How much does therapy cost at Heart & Mind Therapy in Waterloo?

At Heart & Mind Therapy, session fees vary depending on the clinician and service type. Most sessions are covered in full or in part by extended health benefits — many extended health plans in Ontario cover services from Registered Psychotherapists (RP/RPQ) and Registered Social Workers (RSW). University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier, University of Guelph, and Conestoga students may access up to 80% coverage through their student health plans. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to confirm your specific coverage. To discuss fees directly, please reach out at info@heartnmind.ca or call (226) 918-9077.

Do I need a referral to see a therapist in Waterloo?

No referral is required to book a session at Heart & Mind Therapy. You can contact us directly to schedule a free 20-minute consultation call. Some extended health insurance plans may require a physician's referral for reimbursement purposes, so we recommend checking your plan details before your first appointment. Our team is happy to help you navigate the process.

Does Heart & Mind Therapy offer online therapy in Ontario?

Yes. Heart & Mind Therapy offers secure virtual therapy sessions to clients anywhere in Ontario. Our registered clinicians are licensed to provide telehealth services across the province, which means you can access care from Guelph, Cambridge, Kitchener, or anywhere else in Ontario without needing to travel to our Waterloo office. In-person sessions are also available at our location at 16 John Street W., Unit F, Waterloo.

What types of therapy does Heart & Mind Therapy offer?

Heart & Mind Therapy offers a broad range of evidence-based therapeutic modalities delivered by our team of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers. These include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Therapy, Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), Motivational Interviewing, and Compassionate Inquiry. We provide individual counselling, couples therapy, student counselling, teen and youth therapy, faith-based Christian counselling, multicultural and multilingual therapy, addiction counselling, grief and loss therapy, and executive and high-performer therapy.

How do I get started with a therapist at Heart & Mind Therapy?

Getting started at Heart & Mind Therapy is straightforward. First, book a free 20-minute consultation call through our website or Jane App booking system. This conversation helps us understand your goals and match you with the right clinician. Alternatively, you can use our 60-second Therapist Match Quiz to be paired with a specialist. Once matched, you schedule your first full session either in person at our Waterloo office or virtually via secure video. There is no pressure to commit beyond the initial call.

Is therapy at Heart & Mind Therapy covered by student health insurance?

Yes. Students at the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Guelph, and Conestoga College can typically access up to 80% coverage for psychotherapy services through their student health benefit plans. Coverage applies to sessions with our Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers. We recommend confirming your annual benefit maximum and any per-session limits directly with your student plan provider before booking. Our team can help answer questions about the claims process.

Sliding-Scale Therapy in Waterloo

Quality Therapy.
A More Accessible Fee.

Get individual psychotherapy for $90 per session with a supervised MSW student at Heart & Mind Therapy in Waterloo or virtually across Ontario.

Our MSW students are completing their clinical internships and provide therapy under the supervision of Lydia Forge, MSW, RSW, Clinic Director & Founder. It is a lower-cost way to access thoughtful, personalized therapy while your therapist receives ongoing clinical supervision.

How It Works Book My Free Consultation

$90 Sessions Supervised MSW Students Ages 16+

A More Affordable Option

Therapy shouldn’t feel financially out of reach.

Cost is one of the reasons people put off starting therapy. Through our MSW internship program, you can work with a supervised student therapist for $90 per session.

The fee is lower because the therapist is completing their MSW internship. They are building their clinical experience while receiving regular supervision from an experienced Registered Social Worker.

MSW Student Therapy

$90 per session

One-to-one psychotherapy with an MSW student completing their clinical internship at Heart & Mind Therapy.

✓ Individual psychotherapy for ages 16+

✓ Regular clinical supervision

✓ In-person in Waterloo and virtual across Ontario

✓ Free 20-minute consultation before you begin

About Student Therapy

What is an MSW student therapist?

An MSW student therapist is completing a Master of Social Work degree and a supervised clinical internship as part of their training.

Graduate-Level Training

Our student therapists are completing a Master of Social Work program. They come to their internship with their education, previous work experience and continued training.

Working With Clients

During their internship, students begin seeing clients under supervision. The clients they work with are chosen based on the student’s training, experience and current scope of practice.

Regular Supervision

Student therapists meet regularly with their supervisor to discuss their work, ask questions and continue building their clinical skills.

Supervised by Lydia Forge, MSW, RSW

Lydia is the Clinic Director & Founder of Heart & Mind Therapy and provides clinical supervision to our MSW student therapists during their internships.

Rachel Oussoren, Registered Social Worker and MSW intern at Heart & Mind Therapy

$90 per session

Meet Rachel

Rachel Oussoren, RSW

MSW INTERN · REGISTERED SOCIAL WORKER

Rachel takes a warm, person-centred approach to therapy. She works with clients to understand what has been going on, what may be keeping them stuck and what they would like to see change.

May Be a Good Fit For Anxiety, social anxiety, stress, grief and loss, spiritual exploration, life transitions, and parent-child relationship concerns.

Therapy Approach Person-centred, strengths-based, solution-focused, trauma-informed and culturally sensitive therapy, with optional Christian counselling.

Rachel is completing her MSW internship at Heart & Mind Therapy and is supervised by Lydia Forge, MSW, RSW, Clinic Director & Founder.

Waitlist open · Starting November

Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation Bio Coming Soon

Our Fees

Student therapy is $90 per session.

The student rate is lower because the therapist is completing a supervised clinical internship. The fee for our other therapists varies based on their registration, experience and role within the clinic.

If you’re not sure who to book with, a free 20-minute consultation can help you figure out which therapist may be the best fit for what you’re looking for and your budget.

MSW Student Therapy MSW student completing a supervised clinical internship

$90

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) Registered qualifying psychotherapist

$120

Registered Therapist & Social Worker Registered clinician

$165

Seasoned Therapist Experienced therapist

$175

Clinic Director Therapy with Heart & Mind Therapy’s Clinic Director

$185

Is Student Therapy Right for You?

What can I see a student therapist for?

Rachel works with individuals 16+ in several areas. If you’re unsure whether what you’re dealing with falls within her scope, you can ask during your free consultation.

Anxiety & Social Anxiety

Worry, overthinking, self-doubt, social anxiety and situations you have started avoiding because of anxiety.

Stress & Life Transitions

Work, school, relationships, major changes or times when you’re feeling overwhelmed and having trouble managing everything at once.

Grief & Loss

A place to talk through grief, loss and the changes that can come with it.

Understanding Yourself

Look at patterns in your thoughts, relationships and experiences, and get clearer about what you would like to change.

Relationships & Family Patterns

Talk through relationship concerns, communication, family dynamics and parent-child relationship concerns in individual therapy.

Faith & Spirituality

If your Christian faith or spirituality is important to you, it can be included in therapy. It does not have to be part of your sessions if you don’t want it to be.

How Supervision Works

What happens in supervision?

Rachel meets regularly with Lydia for clinical supervision. This gives her a place to ask questions, review her work and get guidance as she develops as a therapist.

Your sessions are still with Rachel. Lydia does not sit in on your sessions or act as a second therapist.

Reviewing Client Work Rachel can bring questions from her clinical work to supervision and talk through how she is approaching different situations.

Building Skills Supervision gives Rachel regular feedback as she builds her skills and gains more experience working with clients.

Getting Guidance If Rachel has a question or needs another perspective, she can consult with Lydia rather than having to make every clinical decision on her own.

Oversight During Her Internship Clinical supervision is a required part of Rachel’s internship and provides oversight while she completes her placement.

About your privacy: As part of supervision, Rachel may discuss aspects of her clinical work with Lydia. Client information is handled according to privacy requirements, professional standards and Heart & Mind Therapy’s privacy practices. Rachel can answer any questions you have about supervision and confidentiality before you begin.

Have Questions?

Not sure if student therapy is right for you?

Book a free 20-minute consultation with Rachel. You can ask about her approach, how supervision works, or anything else you’d like to know before booking your first session.

Book My Free 20-Minute Consultation

Quality Therapy. A More Accessible Fee.