Welcome to Psychotherapy Referral Services: Find a therapist online today
Active since 1995, we connect people with registered psychotherapists in person and online, in Toronto, the GTA, and Ontario.
Searching for the right psychotherapist and initiating a therapeutic journey can feel like a difficult task. We are here to make this search easier for you, answering your questions and helping you find a therapist that is a good match for what you need. Working online and/or in person, from convenient locations across Toronto and the GTA, many of our therapists offer to start with a complimentary consultation.
PRS Commitment and Training
Intensive
Training
All PRS therapists are graduates of a rigorous training program in psychodynamic psychotherapy from the Centre for Training In Psychotherapy in Toronto. CTP has been training psychotherapists with a good solid foundation since 1986, earning a reputation of excellence in the field of training institutes in the GTA. CTP’s unusually long 6-year program, alongside its in-depth academic curriculum, requires candidates to undergo extensive individual weekly psychotherapy leading to and during their entire formation. Four years of concurrent group therapy are also mandatory for all graduates.
Psychodynamic
Psychotherapy
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a special kind of conversation between therapist and client, conducted in a safe, confidential and private setting and focused on the issues the client brings in to explore. It is aimed at gaining insight into repetitive patterns of thoughts, conflicted feelings and automatic behaviours, by understanding the root cause of a person’s emotional and relational difficulties. Psychodynamic psychotherapy may be helpful in translating those insights into new, more fulfilling ways of being in the world, contributing to self-supportive choices and healthier relationships.
Appreciation For
Diversity
The lived experience of each individual is very personal and relevant; each psychotherapeutic exploration will therefore be unique. Toronto is a diverse, multicultural society. We also recognize that some people may have suffered pain and trauma from systemic racism; from gender and sexual discrimination; from forced displacement due to war, colonization and political unrest, and other forms of oppression. At PRS we commit to a deep appreciation and respect for the diversity of culture, race, sexual orientation, gender and lived experience.
About PRS
Psychotherapy Referral Service (PRS) in Toronto, is an organization of Registered Psychotherapists, all graduates of the Centre for Training in Psychotherapy (CTP). We specialize in the psychodynamic approach, with our expertise backed by years of rigorous academic and experiential training and personal therapy. We also offer a variety of other therapeutic modalities. Some of our therapists have pursued additional training in the field of group therapy, family therapy, marriage and relationship counselling, EFCT (Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy), IFS ( Internal Family System), Compassion-Focused Therapy, Life Coaching, offering an eclectic and personalized approach to psychotherapy. Our therapists work online or in person from various convenient locations across Toronto and the GTA. To learn more about our therapists, we encourage you to browse through our profiles and connect with those whom you feel might meet your needs and goals for your therapy.
Active since 1995, we are an organization of colleagues psychotherapists, all CTP graduates, running PRS on a not-for-profit model and connecting people with Registered Psychotherapists, in person or online, in Toronto, the GTA and Ontario.
27+
Years in Business
6
Years Minimum Training
15+
Issues Dealt With
Why See A Therapist?
There are many reasons why people begin to see a therapist. Therapy can assist with many complex mental health conditions; even in cases when medication is needed therapy can be a valuable support to cope with a difficult diagnosis. During life’s many transitional phases, like adapting from school to a work environment and adult responsibilities; pregnancy/parenthood; marriage and relational difficulties; aging; grief and loss, a therapist can offer help and support to navigate these challenging times. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy can also be very helpful when someone simply wants to gain a better understanding of the roots of one’s difficulties, even if these don’t necessary lead to significant problems in living, in order to reach a deeper level of self-awareness and emotional growth.
- Mental Health Concerns
- Marriage & Relationship Difficulties
- Support during a personal or family difficult life transition
- Support while recovering from an addiction problem or a significant personal loss
- Understanding the root of one’s problems for deeper self-awareness and emotional growth
Frequently Asked Questions
OHIP does not cover psychotherapy. Your employer or extended health plan may provide full or partial reimbursement based on the coverage your health plan provides. Our therapists’ charge fees starting from $100.00 and above per session. There is no HST charge for psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy can help you take charge of your life and deal with daily problems in a more effective way. With your therapist you can work towards feeling stronger, happier, and having greater control in the choices you make. Psychotherapy is a healing as well as a learning process.
Psychotherapy provides a place to safely explore whatever is troubling you. It offers a place to express your fears and anxieties and to strengthen your emotional responses to them.
As a result of therapy, you may feel less alone, less victimized, and more able to cope with life. You may even be encouraged to express yourself more creatively and confidently.
Psychotherapy encourages you to deal with daily problems in new and more functional ways. Sessions involve you and your therapist usually meeting once a week in a private office, virtually or via phone for about an hour, whichever mode the two if you decide on. Typically, in sessions you begin a conversation about your life and the challenges you are experiencing.
Some people come with very specific problems or with the larger purpose of perhaps understanding themselves better, of finding their true selves, or of freeing up energy for living more fully. Others may not articulate a specific situation, but express a feeling – or lack of feeling – that is impacting their well-being negatively. (This work takes time, sometimes months, often longer.)
- Abuse
- Addictions & Compulsions
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Cultural/Racial Issues
- Dreamwork and Dream Analysis
- Depression
- Immigration Experience
- Loneliness & Isolation
- Life & Career Transitions
- Marriage & Relationship Issues
- Stress
- Panic
- Phobias
- Postpartum Depression/Anxiety
- Self-Esteem
- Self-Harm
- Trauma
- Sexuality
- Workplace Issues
They are as different as the people who seek it. Some feel life is unfulfilling. Some want to add depth to their life. Many are experiencing emotional pain. Whenever you feel that life should be better, you can’t cope, or can’t go on, it’s a sign that psychotherapy can be of assistance. To see a full list of what our therapists can assist you with, click here.
The length of the therapy is determined by the challenges you want to resolve, and what outcome you are seeking. Some people stay in therapy for a short time. For others, psychotherapy becomes a vehicle for personal development and greater self-awareness over a longer period. How long you stay in therapy is always your choice.
The frequency of sessions can vary depending on your needs. The most common frequency is once per week. Most of our therapists work on a 50 minute hour, but again, this is determined by your needs.
Online therapy provides you the opportunity to meet with your therapist ‘face-to-face” on a platform such as zoom.
At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, our whole community of psychotherapists had to adapt very quickly in order to be able to safely treat our clients. We all shared concerns about therapeutic outcomes when we were not able to meet our clients in person.
Now, after this necessary shift, we are pleased to see how well online therapy works – to the degree that some of our members have permanently shifted to an online-only practice. Most therapists here on PRS carry on a hybrid practice; offering online or in-person sessions, as best suits each client.
To learn more about PRS, click here.