Practice Matters

Out of Province: I am not in Ontario, but I have a client in Ontario who wants to work with me

Electronic Practice & Cross Border Therapy

CRPO does not require practitioners who reside in another jurisdiction to become registered in order to work with a client in Ontario providing:

  • the therapist does not intend to advertise or otherwise promote their services in Ontario; and
  • Ontario-based clients do not form a substantial proportion of the therapist’s workload

 

If any of these factors were to change, CRPO would revisit the facts and consider whether the therapist should apply for registration, even on a temporary basis.

 

In Ontario, non-registrants cannot use the title “psychotherapist” or hold themselves out as a psychotherapist. If you use the title or hold yourself out as a psychotherapist in your home jurisdiction, and your connection to Ontario is insignificant, CRPO will not take the position that you are using the title or holding out in Ontario. However, if your connection to Ontario is substantial (e.g. your advertising focuses on Ontario, a significant number of your clients are in Ontario, or you are regularly physically present in Ontario), you would not be able to use the title psychotherapist or hold yourself out as a psychotherapist unless you become regulated in Ontario.

 

In addition, non-registrants cannot perform the controlled act of psychotherapy in Ontario, defined as:

 

Treating, by means of psychotherapy technique, delivered through a therapeutic relationship, an individual’s serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory that may seriously impair the individual’s judgement, insight, behaviour, communication or social functioning.

 

Non-registrants cannot perform this act on clients in Ontario, except in cases of emergency or where another exception applies (e.g. indigenous or spiritual healing). If a practitioner is a regulated counsellor or psychotherapist in another province/state, CRPO will consider this as a mitigating factor. Because the practitioner is already accountable to another regulator, CRPO will generally not take action against that individual for providing infrequent e-therapy to a client who is located in Ontario. See Related Resources below for information about the controlled act.

 

For more information about registration please contact the Registration Department.

 

If you have other practice-related questions please contact practice@crpo.ca.

Related Resources

For additional information, see the resources below.

  • Apply to CRPO

    Controlled Act of Psychotherapy

    The 14 controlled acts are inherently risky and should only be performed by a properly qualified professional to ensure client/patient safety.

    Read more here
  • Professional Practice Information

    Cross Border Therapy Tool

    CRPO’s most frequent practice advice topic is cross-border psychotherapy practice. This questionnaire can help the reader think about which rules apply to their situation.

    Read more here

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