the Canadian Psychological Association, CBT and related talk therapies are recommended, evidence-based treatments for many of these concerns.
What is counselling?
Counselling usually means shorter-term, problem-focused support, things like career counselling, grief counselling, or workplace counselling. This is a useful everyday distinction, but it is not a rule written into law. The same Registered Psychotherapist might offer six sessions of grief counselling to one person and years of deeper therapy to another.
Definition of counselling
Counselling supports someone through one specific problem, rather than the longer clinical treatment of a deeper pattern that therapy often involves.
Who provides counselling in Canada
Counselling can be offered by counsellors, Registered Social Workers, and therapists. Unlike "psychotherapist," the word "counsellor" is not a protected title in Ontario, so anyone can use it, with or without registration. This is one of the most important things to check before starting work with someone. The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association notes that the line between counselling and psychotherapy is not always clear-cut, and that both can involve similar skills depending on the practitioner's training.
When counselling is helpful
Counselling tends to help with stress, a breakup, a career change, an adjustment, or a specific life transition.
What is psychology?
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour, and it is also a clinical profession. A psychologist trains at the doctoral level, several more years of school than a therapist or counsellor usually completes.
Definition of psychology
Psychology combines research with clinical practice, focused on thinking, behaviour, and mental health.
Role of a psychologist
A psychologist, registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, can diagnose, run formal psychological assessments and testing, and provide therapy. There are a few situations where seeking a psychologist specifically matters: a formal diagnosis needed for a school or workplace accommodation, formal cognitive or learning disability testing, an ADHD assessment, or a mental health report required for a legal or custody matter.
When you see a psychologist
A psychologist is the right call when you need a formal diagnosis on paper, a formal assessment, or documentation for a legal process.
Therapist vs psychologist vs counsellor in Canada
Saalvio works with Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers only. We do not employ psychologists or psychiatrists and do not offer diagnosis, medication management, or formal psychological testing. If your situation needs one of those, a Saalvio therapist can help you think through the right next step.
Therapy with Saalvio is currently available in Ontario, with expansion across Canada underway.
| Provider type | Title protected in Ontario? | Can diagnose? | Can prescribe? | Best for | On Saalvio's team? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Psychotherapist (RP) | Yes — CRPO | No | No | Ongoing talk therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief | Yes |
| Registered Social Worker (RSW) | Yes — OCSWSSW | No | No | Talk therapy, often alongside support for a person's wider life and systems | Yes |
| Counsellor | Not protected | No | No | Short-term support for one specific problem | No |
| Psychologist | Yes — College of Psychologists | Yes | No | Formal testing, assessment, and diagnosis | No |
| Psychiatrist | Yes — CPSO | Yes | Yes | Diagnosis and medication management | No |
Which mental health professional should you choose?
If you need diagnosis or assessment
A psychologist or psychiatrist is the right choice for formal diagnosis or assessment.
If you need emotional support
A Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker is the right choice for ongoing talk-based support, without needing a diagnosis first. You can message a therapist before you book to ask whether the fit feels right, with no cost and no commitment.
If you are unsure
You do not need to have it figured out before reaching out. Sending a message with your question is often the easiest first step, and how to find a therapist walks through what to ask.
Types of mental health professionals in Canada
- Psychologists Doctoral-level. Diagnosis, formal testing, and therapy.
- Psychiatrists Medical doctors with a residency in psychiatry, regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Can diagnose and prescribe medication. Saalvio does not employ psychiatrists and does not offer medication management.
- Psychotherapists Master's-level in most cases. Talk therapy, regulated by the CRPO in Ontario.
- Social workers Master's-level, often with a clinical concentration. Talk therapy, sometimes with a wider focus on a person's broader life and systems, regulated by the OCSWSSW.
- Counsellors No protected title in Ontario. May offer genuinely useful support, but without a guaranteed training floor unless separately registered with a college.
Is counselling regulated in Canada?
Regulation by province
Regulation differs by province. A protected title in one province may not be protected in another, so it is worth checking your own province's rules.
Ontario example (CRPO)
In Ontario, psychotherapy is a controlled act under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, with the CRPO established under the Psychotherapy Act, 2007 to regulate the profession. According to the OCSWSSW, six regulatory colleges in total, including the CRPO and the OCSWSSW, have members authorized to perform this controlled act. "Counsellor" is not one of the protected titles.
Why regulation matters
A regulated practitioner has training in handling complex situations safely, and you have a clear complaints process if something goes wrong. That matters most exactly when something does go wrong.
Psychological assessment vs therapy
A psychological assessment is a formal process, often involving standardized testing, used to reach a diagnosis. Therapy is the ongoing treatment, which can follow an assessment or happen entirely on its own. You do not need an assessment to start therapy.
Therapy vs coaching vs counselling
Therapy is clinical and regulated, aimed at treating a mental health concern. Counselling is supportive talk help for a specific problem, with a title that is not protected in Ontario. Coaching is not a clinical service.
A coach is not regulated as a mental health professional and does not treat mental health conditions. If you are dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, or another mental health concern, therapy or counselling is the right category, not coaching. If anxiety specifically is what brought you here, signs of anxiety is a good next read.
How insurance reimbursement works for therapy in Canada
Saalvio does not bill insurers directly. The usual process: you pay your therapist directly at the time of the session, you receive a detailed receipt naming the clinician, their college, and their registration number, and you submit that receipt to your insurer for reimbursement.
Sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker are typically reimbursable under most Canadian extended health benefit plans, though the percentage reimbursed and the annual cap vary by plan.
Before booking, it helps to confirm with your own provider which professions are eligible and what your annual cap is. The full breakdown lives on does insurance cover therapy in Canada, and you can also message a therapist with a reimbursement question before you commit to anything.
How to choose the right mental health professional
Questions to ask before starting
Ask whether the person is registered, and with which college. Ask about their experience, their approach, their fees, and whether sessions are typically reimbursable through insurance. You do not have to wait for a first session to ask. You can message a therapist directly with any of these questions first.
When should you seek therapy or counselling?
Signs worth paying attention to include ongoing stress, anxiety, feeling emotionally overwhelmed, relationship strain, grief, or a major life transition. You do not need a crisis to justify reaching out. Many people start before things feel unmanageable.
Why choose Saalvio for mental health support
Saalvio is a Canadian digital mental health platform, headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario. Saalvio works with Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO) and Registered Social Workers (OCSWSSW), speaking English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, and Arabic. We do not employ psychologists, psychiatrists, or physicians, and we do not offer diagnosis, medication management, or formal psychological testing. If your situation needs one of those, our therapist can help you think through the right next step.
Before you book anything, you can message a therapist before you book directly with your questions about fit, approach, or language. Under CANADAHEALS, every Canadian's first therapy session is free, so starting does not have to be a financial gamble on whether the match is right. Therapy with Saalvio is currently available in Ontario, with expansion across Canada underway. The Saalvio app is available across North America.
Conclusion
Therapy, counselling, and psychology serve different purposes, and the difference between "therapy" and "counselling" is mostly informal. The difference between a regulated practitioner and an unregulated one is not. If you need a formal diagnosis or testing, a psychologist is the right call. If you need someone to talk to about what you are carrying, a Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker is usually the right place to start, and you do not need the perfect word picked out before you reach out.
Common questions
Is a counsellor less trained than a therapist?
Not necessarily, but the word "counsellor" is not a protected title in Ontario, so it is worth asking directly whether the person is registered with a college like the CRPO or OCSWSSW.
If I want medication, do I have to see a psychiatrist?
You can also see your family physician, a nurse practitioner, or in some cases a pharmacist with prescribing authority. Many family physicians are comfortable prescribing common antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. A psychiatrist is typically involved when the picture is complex, the first medication did not work, or you have a serious mental illness diagnosis.
Can a therapist diagnose me?
No. A Registered Psychotherapist cannot diagnose or prescribe medication. A self-assessment can help you reflect on what you are feeling and bring that to a clinician, but it is not a diagnosis.
Why do some therapists call themselves "psychotherapists" even when they are RSWs?
Registered Social Workers are legally authorised to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy in Ontario, so they can accurately describe what they do as psychotherapy. They cannot use the title "psychotherapist" (which is reserved for CRPO registrants), but they can say they offer psychotherapy.
Do I need a referral to start therapy in Ontario?
No. You can message a therapist directly with your questions before you ever book a session.
Is a psychologist always better than a Registered Psychotherapist?
No. They have different training. For most concerns where you mainly need talk therapy, a Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker provides the same quality of care as a psychologist at a lower cost. Psychologists are specifically trained for assessment and diagnosis, which is what their longer training is for.
Can a counsellor in Ontario give me therapy?
In Ontario, the legal practice of psychotherapy is restricted to members of certain regulated colleges. An unregulated counsellor is not legally allowed to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy. They can still offer supportive conversation, life coaching, or unregulated counselling, which can be useful but has no regulatory floor.
Related on the Saalvio site
Other resources you may find useful
Ready to talk to someone?
The first session at Saalvio is free, with no card on file and no obligation to continue. If you are not sure where to start, our clinical team can help you figure out the right next step.