Accessing mental health services in the community can be challenging due to long wait times, costly services, and lack of coverage by employee/private health insurance benefits. Still, for some this is an excellent option to address mental health difficulties that come up across the lifespan.
Below is a list of clinics that offer in-person and virtual mental health services, with a brief description of the clinical expertise offered.
Psychological Services
The Hamilton Centre for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. 217 Locke Street South, Hamilton, Ontario L8P 4B6, Canada. Hamilton Centre for CBT is comprised of mostly clinical psychologists or clinical psychologists in supervised practice who are licensed by the College of Psychologists of Ontario. These clinicians are highly trained in evidence-based psychological services, with a focus on cognitive-behavioural therapy for a range of psychological problems. Contact the centre for information on the cost of services. Please note that psychological services are not covered by OHIP, but a proportion of each session may be covered by private employer insurance.
Brookside Psychologists. Offices in Burlington (3060 Mainway Drive, Suite 104, Burlington, ON L7M 1A3) and St. Catharine’s (274 Fourth Avenue, Unit 4, St. Catharines, ON L2S 0B6). Brookside Psychologists is comprised of primarily clinical psychologists who have doctoral or masters degrees in psychology and are licensed by the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Psychologists at this clinic have expertise in several areas or clinical practice; see their website for more information. Brookside also offers psychotherapy services provided by registered psychotherapists (see below for more information).
Psychiatric services, Psychotherapy, and Social Work
Elle Psychotherapy. Oakville and Burlington. Elle Psychotherapy is comprised of one perinatal psychiatrist, registered psychotherapists, and registered social workers. Registered psychotherapists and social workers provide counselling, therapy, and other support social services. The professionals at Elle Psychotherapy focus on services during the perinatal period. Individual therapy sessions are $195/60 minutes. A comprehensive assessment and consultation with the psychiatrist is $250/90 minutes. Some insurance plans will cover counselling services. Visits with the psychiatrist are covered by OHIP.
Bria. Virtual mental health clinic. Bria is a virtual mental healthcare clinic that offers services to help with mental health challenges across the reproductive journey (i.e., pregnancy planning, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause). The clinic is comprised of psychiatrists and individual therapy services are primarily offered by social workers or psychotherapists. Other healthcare practitioners included lactation support, sleep consultants (infant or adult), dieticians, and parenting consultants. The cost of individual services will range according to type, but in general individual sessions are $175/50 minutes; couples therapy is $200/session.
Peer Support
Hamilton Postpartum is a free, Hamilton-based peer support program that offers weekly, virtual peer support group meetings and mental health resources for individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns in pregnancy and after childbirth up to one year postpartum. The group is facilitated by a registered midwife and runs under Crown Point Midwives who offer services through the Crown Point Family Health center in Hamilton, Ontario.