Counselling usually refers to shorter-term support that focuses on talking through current challenges with problem-solving assistance, learning some basic coping skills along the way.

Psychotherapy tends to involve longer-term work to manage mental health symptoms, support emotional and behavioural change, and foster personal growth. Sessions often focus on more advanced coping strategies, reflective discussions, and processing past experiences.

Therapy is a more general term that can refer to both counselling and psychotherapy.

It depends on your wellness challenges and mental health goals - one may end up being a better fit, depending on what brings you to therapy.

If you’re dealing with one or two specific issues, want sessions for a month or two, and are looking to talk things through while learning a few practical coping skills to help, counselling might be the right fit for you.

If you have a mental health diagnosis, have been living with challenges for a long time, or are looking for deeper personal growth with ongoing support, then psychotherapy may be better suited to your needs.

While psychotherapists and social workers have different professional backgrounds and training, both can offer psychotherapy services if registered and qualified to do so.

In Ontario, mental health professionals from six regulated fields - medical doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychotherapists, and social workers - are authorized to provide psychotherapy services.

For more information on the controlled act of psychotherapy, see here and here.

While psychologists and social workers have different professional backgrounds and training, both can provide psychotherapy services.

In Ontario, psychologists who hold their Ph.D. are authorized to diagnose clients/patients with mental health and neurocognitive conditions, while social workers are not currently permitted to do so.