How to Find a Therapist or Psychologist in Edmonton

Therapy is hard work. Finding the right therapist shouldn’t be. At First Session, we believe the fit between you and your therapist is the most important factor for a positive therapy experience and improved mental health.

Here’s how to find a therapist or psychologist in Edmonton and make sure they’re the right fit for you and your mental health goals.

Are therapists and psychologists different in Alberta?

In Alberta, both therapists and psychologists can provide talk therapy for mental health support. Psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists and may be either Provisional or Registered, depending on their stage of licensure (more on that below). Unlike in some provinces, Alberta psychologists can have a Master’s-level education. Whether you're looking for a therapist or a psychologist, the most important factor is finding someone you're comfortable working with.

What to Consider When Looking for an Edmonton Psychologist (or therapist)

• Edmonton is Canada’s fifth largest city and the capital of Alberta

• Edmonton has a shortage of therapists—something it shares with Alberta overall—with fewer therapists per 100,000 people than the national average

• Many Edmontonians experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—which at least one psychologist says can strike any time of the year

• Edmontonians face mental health challenges—with rates of anxiety and depression 15% higher than the national average

Communities in the Edmonton Area

When seeking therapy in Edmonton, you may be able to narrow down your search by looking for a counsellor within your community.

Since the launch of the City Plan in 2020, the Edmonton area has been divided into fifteen districts:

• Central Edmonton
• West Edmonton
• Southwest Edmonton
• Southeast Edmonton
• Northwest Edmonton
• Northeast Edmonton
• 118 Avenue
• Scona
• Jasper Place
• Whitemud
• Mill Woods and Meadows
• Horse Hill
• West Henday
• Rabbit Hill
• Ellerslie 

The number of local therapists available varies from district to district, but First Session’s search function can help you find an Edmonton therapist in an area accessible to you.

Public Mental Health Resources in Alberta

Typically, publicly-funded mental health care in Canada serves people in an acute mental crisis or with complex diagnoses. 

You may have to wait months or even years before being seen by a publicly-funded therapist in Edmonton, with little to no choice in therapist or schedule and a limited number of sessions.

Sessions with private-practice therapists are not covered by Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP), they are often covered in extended health plans through your employment.

Skip to the end of this article to learn about publicly funded mental health resources in Edmonton and Alberta.

Three Stages of Seeking Therapy in Alberta

Everyone is at a different point in their therapy journey. We should know: We’ve helped over 10,000 Canadians connect with the right therapists. Every individual has their own needs and questions. 

But we’ve noticed that most people looking for therapists are at one of three stages in their journey:

• ‍Stage 1: You know you’re seeking therapy in Edmonton, but you’re unsure what kind of therapy or therapist you’re looking for‍

• Stage 2: You know what type of therapy or therapist you’re looking for—you just need help finding it

• Stage 3: You’ve found a potential therapist and you’re ready to take the next step

Here’s what you need to know at each stage.

Stage 1: You Want to Find a Therapist but You’re Not Sure What You’re Looking For 

Why do you want to see a therapist?

First things first: What made you interested in seeing a therapist?

More specifically, do you have a particular issue or concern? Some people seek therapy in Edmonton because they want to improve their emotional regulation skills, or reduce the frequency of panic attacks. Others seek help improving a particular relationship.

You don’t need to have a specific goal in mind when you seek therapy, but consider what you’re hoping to get out of it. That will make beginning your search—and, later, consulting with individual therapists—more straightforward.

Why is “right fit” so important?

Your connection with your therapist is the number one factor affecting your success in therapy.

Decades of research have shown that finding the right therapist for your needs improves the likelihood of therapeutic success. That applies across different modalities, mental health diagnoses, and therapeutic settings(1).

- First Session therapy client

When you and your therapist have established a meaningful human connection, you can be vulnerable, feel heard, and trust the process.

Therapist traits

Some individual traits may be important to you when you consider what makes a good therapist for you. Some may not.

Consider:

• Age: Would you prefer a therapist your own age, or someone older with more lived experience? 

• Gender: You may feel more comfortable working with a therapist of a particular gender (or agender)

• Lived experiences: All therapists receive training in the most common issues their clients face, but not every therapist has personally experienced them

• Cultural background: Depending on your own experience, you may prefer to work with a therapist who has a cultural background similar to your own.

• Online presence: You may choose to seek a therapist with a detailed profile, updated website, and active social media. It’s against ethical guidelines for therapists to provide testimonials and reviews, but their online presence can give you a better idea of what their practice is like. 

Specializations

Therapists may choose to specialize in:

• specific diagnoses (e.g. borderline personality disorder, PTSD, autism, OCD)
• client concerns (low self-esteem, sleep issues, grief, work or professional challenges)
• client demographics (such as BIPOC, couples, children, caregivers)

If you don’t have a specific concern, you can work with an Edmonton therapist with a broader client base. 

Often, First Session clients start therapy with a broad scope, and over time identify more specific areas they’d like to focus on.

However, some conditions require more support from the therapist to navigate or have specific treatment methods, including: trauma/PTSD, eating disorders, and gender and sexual identity. 

Modalities

A therapy modality is a specific method or approach used by therapists to help people deal with mental, emotional, or physical issues. It’s a tool tailored to help individuals heal or improve their well-being in a way that works best for them.

What are the most common modalities?

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
• Somatic Experiencing
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Eye Motion Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Psychedelic Therapy 

Even as you consider different modalities, keep this in mind: Evidence shows that therapist-client fit affects therapy outcomes more than the specific modalities used(2). 

Objective criteria

Cost and payment

The cost of seeing a therapist in Canada varies widely.

When it comes to counselling in Edmonton, the price ranges from $145 – $240+ per session. Most sessions last 50 or 60 minutes. 

Edmonton counsellors set their prices based on a number of factors, including their level of education, specialization(s), and overhead costs. 

Many workplace and student health benefits cover therapy services, but most restrict which therapist designations qualify. Check out your policy details to see which designations and credentials qualify for reimbursement. Examples include “social worker”, “MSW”, “psychologist”, etc.

For more help with determining your insurance coverage see our full guide: How to Find a Therapist Covered by Insurance in Canada

Licence or designation of therapist 

Different provinces have different licenses and designations for therapists. Extended health insurance typically only covers therapists with certain designations, so it’s important to make sure your insurance covers therapists with the designations most common in your province.

Alberta regulates therapists differently from other provinces. For starters, counsellors and therapists are not officially recognized or registered as such. 

Also, a sub-designation of psychologists, Provisional Psychologist, roughly takes the place of what in other provinces might be a Registered Therapist designation.

In Alberta, the most comment designations for therapists are:

• Registered Psychologists. Professionals with advanced degrees who have completed supervision hours and passed the Examination of the Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP). They are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists. 

• Provisional Psychologists. Professionals who have advanced degrees but who have not completed all the requirements to become Registered Psychologists. They are presently working towards becoming registered, but until then, the College of Alberta Psychologists recognizes them as Provisional Psychologists.

• Counsellors and therapists. Up to the present, the terms “counsellor,” “counselling,” and “therapist” were not regulated. Any individual with any amount or type of training could advertise themselves as therapists or counsellors. In contrast to social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, therapists and counsellors could abide by different ethical guidelines and offer different levels of expertise. However, under recently introduced rules, therapists and counsellors will soon be regulated and licensed by the College of Alberta Psychologists. Check for updates on these changes from the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.

• Social Workers. Members are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW).

• Psychiatrists. Medical doctors specializing in mental health who are able to provide diagnoses and prescribe medications. Members are regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSA).  

Edmonton Psychologists: Registered vs. Provisional

Alberta is unique in the way it regulates psychologists. 

A Registered Psychologist must complete a Master’s-level degree in an approved Psychology program, including 200 - 600 hours of practicum experience.

They must also complete 1600 hours of supervised hours practicing Psychology (similar to a physician’s internship period). Their supervisor is an experienced psychologist. During or after their supervision period, they must then pass the Examination of the Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) (similar to a lawyer passing the bar exam).

A Provisional Psychologist is a professional who has completed an approved Master’s-level degree (including practicum hours), but has not yet completed their supervision hours or passed the EPPP. They have applied to CAP to be designated as a Provisional Psychologist, and as part of their application they have presented a plan for completing their supervision hours.  

In-person vs virtual therapy

In-person therapy is the traditional format for psychotherapy.

Many people who see therapists find that having a separate physical space for therapy helps them to create their own separate mental and emotional space. Also, certain aspects of therapy—like the therapist’s body language—are better experienced in person rather than 

on screen.

That being said, you may find it difficult to fit trips to a therapist’s office into your schedule. Or you may discover that the therapist you most strongly connect with has their office far away from where you live.

Virtual therapy has gained popularity in recent years, partly due to the effects of the pandemic. It opens up more options in terms of which therapists you can see. And you may find it more comfortable to do a session of therapy in your own home than in someone else’s office.

Many First Session therapists are licensed to serve clients across Canada.

Even if you don’t need to commute to your therapy sessions, schedule time to yourself before and after the session, so you can prepare in advance and process your thoughts and feelings when the session is over.

Therapist availability

Here are some questions to consider when reviewing a potential therapist's availability:

• Are they available in the time window you’re looking for? (mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends)
• Do you want to meet at the same day and time for each session or do you need flexibility?
• Do they require you to book weeks in advance or can you take it one week at a time?
• Do they offer appointments on short notice? 

For in-person therapy, you should also take into account commuting time and how it will affect your personal schedule.

Stage 2: You Know What You’re Looking For, You Just Need  to Find It

Some people are at the stage where they already know what they’re looking for in a counsellor in Edmonton. The trick now is to narrow down the search.

For instance, PsychologyToday lists over 1,000 therapists in Edmonton alone. Where do you even start?

Our goal at First Session is to connect Canadians with the right therapist the first time. Our directory of qualified therapists has been curated to make it easier for you to find the right fit. Explore therapist profiles and get started by booking your first session today. 

How to assess a therapist’s profile page

Here are some things to keep in mind as you browse therapists on First Session:

Images and video 

A picture is worth a thousand words. Most people aren’t comfortable contacting a potential therapist if they don’t know what they look like. Besides photos, First Session includes a video as part of each therapist profile. That gives you an even better sense of what to expect during an actual session. 

Note your gut reaction to exploring these videos—that is, your connection not only to what a potential therapist says, but how they say it. 

Keywords and phrases 

These words and phrases give a rough indication of a therapist’s approach to treatment. Some examples:

• “Spirituality”
• “Those seeking growth and transformation”
• “Self-compassion”
• “Mind-body connection”

Some keywords may inspire you and help you better articulate what you’re looking for. Others may not. Keep an open mind, but also be realistic about your own goals and attitude.

You may also find that the language a particular therapist uses speaks to your own experience. For instance, if a particular therapist’s description of how it feels to suffer from clinical depression speaks to your own experience, that could be a sign they would be a good match.

Objective criteria

This includes availability, cost, designations required for health benefits, and location.

Vetting

Depending on which directory you’re using to learn more about a particular therapist, that therapist may or may not have been vetted. 

Vetting includes making sure therapists meet certain qualifications in terms of availability, response times, transparent pricing, and policies of diversity and inclusion. Research a therapist directory’s vetting process before using it to make a decision.

(Heads up: Every First Session therapist is thoroughly vetted.)

Take advantage of free consultations

A free consultations gives you the chance to test your personal fit with a therapist over a short, no-commitment conversation. You can also ask any questions not answered by a therapist’s profile page.

Word of advice: Don’t get bogged down with consultation calls. When interviewing potential therapists, only schedule one to three at a time, and make sure they’re spread over one week or more. Any more than that tends to lead to decision paralysis.

Finally, you don’t need to book a consultation before seeing a therapist. If you’re confident, based on what you’ve learned about them, that a therapist would be a good fit for you, you’re free to go ahead and book your first official session.

Stage 3: You’ve found a potential therapist and you’re ready for the next step

If you’re reached this stage, you’ve already identified the Edmonton therapist that’s right for you, and you’re ready to start your journey.

Some tips to help you take the next step:

• If you find yourself really struggling to choose between more than one counsellor in Edmonton, then whichever one you choose is going to be a good choice—so go ahead and book that first session

• There’s no such thing as therapist soulmates. If you’re always waiting for that one perfect therapist to come along, you’ll end up waiting forever. Statistically speaking, there are many therapists that would make a great fit. 

• If you’re having trouble making a decision, consider: Are you unsure about a particular therapist, or are you unsure about your ability to make the right choice?

• If you struggle to listen to your intuition or trust your own judgment—issues therapy can address—then the decision to schedule the first session with a therapist that feels right for you counts as progress.

Even before they’re met with a therapist, people usually feel better after booking their first therapy session. Taking concrete steps to address your mental health is empowering, and starts to build inertia that will help carry you along your therapy journey.

How can I tell if therapy is working?

First things first: Therapy offers you the rare opportunity to work towards something without worry about performance or achievement.

That something could be concrete mental health goals, or the general aim of improving your wellbeing. But an achievement-oriented mindset is more likely to hinder your progress than help it. And it may even feed into issues you’re trying to address—eg. a sense of inadequacy, or obsessive compulsive behaviour.

So, you don’t need to track your progress with an Excel spreadsheet in order to tell if therapy is working. But here’s what you can do:

• Journal. Keeping a journal of the insights and challenges you meet in your sessions creates a time capsule you can review later. Reading through entries that range over months or even years can give you a sense of how your outlook has changed with the help of therapy.

• Talking to loved ones. As you continue along your journey, your partner, your family, or your closest friends are likely to notice positive changes in your behaviour. Ask them what they notice. You may find you’re surprised at how far you’ve come.

Ready for the next step? Browse our directory to find the right therapist for you.

References:

1Horvath A. O., Luborsky L. (1993). The role of the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 61, 561–573

2Horvath A. O., Symonds B. D. (1991). Relation between working alliance and outcome in psychotherapy: a meta-analysis. J. Couns. Psychol. 38, 139–149

Publicly-funded and community mental health resources in Edmonton:

• CMHA Edmonton, the local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association 

• Mental Health Foundation Alberta, which offers province-wide services but also operates a walk-in clinic in Northwest Edmonton.

• Kickstand Edmonton Hub, which provides free counselling, resources, and other mental health services to young people (those 25 years old or younger) in Edmonton.

• ACCESS Open Minds, which offers free walk-in mental health services to those 25 years old or younger 

Alberta-wide:

The government of Alberta lists a range of mental health resources available to residents:

•  Addiction & Mental Health (Alberta Health Services) 

Province-wide services include:

• Help in Tough Times is a Alberta Health Services directory of mental health resources available in Alberta. 
• Call 2-1-1 to find mental health programs and services in your community.
• BounceBack Alberta is a free, guided self-help program for people aged 15 and up who are experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression
• Call the Alberta Wide Mental Health Helpline to speak with a mental health specialist, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 1-877-303-2642 
• Kickstand, which provides free mental health resources and treatment to young people (those 25 years old or younger) in Alberta