In Ontario, anyone can call themselves a “counsellor,” but only registered professionals can legally call themselves a “psychotherapist.” The quickest way to check a therapist is to look them up on the public register of their regulatory college, which takes about two minutes. If you are about to share the most private parts of your life with someone, that check is worth making. This guide explains which titles are protected, how to verify them, what the training behind them involves, and what therapists should consider when choosing shared or sublet office space.
TL;DR
- “Psychotherapist,” “Registered Psychotherapist” and “Registered Mental Health Therapist” are protected titles in Ontario, reserved for members of the relevant regulatory college.
- For psychotherapists, the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) keeps a public register you can search before your first session.
- “Counselling” is not separately regulated by CRPO, so ask which college a counsellor is registered with and why.
- Psychologists and social workers follow different routes, with their own colleges and entry requirements.
- Therapists sharing or subletting rooms must still protect client records and conversations under Ontario privacy law.
Which therapist titles are protected in Ontario
The Psychotherapy Act, 2007 restricts the titles “Psychotherapist,” “Registered Psychotherapist” and “Registered Mental Health Therapist” to members of the relevant regulatory college. In practice, that means a person who uses one of these titles should be able to show you a registration number and a public profile.
CRPO also states that only its registrants may use “Registered Psychotherapist” and “RP”. Newer registrants who are still completing their supervised experience use a qualifying designation and practise under clinical supervision. A qualifying therapist is fully registered and regulated. They are simply earlier in their career.
Someone registered with another psychotherapy-regulating college can also use the title. Only people who are registered with CRPO or another such college can use “psychotherapist” or hold themselves out as qualified to practise psychotherapy.
Why the strictness? CRPO says its rules on titles and designations exist for public protection: registrants should not mislead the public about their qualifications and should display only relevant, established credentials. A string of letters after a name is not proof of regulation.
How to verify a Registered Psychotherapist
Checking takes a few minutes and costs nothing.
- Get the full name. Ask for the name the therapist is registered under, not just a first name or a practice name.
- Search the public register. CRPO’s status check page lets you confirm an RP’s standing.
- Match the details. Confirm the name, the class of registration (full or qualifying) and that the status is current.
- Ask about supervision if they are qualifying. A qualifying therapist should be able to tell you who supervises their clinical work.
- Ask about modalities and experience. Registration tells you a therapist meets a standard. It does not tell you whether their approach suits your situation, so ask what they do with issues like yours.
If a name does not appear, ask the therapist directly. They may be registered with a different college, which is common for psychologists and social workers. If they say they are a psychotherapist and cannot be found anywhere, treat that as a serious warning sign.
Our guide on how to find a therapist in Ontario walks through the wider search, and how to start therapy for the first time covers what the first session looks like.
Psychotherapist, counsellor, psychologist, social worker: who is who
The titles overlap in everyday speech, but in law they differ.
CRPO describes psychotherapy as assessing and treating cognitive, emotional or behavioural disturbances by psychotherapeutic means within a therapeutic relationship. Counselling, by contrast, tends to focus on information, advice, encouragement and instruction. CRPO says counselling is not separately regulated by it, though the two can overlap. The dividing line is the intent and scope of the work, and whether it falls inside the controlled act of psychotherapy. Our explainer on psychotherapy versus counselling goes deeper.
| Title | Who regulates it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Psychotherapist (RP) | CRPO | Protected title. Public register. Approved psychotherapy program, supervised clinical experience and exams. |
| Psychologist | College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario | Protected title. Only members may use “psychologist” and “psychological associate.” |
| Social worker | Their own regulatory college | The Regulated Health Professions Act expressly authorizes social workers to perform the controlled act in line with their profession’s law and rules. |
| Counsellor | Title not separately regulated by CRPO | Ask which college they belong to, if any, and whether they provide psychotherapy. |
The psychologist route is a different one. Autonomous psychologist registration requires a doctoral degree and at least 1,500 hours of approved postdoctoral supervised practice. That is a materially different entry path from the Registered Psychotherapist requirements, but neither is “better” in the abstract. Psychologists can also communicate specified diagnoses, which matters if you need a formal assessment. Many people seeking help for relationship conflict, anxiety or depression work well with a registered psychotherapist.
What training stands behind “RP”
Under O. Reg. 67/15, an applicant to CRPO must complete an approved psychotherapy program, meet clinical experience requirements of at least 450 hours of direct client contact and 100 hours of clinical supervision, pass the required exams and complete a jurisprudence course.
The rules are changing. CRPO states that as of January 1, 2027, its application requirements are being updated to a minimum of 125 direct client contact hours and 30 clinical supervision hours for applicants. If you read older guides quoting different hours, that is why.
Registration is not the end of oversight. A newly registered therapist must practise with clinical supervision until completing at least 1,000 hours of direct client contact and 150 hours of related clinical supervision, and must complete at least 750 currency hours in each three-year period, according to the same regulation. In plain terms, the system expects therapists to keep learning, and it checks.
So how long does it take to qualify? It depends on the route: a graduate-level program, then supervised hours, then exams. Plan on years, not months, which is one reason a registered therapist’s title carries weight.
The controlled act of psychotherapy and online sessions
Ontario also defines a “controlled act of psychotherapy.” According to CRPO, it means treating, through a therapeutic relationship and psychotherapy technique, a serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory that may seriously impair judgment, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning. Only authorized professionals or their delegates may perform it.
Two points matter to you as a client:
- Location of the therapist is not a loophole. The restriction applies to services delivered to Ontario clients, including remotely from outside Ontario, per the same CRPO page. If you are in Ontario, an online therapist elsewhere should still be appropriately authorized.
- Not every helpful conversation is the controlled act. Coaching, general support and educational work may sit outside it, which is why asking “what exactly will we be doing, and under which college are you regulated?” is a fair question.
We unpack this further in the controlled act of psychotherapy in Ontario explained.
Questions worth asking before the first session
Credentials open the door, but fit keeps you in the room. Along with checking the register, consider asking:
- Which college are you registered with, and is your status full or qualifying?
- What approaches do you use for my situation, whether addiction, depression, anxiety, couples conflict or sexual concerns?
- How do you handle confidentiality and records?
- What are your fees, and is there a sliding scale?
- Do you offer in-person and online sessions?
Cost questions are fair too. Our guides on OHIP psychotherapy coverage, what a few months of therapy costs in Ontario and receipt details for tax purposes help you plan.
Our perspective
We have worked for more than 20 years with individuals, couples and families from many different backgrounds, and one thing has stayed constant: people arrive carrying a lot, and the last thing they should have to wonder about is whether the person across from them is qualified.
We encourage every client to check the register, and we welcome the question. Credentials are the floor, not the ceiling. Within that floor, we believe the best results come from a therapist who uses evidence-based approaches, adapts to the person in front of them, and makes help easy to reach, which is why we offer sessions in person at two locations and online, and why we offer sliding scale pricing.
A relationship wound is a bit like a physical one: it needs prompt, skilled care, and it heals best when the person caring for it knows what they are doing. Verifying a therapist is simply the first act of care you give yourself.
Wayne Dewhurst
Work with us
If you are ready to start, we offer individual, couples and family psychotherapy, in person or online. In-person and online sessions are $175 per hour, mobile sessions are $225 per hour, and a prepaid annual membership is $1,750 per year. You can see everything on our services page, or read about our psychotherapy services and couples therapy.
We also offer self-help modules at $499 per module and corporate team building at $1,699. Ask us anything about our credentials before you book.
For therapists: choosing office space in Ontario
Many of the people who search this topic are clinicians. Once you hold the right credentials, the next question is where to see clients. We rent therapy rooms by the hour ourselves, and the checklist below applies whether you rent a room, share an office or take over part of a lease. For a wider view, see our guides on starting a private practice in Ontario and private practice costs.
Privacy and safety come first
CRPO’s private practice FAQ says that for a residential office you should consider client privacy and personal safety, and check municipal by-laws, especially if clients attend in person. A home office may work, but a dedicated professional space often makes confidentiality easier to guarantee.
Test any room the way a client would: stand outside the door during a conversation and see what you can hear, look at the waiting area and ask who else can see who arrives, and consider whether you would feel safe there alone in the evening.
Shared therapy offices
In a shared office, CRPO’s privacy guidance says you need a plan for securing physical records and preventing unauthorized people from hearing or seeing confidential sessions. You should also verify that the facility meets privacy standards and that any shared internet or equipment is secure.
The same handbook explains that under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), private practitioners in Ontario must put reasonable physical, technical and administrative safeguards in place against unauthorized access, loss or theft of personal health information. Practical questions follow from that:
- Is there a locking cabinet that only you can open?
- Is the Wi-Fi shared with other tenants, and do you use your own secure connection?
- Is there a white-noise machine, and do walls reach the ceiling?
- Who else holds keys, and can a cleaner or landlord enter your room?
- What happens to your records if the arrangement ends?
Room rental terms to compare
When comparing room providers, ask about proof of registration, liability insurance requirements, minimum commitments and cancellation notice. One Ontario room-rental platform, for instance, asks for proof of a valid professional registration, professional liability insurance and commercial general liability insurance, and offers month-to-month terms with at least 60 days’ notice to cancel. Terms like these vary, so get yours in writing.
Subletting: what to check
Subletting means you are renting from someone who rents, so the risk sits in the chain. Before you sign, read the head lease to see that subletting is permitted and ask for the landlord’s written consent. Check who carries insurance and who is liable if something goes wrong. Confirm that the space can be used for client sessions, and ask how records and keys will be handled at the end of the term. For legal questions about a specific lease, speak with a lawyer in Ontario. For professional standards questions, contact CRPO or your own college.
Hourly rooms often suit therapists building a caseload. If that is you, get in touch about renting a room with us.
FAQ
Can a counsellor in Ontario legally provide psychotherapy?
Only if they are authorized to. CRPO does not regulate counselling as such, but the protected title “psychotherapist” and the controlled act of psychotherapy are restricted. A counsellor who provides psychotherapy should be registered with CRPO or another college whose members are authorized to do so, so ask which one.
Is a psychologist better than a Registered Psychotherapist?
Neither is better in general. Psychologists follow a doctoral route and can communicate specified diagnoses, while registered psychotherapists complete approved psychotherapy training and supervised hours. The right choice depends on whether you need a formal assessment or ongoing therapy.
What does “qualifying” mean on a therapist’s profile?
It means the therapist is registered with CRPO but still completing supervised clinical experience, so they practise under clinical supervision. They are regulated and listed publicly. You can ask who supervises them.
How do I check a therapist’s credentials?
Search the name on the regulatory college’s public register. For psychotherapists, that is CRPO’s register. Confirm the name, class of registration and current status, then ask about their approach to your concerns.
Do online therapists need to be registered in Ontario?
The controlled act applies to services delivered to Ontario clients, including from outside the province. If you live in Ontario, your online therapist should be authorized to provide that service to you, so verify them in the same way.
Sources
- Psychotherapy Act, 2007, Ontario e-Laws
- Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), CRPO
- What to Know About Psychotherapy, CRPO
- Use of Terms, Titles, and Designations, CRPO
- Registered Psychotherapist Status Check, CRPO
- Do I need to apply? CRPO
- Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act, 2021
- Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991
- O. Reg. 193/23, Registration
- O. Reg. 67/15, Registration
- Application Overview, CRPO
- Controlled Act of Psychotherapy, CRPO
- Private Practice FAQ, CRPO Town Hall
- Privacy Management Handbook for Small Health Care Organizations, CRPO