Real Life Counselling · Online Therapy in BC & Ontario

Moving to a new country can bring opportunity and hope, and it can also bring stress, loneliness, culture shock, and identity changes. Counselling offers a supportive space to process what you are carrying and build stability as you adjust to life in Canada.

  • Anxiety, worry, or overwhelm after moving
  • Loneliness, isolation, or difficulty building community
  • Culture shock, identity changes, or feeling out of place
  • Grief for what was left behind, homesickness, or loss

All new clients begin with a brief intake so we can ensure the best therapist match.

A newcomer to Canada attending a virtual counselling session
Insurance coverage: Covered by most extended health plans. Receipts provided for reimbursement.
BC & Ontario: Services are provided virtually to clients in British Columbia and Ontario, in accordance with provincial regulations.
No referral required: A doctor’s referral is not typically needed to begin counselling.

Common challenges for newcomers

Many newcomers feel pressure to settle quickly while adapting to new systems and expectations. You might be navigating work stress, language barriers, isolation, discrimination, or uncertainty about the future. Therapy can help you feel more supported and less alone.

Isolation & belongingSocial isolation, difficulty finding community, and the slow work of feeling at home somewhere new.
Culture shock & identityFeeling out of place, in between cultures, or unsure who you are in this new context.
Work, school & licensing stressCareer restarts, credential recognition, studying, and proving yourself all over again.
Family & relationship strainRole changes, parenting in a new culture, financial pressure, and relationships stretched by the move.
Grief for homeLoss of support systems, homesickness, and grieving the people and places left behind.
Adjustment fatigueThe exhaustion of constant change, new systems, and doing everyday things the hard way.

What you can work on in counselling

  • Reducing anxiety and strengthening coping skills
  • Building confidence and self trust in a new environment
  • Processing grief, loss, and major life change
  • Improving communication and relationship support
  • Boundary setting and managing expectations
  • Creating routines that support stability and wellbeing

How getting started works

  1. Complete the short intake form
  2. We review your needs and confirm your province
  3. You are matched with the best-fit therapist
  4. You are guided to book your first session

In your intake, tell us what matters to you in a therapist, including cultural background or lived experience, and we will match you personally.

Counselling for newcomers FAQs

Do I need permanent residency or citizenship to access counselling?
No. Our counselling is a private health service, and you do not need PR, citizenship, or any particular immigration status to begin. What matters is that you are located in British Columbia or Ontario during your sessions.
Is counselling confidential? Will it affect my immigration process?
Counselling is a confidential, private health service between you and your therapist, within the limits of the law that apply to all therapy. We do not report to immigration authorities or anyone else. For questions about your specific immigration process, a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer is the right resource; our role is your wellbeing.
Will my therapist understand my culture and background?
Tell us what matters to you in the intake, including cultural background, lived experience, faith, or language preferences, and we will match you thoughtfully. And you will never have to justify why the move has been hard; our therapists understand that newcomer stress is real, layered, and often invisible to people who haven’t lived it.
Is it normal to struggle more months after arriving, not right away?
Yes, and it surprises many people. The early months often run on adrenaline and logistics; the harder feelings tend to surface later, once life settles and the losses become real. Struggling at month eight or year two doesn’t mean you’re failing at settling. It usually means you’re finally safe enough to feel it.
Is counselling covered if I’m new to Canada?
If you or your partner have extended health benefits through work or school, sessions with Registered Psychotherapists (Ontario) or Registered Clinical Counsellors (BC) are typically covered, and we provide receipts for reimbursement. Check your plan for your coverage category and amount.
Is online counselling effective?
Yes. Research on video-delivered therapy has found it comparable to in-person care for many common concerns, and it removes transportation, childcare, and unfamiliar-place barriers, which matter even more when everything else is new.
Where is counselling for newcomers available?
Anywhere in British Columbia and Ontario by secure video, including Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Ottawa, Vancouver, Surrey, and Kelowna.

Related counselling services

Individual CounsellingAnxiety CounsellingGrief CounsellingLife Transitions

Ready when you are.

You carried a whole life across the world. You don’t have to carry the adjustment alone. Complete the intake and we will contact you within one business day to match you with the right therapist.

If you are in crisis, call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or call or text 988 (Suicide Crisis Helpline, Canada), available 24/7.