​​Best Online Therapy, Canada

May 15, 2025

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Online Therapist in Canada

Starting therapy can be an overwhelming process of unknowns, specifically not knowing where to start or what to expect. At Virtual Connect we aim to make the process as easy and seamless as possible. Therapy is a very personal experience and finding someone who you feel comfortable with and trust is critical for a positive therapeutic experience and allows you to get the most out of each appointment. So where do you start? It can be hard to know what you are looking for in a counsellor, if this is something that you have never done before. Start by identifying what is not working for you in your everyday life, the things that you want to see change, or the areas of your life where you feel things are having a negative impact on you. At Virtual Connect we encourage you to share anything you can about what you are looking for in a counsellor, then we will aim to match you with a counsellor that meets your needs and preferences. You can submit a self-referral on the websites home page, or through your answers on the get matched with a counsellor quiz. Once we receive your referral, we’ll review the information you provided and pair you with someone (or a few people) who specialize in the things that you identified wanting support with. I always recommend having a 15-minute phone consultation with your clinician before starting formal sessions. This allows you a chance to see if they are going to be a good fit for you, they are complementary, and gives you a space to ask any questions that you might have before jumping into counselling.

When you start counselling I always say to try out a few sessions before making a judgment call if it is for you, if you are not feeling like you are fitting with the counsellor, then transferring to a different clinician is always an option.

Affordable and Effective Online Therapy

The question of “is online therapy as effective as in person therapy” does come up often. If you are interested in learning more about this topic check out our full blog post where we explore the comparisons. However, I will note a few things on this topic here as well. From my experience, people enjoy online therapy for the convenience that is brings, the ease of scheduling, and lack of commute time. Clients also notice that they are able to form a strong therapeutic connection through virtual communications. Limitations to virtual therapy can arise in situations where people do not feel like they have a quiet private space to have their appointments, or do not have access to a device and/or a reliable internet connection (phone counselling is also an option)  in order to engage in virtual counselling. 

How to make counselling affordable can be a challenging question. Here at Virtual Connect we have clinicians who offer sliding scale rates. Additionally, we are registered with third-party billing options that might allow you to have your counselling services covered. These include NIHB (in some provinces), CVAP (BC), VQRP (Ontario), ICBC (BC), FNHA (BC), and SAJE funding. If you feel that you might qualify for any of these funding sources, please feel free to reach out to our team and we would be happy to assist you. Additionally, if you have private benefits through your workplace, all of the clinicians at Virtual Connect are registered with a provincial college, federal association, or provincial social work body.

The Accessibility perks of online therapy

There are multiple factors that make online therapy more accessible. Not having to leave your home to receive counselling services means that you do not need to have access to a car or transportation to be able to engage in counselling. This also means that you can access counselling services outside of where you live that you may not otherwise have access to. This can be particularly beneficial in smaller towns where you might feel more comfortable opening up to people who do not live in the same location as you. There is also something comforting and reassuring about being able to set yourself up in your own space, get your favourite cup of tea, a warm blanket, and maybe even have your pet for comfort as you have your appointments.

The online platform that we utilize at Virtual Connect can be used on any device that has access to WIFI or data, making it easily accessible to have appointments from the comfort of your own home

The Importance of a Therapeutic Relationship

While the approaches and modalities that are used in counselling are important from a clinical perspective, one of the most important things about someone’s counselling experience in general is the therapeutic relationship that is formed. Counselling is a very personal journey, having a space where you feel safe opening up and expressing yourself is an important part of the process. A positive therapeutic relationship increases the chance that clients feel more open to engaging with their counsellor and in turn, improves the chance of having positive treatment outcomes. This is why we focus on pairing people with clinicians who are best suited to the client’s needs. If you feel that the person you are working with is not the right fit for you, then it is important to reach out and see if you can get connected with another clinician. Ultimately, your counselling experience is the most important factor and getting connected with someone who is the right fit for you is critical. Overall, ensuring that the process of getting connected with a counsellor is smooth, making the process easily accessible and affordable, and ensuring that people are able to move and change counsellors if they are not a good fit are the things the Virtual Connect prides itself on caring about. Throughout this blog, I have identified some of the values that Virtual Connect holds and the ways that we work to continually improve our services for clients. If you have any questions, feedback, or ways that you feel that we could further improve our services, please reach out to us directly at info@virtualconnect.ca. If you are interested in starting your counselling journey click the link below to fill out our “get connected with a counsellor” quiz.