Online Counselling in British Columbia

Online counselling—also called virtual therapy—is when you meet with a licensed therapist by video or phone. In BC, therapists like Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs), Registered Social Workers (RSWs), and Registered Psychologists (R.Psych) can all offer online sessions. If you have health insurance, it typically some of all of these designations offering counselling. Learn more about the different types of therapists and counsellors in BC.

Online therapy in BC allows clients to meet with therapists via phone, computer, or tablet. Your therapist may have a specific digital platform, or you might connect via platforms like Zoom or Jane Video. Whatever virtual platform is used, it should meet privacy standards.

Before you get started, free phone or video therapy consultations in British Columbia are common so that you can better assess the therapist fit, and therapists can better understand how they can help. Not all therapists offer phone consultations so be sure to check out our partner therapist intro videos on First Session to get a sense of who a therapist is, their specializations and their approach to therapy.

There are also a number of emergency and non-emergency mental health hotlines available for people in British Columbia. You can find them on the HeretoHelp website. 

In British Columbia, the types of counselling covered by provincial healthcare plans (MSP) include psychiatrists via doctor referral, or receiving counselling directly in a medical setting such as from your family doctor or in a hospital. The provincial government does, however, have a resources page available with a number of affordable and accessible mental health care options.

In short, it's difficult to get online counselling in BC covered by MSP unless you're in an immediate crisis, or are willing to wait many months on a waitlist.

Otherwise, you can expect private counselling costs out-of-pocket in the range of $80 to $250+ per session, depending on who is providing the counselling, and what level of training and license they have. For example, a newly qualified Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)might charge $100 per session, but seasoned Registered Psychologists (R.Psych) will likely fall into the $200 to $350 range per session.

If you have workplace health insurance, often referred to as group benefits, many plans provide covered for online counselling in BC.

Popular insurance providers in BC are:

• Pacific Blue Cross
• Canada Life
• Sunlife
• Manulife
• Chambers of Commerce

Your coverage typically related to the counsellor's designation or license. For example, commonly covered designation in BC that offer online counselling are Registered Psychologists (R.Psych), Registered Social Workers (RSWs), and Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCCs). Oftentimes, the designation of Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), a national designation, will also be covered by many plans.

What you want to look for to identify your coverage is:

1. The amount of coverage ($) per year you have under mental health, psychological services, or counselling
2. Which designations are covered, for example MSW RSW or "Psychologist".

For more detailed information, see our guide on how to find a therapist covered by insurance in Canada.

There are therapists and counsellors who offer affordable and sliding scale therapy to make counselling accessible for more people. Usually, a counsellor will allocate only a certain number of discounted sessions per month.

Some government-funded services like Foundry BC or Here2Talk offer free therapy for youth and students. At First Session, we partner with the WIRTH Foundation to provide free therapy for eligible individuals. Over 20 of our therapists also offer sliding scale pricing.

At First Session, you can filter therapists by focus area, language spoken, gender, and cultural background.

A unique feature of First Session is that every counsellors has a professional introductory video right on their profile. You can watch these videos to see if you feel drawn to working with a therapist, or not. Then, if you're feeling good about a particualr counsellor, a free consultation, bookable right on their profile page, helps you see if it's the right fit.

In BC, most online therapists are:

• RCCs: Registered Clinical Counsellors (regulated by BCACC)
• RSWs: Registered Social Workers (regulated by BCCSW)
• Psychologists: Regulated by the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC

Compare these therapist credentials here. You can also get updated on any regulatory changes for psychotherapy and counselling therapy in BC here.

Yes, online therapy in BC can be just as effective as in-person therapy for many individuals. Numerous studies have shown that online therapy can produce positive outcomes and is particularly beneficial for those who may face barriers to accessing in-person services, such as geographical distance or mobility issues. It's important to choose a qualified therapist and a secure platform to ensure the effectiveness of online therapy.

Online counselling sessions typically range from 30 minutes to 90 minutes with some exceptions. Most therapists on First Session offer a standard 50 minute online session.

Most counsellors in BC offer a 15 minute complimentary consultation, and some therapists offer "intensives" which can be 3 hour or longer sessions.

Absolutely. First Session was designed to give you full agency over your therapy journey. We take great care in producing high quality videos for you to view before you book, which often eliminates the "bad fits". However, if you feel like your therapist does not "get you" there are many counsellors to choose from who offer online counselling in BC.