One-on-one therapy · Online across BC & Ontario

Life can be tough, and it helps to have someone who listens, understands, and supports you in making sense of it. Individual counselling at Real Life Counselling is confidential, one-on-one therapy with a registered professional, matched to you personally, and built to fit a real schedule, whether you’re in Toronto, Mississauga, Vancouver, Kelowna, or anywhere in Ontario and BC.

  • Registered therapists (RP Ontario · RCC BC), serving clients since 2009
  • Personalized matching, not next-available
  • Covered by most extended health plans
  • Evening & weekend availability

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

Individual counselling in a calm and supportive setting
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.
No referral required: A doctor’s referral is not typically needed to begin counselling.

What is individual counselling?

Individual counselling, sometimes called individual therapy or one-on-one therapy, is a private, structured conversation between you and a registered mental health professional. Together you make sense of what you’re carrying, understand the patterns underneath it, and build practical ways to feel and function better. It is not advice-giving, and it is not lying on a couch while someone nods. It is focused, collaborative work, guided by approaches with real research behind them.

At Real Life Counselling, sessions are 50 minutes, held by secure video from wherever you are in Ontario or British Columbia. Some people come with a specific challenge they want to work through. Others arrive with a feeling that something is off and no tidy name for it yet. Both are exactly the right reason to start.

What people bring to individual counselling

Whatever you’re navigating, you won’t be the first. These are some of the most common reasons people reach out, and each links to more about how we help.

AnxietyThe spirals, the scanning, the constant what-ifs, and how to quiet them.Depression & low moodHeaviness, lost motivation, and the days that feel harder than they should.Stress & burnoutChronic pressure, exhaustion, and the sense that you can’t keep this pace.Grief & lossSupport through loss, at your pace, without anyone rushing your timeline.TraumaProcessing what still affects how you feel, react, or relate, safely.Life transitionsCareer change, separation, new parenthood, the moments that reshape you.MenopauseSupport for the emotional side of a transition nobody prepares you for.ParentingThe pressure of holding it together for everyone, and where you fit in that.Young professionalsBuilding a career and a self at the same time, without losing either.Newcomers to CanadaSettling into a new country while carrying the weight of the old one.

Not sure which fits? You don’t need to know. Tell us what’s going on in your own words, and we’ll take it from there.

How getting started works

  1. Tell us what’s going on: a short intake covering what you’re navigating, what kind of therapist feels right, and your schedule. About three minutes, and a real person reads it.
  2. We match you with the therapist whose approach, experience, and personality fit what you need, not whoever has the next opening. If the fit isn’t right after a few sessions, we’ll help you find a better one.
  3. Begin, from anywhere: secure video sessions from home or anywhere private in Ontario or BC, with evening and weekend times available. Most clients begin within a week.

Fees, insurance & practical details

Our therapists are Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO, Ontario) and Registered Clinical Counsellors (BCACC, British Columbia), and our services are covered by most extended health plans in Canada. We provide receipts for reimbursement; check with your insurer to confirm your coverage. A doctor’s referral is typically not required.

We also measure how therapy is actually going. Using Greenspace, a validated clinical outcomes platform, we track progress over time, because therapy isn’t just about how a session feels in the moment. It’s about whether things are genuinely getting better.

Individual counselling FAQs

How long is an individual counselling session?
Sessions are 50 minutes, held by secure video. Many clients start weekly or every two weeks, and the rhythm adjusts as you go, in conversation with your therapist.
How many sessions will I need?
It genuinely varies. Some people come for a handful of sessions around a specific challenge; others find longer-term work more valuable. Your therapist will talk openly with you about what makes sense for your goals, and you’re never locked in.
Is individual counselling covered by insurance?
Most extended health plans in Canada cover services from Registered Psychotherapists (Ontario) and Registered Clinical Counsellors (BC). We provide receipts for reimbursement; check your specific plan to confirm coverage amounts.
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
Typically, no. You can reach out directly and begin once you’re matched. Some insurance plans ask for a referral for reimbursement, so it’s worth a quick check of your policy.
Is online counselling as effective as in-person?
Research on video-delivered therapy has found it comparable to in-person care for many common concerns, and many clients find it easier to open up from their own space. It also removes commutes, waiting rooms, and geography from the equation.
How do I choose the right therapist?
You don’t have to do it alone. Tell us what you’re navigating and what matters to you in a therapist, including things like cultural background or lived experience, and we’ll match you personally. If the fit isn’t right, we’ll help you switch, no awkwardness required.
Is what I share confidential?
Yes. Individual counselling is confidential within the limits set by law, and your therapist will walk you through exactly what that means in your first session, so there are no surprises.
Where is individual counselling available?
Anywhere in Ontario and British Columbia, by secure video, including Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa, Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, and Kelowna. If you’re elsewhere in Canada, see our online counselling page for options.

Ready when you are.

The longest part of starting therapy is usually the part before you reach out. Tell us a little about what’s going on, and you can begin within a week.

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