A holistic therapy directory for your mind, body and spirit
Your Guide to Finding a Therapist
in the Greater Toronto Area.
Featured Therapists:
Choosing a therapist or healer is different from choosing a physician for treatment of physical ailments.
When people look for a doctor, one most often seeks a physician who has excellent credentials and experience in the necessary field. The personality characteristics of the doctor and his/her communication style generally play a secondary role in the choice.
It is a different story when finding a therapist. Unlike most physician visits, therapy and body work can involve many hours of one-on-one communication with your therapist and usually an ongoing relationship over time.
Therefore, choosing a mental health care provider involves assessing the therapist's personal and interaction style to see if theirs matches your own personality and needs. This of course is in addition to an evaluation of the provider's reputation.
In your quest to find a therapist, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you looking for a therapist of the body or the mind?
Click any of the following links to find out more about therapists for the body, either massage therapists or chiropractic treatment, or you may be interested in psychotherapy for the mind. Naturopathic doctors often work with the mind and the body. - Do you have a preference for one particular kind of training or educational background?
Mental health care providers come from a number of different educational backgrounds
and may be psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, advanced practice nurses or
clinical nurse specialists, or they may have another kind of background or training.
Only therapists with certain educational backgrounds and licenses are legally allowed to
prescribe medications. Is it important to you that the counselor be legally authorized to prescribe
drug treatment if necessary? - Would you like to find a therapist who specializes in one particular condition or type of problem?
Ask your therapist if they have experience with your particular condition or treatment of your problem. - What kind of person are you most capable of talking to about your personal situation?
Do you have a preference for a male or female therapist? This may or may not be relevant for your choice. - How much time are you willing and/or able to commit to therapy?
Particularly if you are willing to go under intensive therapy at a high frequency, ask if the therapist has availability for this. - What kinds of therapy does your insurance cover?
Does your insurance cover therapy only by certain types of therapists (e.g., medical doctors)?
Must you choose a therapist from an approved provider list? Does your HMO require a referral to a therapist
from your primary physician? If your costs are not completely covered, can you afford to pay the difference between
covered costs and actual fees?
After you have formed some ideas about what kind of therapist may be right for you, you should contact several therapists
to discuss your needs and the therapists methodologies. Ideally, it is best to meet the therapist in person for an initial meeting.
You may have to schedule and pay for an initial session in order to do this, but it is well worth the cost and effort to find a therapist
with whom you can work effectively. Important questions you should ask a potential therapist include:
- What kind of therapy does she/he practice? Will you have individual sessions, group therapy, or sessions with other family members? Are you comfortable with his/her philosophy in this regard?
- What is your therapist's position on pharmaceutical therapy for mental conditions?
- What hours is she/he available to see you? How often does she/he recommend seeing you initially? Does this fit into your schedule and expectations?
- What are the fees? If you cannot attend a session, are you required to pay for it anyway? Will she/he wait to accept payment from the
insurance company, or must sessions be paid for immediately? You should be clear up front if you anticipate any financial difficulties; often a payment plan can be arranged to suit your needs.
