What is A “Qualifying” Registered Psychotherapist?
Published June 6th, 2024
3 min read
After completing a Master’s degree, psychotherapists become qualified to practice under supervision.
Written by Simon Spichak
After graduating with a Master’s degree, psychotherapists register with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and they enter the qualifying category. This means they can practice under the supervision of a more experienced therapist.
Qualifying therapists will have the letters RP(Q) written after their name, which stand for qualifying registered psychotherapist. After undergoing 1000 direct client hours and 150 hours of supervision from an experienced therapist, the qualifying therapist will complete their training.
Should you choose a qualifying psychotherapist?
While qualifying psychotherapists might have less experience practicing than registered psychotherapists, they still have a Master’s degree in counselling. Qualifying psychotherapists do have the requisite training to help you — whether it’s getting the symptoms of OCD in check or helping you manage the executive dysfunction in ADHD.
There are many reasons you might prefer going to a qualifying therapist:
Although they may be less experienced, their style of therapy resonates with you.
The therapist might have the same religious, racial, or ethnic background.
During the initial consultation, they were easy to talk to and made you feel comfortable.
While they’re qualifying, the cost of therapy may be significantly cheaper.
What happens when my psychotherapist finishes their qualifications?
A qualifying psychotherapist may gain enough experience to become fully qualified while you’re seeing them. The therapist will let you know in advance that they will be raising their fees, providing you with time to find another therapist if the new price is too steep. Your therapist might also be able to recommend other affordable therapists.
Does insurance cover qualifying psychotherapists?
The majority of insurance plans that cover registered psychotherapists also cover qualifying psychotherapists. When you receive a receipt for their services, the name of both the qualifying therapist and their supervisor is on the receipt. If you aren’t sure about whether the insurance plan covers these services, speak with a representative over the phone so you know before you start therapy.
Image created in Canva by Resolvve.
How Resolvve can help
If you’re looking to start your mental health journey, Resolvve is here for you. Here are some of our blogs that talk about how therapy works and how to find the right mental health practitioner for you:
When you’re ready to start, click here to learn more about our therapists and book a free 15-minute consultation.
Please note that this post is written for educational purposes; it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional, please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.
