What does Desjardins cover for therapy in Montreal?
Desjardins group plans are built employer by employer, so your therapy benefit can differ from a colleague's at another company. The amount and the list of eligible providers sit in your own policy booklet.
Desjardins says members with the extended healthcare benefit can see psychologists, social workers and psychotherapists. The page that says so gives no session count or dollar cap.
That gap is where people get stuck: the benefit exists, but the booklet holds the numbers. First Session shows the designation and fee on each therapist profile, so you can match both to your booklet before you book.
What to know about using Desjardins benefits in Montreal
Online and in-person
Quebec reserves the practice of psychotherapy, and quebec.ca states that a permit is required to practise it. Out-of-province therapists in the second group above are insured to provide online therapy in Quebec.
A Desjardins guide in the resources library says online therapy is generally covered like in-person care when the provider meets your policy's credential rules.
Credentials in Quebec
The Ordre des psychologues du Québec (OPQ) says the title psychotherapist belongs to physicians, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and holders of an OPQ psychotherapist permit.
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association adds that members of certain orders, including social workers, can apply for the permit if they meet its criteria. You may also see designations from other provinces, such as Registered Clinical Counsellor, on therapists who work online with Quebec clients.
Cost and receipts
The OPQ says Quebec has no fee schedule for private psychotherapy and that a 50-minute session generally costs $120 to $180. A 2023 OPQ member survey found 82% of respondents charged within that range.
After each session, First Session emails a detailed receipt with the therapist's licence number and designation, ready to upload to your insurer's portal.
Public care and the employee assistance program
Quebec public health and social services offer mental health care free of charge, according to quebec.ca. The starting points are Info-Social 811, your family medicine group or a CLSC.
Desjardins also lists an optional Employee Assistance Program with 12 hours of mental health support per family per insurance year, separate from the health benefit.
How to choose a Desjardins therapist in Montreal
1Find three numbers in your booklet
Look for the yearly dollar maximum, the list of eligible designations, and whether the plan caps practitioners per calendar year. A Desjardins guide in the resources library cites example yearly maximums from $2,000 to the $10,000 range, so your own figure decides how many sessions you can book.
2Match the designation to your plan
Desjardins names psychologists, social workers and psychotherapists on its own pages. Each First Session profile shows the therapist's designation, so you can rule options in or out before booking. If your booklet names other titles, such as Registered Clinical Counsellor, look for that title on the profile.
3Filter by your concern, then read the bio
Use the filters for the concern you want help with, such as anxiety, trauma or relationships, and the language you prefer. A bio states training and approach. The intro video shows how the person talks about their work, which helps you decide whom to try.
4Use the free consultation
Book the free 15-minute consultation from a profile. Ask how the therapist would approach your concern, what the first month of sessions looks like, and which language they use in session. That tells you about fit before you pay for a session.
Looking for something more specific?
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