Counselling is expensive. And that really sucks. In a just world, counselling services at Transformation and other clinics would be covered by OHIP. How does it make sense that Members of Parliament get a full pension after only six years of working, and giant corporations receive huge tax cuts, but ordinary people are expected to live entire lifetimes with completely treatable mental illnesses? Believe us when we tell you that we are just as pissed off about that as you are. As part of our effort to help out as much as we can with our limited resources, we’ve compiled the following list of suggestions for people who can’t afford the fees of private therapy.
Affordable options at private practices
Many therapists will see a limited number of clients for a reduced fee. At Transformation, our therapists each see a fixed number of sliding scale clients. We really care about improving people’s access to mental healthcare, so last year at Transformation we donated $66,000 of free therapy to our community. Unfortunately, since we don’t get any government funding, there is a long wait time for such services with us, but feel free to ask us to be placed on our wait list. Other private therapists in town might have a similar practice, so it’s worth reaching out to them and asking.
Free Online CBT Counselling Programs
Since the advent of Covid, the government has implemented a number of initiatives that Ontario residents can access for FREE. Virtual CBT isn’t going to resolve your deepest trauma, but it will give you a lot of really excellent information on how to understand your distress, and concrete tools for what to do about it.
Note: As of August 19th, 2022, the government has slashed funding to these initiatives, so you’ll now need a referral from CMHA to get access to these programs for free.
BounceBack is a program to help people aged 15+ develop skills to manage mild and moderate depression, anxiety, and stress. You can do phone sessions with a coach and access videos to get concrete tools to help manage your mood.
Mind Beacon is a digital program where a therapist will design a personalized 6-12 week plan for you. You’ll get to work with your therapist via text, and you’ll have access for a year to a number of resources specially chosen for you.
AbiliCBT is a virtually delivered cognitive behaviour therapy program. You’ll meet with a therapist via text, phone, or video call for an assessment, and then you’ll be given access to a 10-Module program where you learn how to deal with difficult thoughts, feelings, and behavioural impulses. You’ll also have scheduled check-ins with a therapist along the way.
Free Single-Session Phone Counselling
During Covid, the federal government launched Wellness Together Canada, an excellent resource for people who are struggling with stress or other mental health issues who need immediate help. Unlike a crisis line, if you call Wellness Together Canada, you’ll have short wait times before speaking with an intake counsellor and then being matched with a Masters-level therapist for an hour-long single counselling session. Wellness Together Canada is also an excellent one-stop shop for a multitude of different resources. Definitely worth checking out.
Students
If you're a student at one of the universities in Waterloo, or an employee with benefits, you may actually be covered for counselling with an MSW/RSW, Registered Psychotherapist, and/or a psychologist. Check the extended health section of your benefits booklet to make sure.
Recipients of OW and ODSP
If you're a recipient of OW or ODSP, you qualify for 8 free counselling sessions through the Counselling Collaborative Program, which is administered by several not-for-profit counselling agencies in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge, such as Shalom and Carizon. There may be a wait list for service. For whatever reason, the Region makes it really difficult to find information about this program, but we’ve got you covered: click here for more info!
People Struggling with Addiction
If you struggle with addiction, you qualify for 4-6 free counselling sessions through House of Friendship’s addiction counselling program, with the option of continued free group therapy. To get started, you’ll need to call and complete an intake through Here 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247. You may also want to check out Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), which are excellent, free support groups with meetings every day in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge. Lastly, there is a free virtual therapy program available for residents of Ontario called Breaking Free Online that was developed during Covid.
First Responders
If you're a first responder in Kitchener, Waterloo, or Cambridge, you're covered by the province for therapy related to PTSD, the symptoms of which include anger, insomnia, depression, addiction, flashbacks, anxiety, exaggerated startle response, and avoidance of things that remind you of the trauma. In order to qualify, you’ll need to be formally diagnosed with PTSD by a psychiatrist or a psychologist, then fill out a pretty painful amount of forms through WSIB. Still, by the end of it, you get unlimited coverage for psychotherapy. Unfortunately, we can’t diagnose at Transformation Counselling, but check out Frontline Forward or the Breakwater Institute for help with this.
Survivors of Sexual Assault
If you've experienced a sexual assault at any point during your life, you qualify for free counselling through the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo in Kitchener or Cambridge. The only down-side is that there is a wait list.
Affordable options with intern counsellors
If you're not covered by benefits and unable to find a therapist who works on a sliding scale, many agencies in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge - such as Carizon, Shalom, or the Glebe Centre - offer counselling on a sliding scale with Master's level counselling interns. Carizon, in fact, offers sliding scale counselling with all of their therapists, not just their students.
The Transformation Resources Library
As part of our initiative to promote universal access to mental health supports, we are constantly building a free resource library full of links to apps, YouTube videos, podcasts, books and audiobooks, and groups. We’re really working hard to curate this library of resources for you, and we hope it will help!
Still have questions?