Search for mental health support and you will find a long list of titles: psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, counsellor, coach, peer worker. They do different jobs. Picking the wrong one can mean months on a waitlist for help you did not need, or paying for sessions that do not fit what you are going through.
This guide will help you choose the right mental health support professional for where you are now. It explains what each type of professional does, how to check someone's registration in Ontario, and which questions to ask before you book.
Start with what you need help with
Before you compare anyone, spend ten minutes writing down what is going on and what would make things feel better. You do not need the right words or a diagnosis. "I can't sleep and I feel on edge at work" is enough to start.
Then add the practical details that will narrow your options:
- Format: online, by phone, or in person
- Timing: the days and times you can realistically make
- Language: the language you are most comfortable talking about hard things in
- Accessibility: anything that makes a session easier or harder for you to attend
- Budget: what you can pay, and whether you have workplace or private health benefits
Know the types of mental health support professionals
Ontario's mental health system has several kinds of professionals. Some are covered by OHIP and some are not. Some can diagnose and prescribe, and others focus on talking, coaching, or practical support.
Family doctor or nurse practitioner
For many people this is the first stop. A family doctor or nurse practitioner can talk through what you are experiencing, check for physical causes, prescribe medication, and refer you to a specialist. OHIP covers these visits.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specialises in mental health. Psychiatrists diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe and manage medication, often for more complex needs. OHIP covers psychiatric care, but you usually need a referral from a doctor or nurse practitioner, and waits can stretch from weeks to months.
Psychologist
Psychologists assess and diagnose mental health conditions and provide therapy. They do not prescribe medication. Outside hospitals and some publicly funded programs, you pay for a psychologist yourself, though many workplace benefit plans cover part of the cost.
Registered psychotherapist or social worker
Registered psychotherapists and social workers provide talk therapy for a wide range of concerns, from anxiety and grief to relationship problems. As with psychologists in private practice, you usually pay for them yourself or through benefits.
Peer support worker
A peer support worker has their own lived experience of mental health challenges and is trained to support others going through something similar. They listen, share what helped them, help you set goals, and help you find your way through the system: preparing for appointments, understanding your options, and following through after a hospital stay or diagnosis.
Peer workers are not clinicians. They do not diagnose, prescribe, or provide crisis care. Peer support works alongside clinical care, and many people use the two together. It is the kind of support KristKonkrd connects you with.
| Professional | Main focus | Prescribes medication | Covered by OHIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family doctor or nurse practitioner | First assessment, medication, referrals | Yes | Yes |
| Psychiatrist | Diagnosis and medication for more complex needs | Yes | Yes, usually with a referral |
| Psychologist | Assessment, diagnosis and therapy | No | Only in hospitals and some funded programs |
| Psychotherapist or social worker | Talk therapy | No | Only in hospitals and some funded programs |
| Peer support worker | Lived-experience support, coaching and system navigation | No | No |
Coverage depends on where the professional works, so confirm the cost with them before your first session.
Not sure which service you need? ConnexOntario gives free, confidential information about mental health and addiction services in Ontario, 24 hours a day. Call 1-866-531-2600 or text CONNEX to 247247.
Check training and registration
In Ontario, only registered members of the matching college can call themselves a psychologist, a psychotherapist, or a social worker. Each college keeps a free public register that shows whether someone is registered and lists any discipline history:
- Psychotherapists: College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
- Psychologists: College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario
- Social workers: Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Titles like "counsellor", "therapist" and "coach" are not protected, so anyone can use them. If a profile uses one of those words, ask what training the person has and which college, if any, they belong to.
Peer support workers are not regulated by a college in Ontario. Ask instead what peer support training they completed and how long they have worked with people. On KristKonkrd, we approve every worker before their profile appears to clients.
Read profiles with your notes in hand
Go back to what you wrote down and use it as a filter. When you browse workers on KristKonkrd, each profile shows a bio, a location, and the times the worker is available.
Look for three things in a bio. First, experience close to your own: someone who has lived through a hospital stay, a diagnosis, or a loss like yours may understand it more quickly. Second, the kind of support they describe, and whether it matches what you wrote down. Third, any limits they state, such as topics they do not work with.
Then check availability against your schedule. KristKonkrd shows real appointment times, so you only see slots the worker can actually offer.
Questions to ask before you book
A profile cannot answer everything. Use the message with your session request, or the start of your first session, to ask:
- What kind of support do you offer, and what is outside what you do?
- Have you supported people in a situation like mine?
- How long is a session, and is it online or in person?
- What does a session cost, and what is your cancellation policy?
- What happens if I need more help than you can give?
- How do you keep what I share private?
Pay attention to the answer to question five. A good peer worker or therapist knows where their role ends and will help you find the next step when you need more than they offer.
Notice how the first conversation feels
Credentials matter, but so does fit. After a first session, ask yourself whether you felt listened to, whether the person explained things clearly, and whether you would feel comfortable telling them something difficult next time.
If the answer is no, it is fine to say so and try someone else. Finding the right fit can take more than one try, and that first conversation still told you something about what you need.
Common questions
Is peer support the same as therapy
No. A therapist uses clinical training to treat mental health conditions. A peer support worker draws on their own lived experience and peer support training to listen, share what helped them, and help you set and reach goals. You can see a therapist or doctor and a peer worker at the same time.
Do I need a referral to see a psychiatrist in Ontario
Usually, yes. For OHIP to cover the visit, most psychiatrists need a referral from a family doctor or nurse practitioner. If you do not have one, a walk-in clinic doctor can assess you and refer you, and ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) can point you to local services.
Is peer support covered by OHIP
No. OHIP does not cover sessions with peer workers on KristKonkrd. Ask your worker about their fee before you book so you know the cost up front.
How do I check if a therapist is licensed in Ontario
Ask which college they are registered with, then search that college's free public register. Psychotherapists are listed with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, psychologists with the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario, and social workers with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
Key takeaways
- Write down what you need help with and your practical limits before you compare anyone.
- Doctors and psychiatrists diagnose and prescribe. Psychologists, psychotherapists and social workers provide therapy. Peer workers offer lived-experience support and help you navigate care.
- OHIP covers doctors and psychiatrists. You pay for most private therapy and peer support yourself or through benefits.
- Check a psychologist, psychotherapist or social worker on their college's public register.
- Ask about support offered, cost, and what happens if you need more help, then judge the fit after your first conversation.
Ready to talk to someone who has been there? Browse verified peer workers and request a time that suits you.