Real Life Counselling • Etobicoke, Ontario

Etobicoke counselling and marriage therapy, built around your life, not your commute.

You shouldn’t have to add another leg to the downtown commute, or find parking off Bloor, to talk to the right therapist. We provide secure online counselling and EFT-trained couples therapy for Etobicoke and west Toronto, matched to what you’re actually navigating, often within 3 to 7 days. We provide secure online counselling for Etobicoke and west Toronto, matched to what you’re actually navigating, often within a week.

✓ Online anywhere in Etobicoke & York Region✓ CRPO-registered in Ontario✓ Physician referrals welcome

WHY ONLINE COUNSELLING WORKS FOR RICHMOND HILL

The in-between pace of Etobicoke life is exactly what online therapy was built for.

  • Downtown commuters on the Gardiner, Line 2, or the GO who don’t have another hour to give
  • Parents in The Kingsway, Sunnylea, and Markland Wood juggling careers and the family calendar
  • Healthcare workers at Etobicoke General and St. Joseph’s on shifting schedules
  • Professionals working hybrid between home and downtown Toronto
  • Couples who’d rather talk from their own living room
  • Patients referred by their family doctor

Meet your Etobicoke therapists

You’ll work with a Registered Psychotherapist licensed by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). We match you carefully with the therapist best suited to what you’re working on, and if the match doesn’t feel right after the first few sessions, we’ll help you find a better fit.

Ashley Kreze, MA, RP, RCC

Founder & Clinical Director

Registered Psychotherapist (Ontario) and Registered Clinical Counsellor (BC) with over 17 years of clinical experience. Specializes in couples and relationship work, anxiety, burnout, and life transitions for high-functioning professionals.

Read Ashley’s full bio →

Jason Brereton, RP

Registered Psychotherapist

Registered Psychotherapist (Ontario, CRPO) supporting Etobicoke clients navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, and personal growth with a warm, integrative approach.

Read Jason’s full bio →

Sandy Ghobrial, RP

Registered Psychotherapist

Registered Psychotherapist (Ontario, CRPO) working with Etobicoke clients across anxiety, depression, identity work, and life transitions with an evidence-informed, compassionate style.

Read Sandy’s full bio →

A PRACTICE, NOT A SOLO ACT

Founder-led. Team-delivered. Ontario-registered.

Real Life Counselling was founded in 2009 by Ashley Kreze, a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and a Registered Clinical Counsellor in BC, with more than 17 years of clinical experience.

When you reach out, we match you with the therapist on our team whose approach, experience, and personality fit what you’re navigating, not just whoever has the next opening. Every Ontario client is served under CRPO registration, to Ontario clinical standards.

Founded 2009RP (Ontario) & RCC (BC) leadershipPersonalized therapist matchingFeatured in Forbes, EmpowHer
Online counselling for Etobicoke and west Toronto, Ontario

What we help Etobicoke clients work through

Real life rarely fits a single label. These are the most common reasons people in Etobicoke and west Toronto reach out, and if yours isn’t here, that doesn’t mean we can’t help.

Anxiety

The kind that wakes you at 3 a.m. The kind that hums in the background of every conversation. The kind nobody else sees.

Burnout & stress

You’re doing fine on paper. In your body, you’re not. Therapy for the high-functioning version of running on empty.

Depression

Whether it’s the weight that won’t lift or the numbness that crept in slowly, there’s a path back.

Couples & relationships

Communication patterns, recurring fights, drifting apart, repairing after a rupture. Couples work that goes beyond techniques.

Parenting & family pressure

The mental load, the schedules, the expectations, and the sandwich years of raising kids while supporting aging parents, all while looking like everything is working. In Etobicoke households, this is the most common counselling conversation.

Life transitions

A move, a separation, a new baby, a career change, retirement on the horizon. The work of becoming someone new, at any age.

Grief & loss

A person, a relationship, a version of yourself. Grief isn’t linear and it doesn’t run on a timeline.

Workplace & career

Difficult workplaces, leaving a role, returning from leave, and the pressures you can’t bring to HR.

Marriage and couples counselling for Etobicoke

One of the most common reasons Etobicoke couples reach out is the slow erosion of connection: the years where life got busy, the kids took over, careers demanded more, and somewhere along the way you stopped being partners and started being co-managers of a household.

Our therapists are trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), among the most evidence-based models for couples work. We work with couples in chronic conflict, partners considering separation but unsure, couples rebuilding after infidelity, parents who disagree about parenting, pre-marital couples, and the many who are simply “fine but disconnected.” Both partners join online from wherever works, the kitchen table, the home office, or separate locations when schedules demand it.

Learn about couples counselling

How to start counselling in Etobicoke

No referral required. No waiting room. No drive across town.

1

Reach out, tell us what’s going on

Fill out a short intake form. A few sentences is plenty. We’ll review it and reach back within one business day to set up a free 15-minute consultation.

2

Get matched with the right therapist

We match you with a therapist based on what you’re navigating and the kind of fit you need. Most Etobicoke clients begin within a week of reaching out.

3

Start sessions from home

50-minute sessions over secure, encrypted video. From your living room, your home office, or anywhere private. Evening and weekend appointments available.

Areas we serve

Etobicoke, from the lakeshore to Rexdale.

Because sessions are online, location inside Ontario isn’t a barrier. Common neighbourhoods and communities our Etobicoke clients come from:

The Kingsway
Mimico
Islington-City Centre West
New Toronto
Long Branch
Rexdale
Alderwood
Markland Wood
Princess Anne Manor
Sunnylea
Humber Bay Shores
Eatonville
Richview
Humber Valley Village
Thistletown
Stonegate-Queensway
Eringate-Centennial
West Deane

Honest answers to Etobicoke client questions

Is your therapist actually registered in Ontario?
Yes. Ashley Kreze, the founder of Real Life Counselling, is a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). All Ontario counselling is delivered under CRPO registration and compliant with Ontario clinical standards.
My doctor referred me. What do I do?
Welcome, physician referrals from Etobicoke and west Toronto clinics are a common way clients find us. Simply fill out the Start Counselling form and mention your doctor or clinic in the intake. We’ll take it from there, and with your consent we can coordinate with your physician so your care stays connected.
Can I see someone in Etobicoke in person?
No, we work entirely online, and that’s deliberate. Online therapy removes the barriers Etobicoke clients mention most: the Gardiner, the commute, parking, parking, fitting appointments between the commute and the kids’ schedules, and taking time away from work or caregiving. Consistency is what makes therapy work, and online sessions make consistency easy.
I’d prefer a therapist who understands my cultural background. Can you accommodate that?
We take fit seriously, and that includes cultural context. Etobicoke is part of one of Canada’s most diverse communities, and our matching process considers what matters to you in a therapist, including cultural understanding, values, and communication style. Tell us what fit means for you in the intake form and we’ll match accordingly, honestly, including telling you if we’re not the right home for what you need.
Are sessions covered by my insurance?
Most extended health benefit plans in Ontario cover sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist (RP). We provide receipts you can submit for reimbursement. Common plans include Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield, Desjardins, and Blue Cross. Check your plan for “Registered Psychotherapist” or “psychotherapy” coverage, or ask us during your intake and we’ll help you confirm.
How much does counselling cost?
Standard private-pay rates for Registered Psychotherapist sessions in Ontario. We’re transparent about pricing, ask during your free 15-minute consultation and we’ll walk you through it, including how to make the most of your extended health benefits.
Can my partner and I do couples therapy from different locations?
Yes. One of the practical advantages of online couples therapy is that both partners can log in from wherever they are, same home, different rooms, or one of you still downtown. We recommend quiet, private spaces and headphones for confidentiality.
What’s the difference between a Registered Psychotherapist and a Psychologist in Ontario?
Both are regulated professions that provide psychotherapy in Ontario. Psychologists hold a doctoral degree, are regulated by the College of Psychologists of Ontario, and can diagnose mental health conditions. Registered Psychotherapists (RPs) hold a master’s degree, are regulated by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), and provide psychotherapy without formal diagnosis. For most therapy work, both are effective, and RPs are often more accessible in availability and cost.
How quickly can I start?
Most Etobicoke clients have their first session within 3 to 7 days of reaching out. Our small clinical team means we can usually match you quickly. If you’re in crisis, please use the Get Help Now resources or call or text 988.

Related counselling services

Etobicoke clients often start from a specific concern. These pages go deeper on the work itself:

We also serve the rest of the GTA and Ontario online:

Mississauga · Aurora · Bradford · Barrie · Pickering · Markham · Vaughan · Newmarket · All Ontario

Ready when you are, Etobicoke.

The longest part of starting therapy is usually the part before you reach out. Once you do, it gets easier.