There are several types of regulated mental health professionals, each with specific education, training, scope of practice, and a regulatory body. While all of our clinicians at PRISMA are qualified to support your mental health, their designation can affect factors such as insurance coverage, access to a formal diagnosis, prescription of medication, and overall treatment planning. The chart below outlines the key differences between common mental health professional designations and what they might mean for your care.

Clinician Designation Comparison Chart

Designation	Regulatory Body	Education & Training	Licensing Exams	Assessment & Diagnosis	Treatment	Insurance Coverage
Registered Psychotherapist (RP)	College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)	Master’s-level education in counselling or psychotherapy. Some without a master's degree who already practiced psychotherapy were grandfathered into the title when CRPO was created. All RPs at PRISMA have a master’s degree. Minimum of 500 hours of supervision.	Canadian Professional Standard for Counselling and Psychotherapy (CPSCP) exam.	Focused on conceptualizing emotional and behavioural issues. Diagnosis is outside of scope.	Talk therapy such as CBT, ACT, EFT, or IFS, and perhaps somatic strategies such as biofeedback.	Many insurance plans cover therapy with RPs — please check with your provider.
Psychotherapist (Qualifying) – RP(Q)	College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)	Same as above. The difference is that an RP(Q) is in the process of completing their registration requirements to become a fully registered psychotherapist. They provide therapy under supervision, which is a standard part of professional training to ensure quality care.	Same as RP.	Same as RP.	Same as RP.	Same as RP.
Registered Social Worker (RSW) / Clinical Social Worker	Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)	Some RSWs hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), which includes at least 700 hours of practicum. Many then pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW), which requires a minimum of an additional 450 hours of practicum. At PRISMA, all of our social workers have at least a master's degree, and some also hold PhDs.	No licensing exam required for registration in Ontario	Focused on social determinants of health and conceptualizing emotional and behavioural issues. Diagnosis is outside of scope.	Talk therapy such as CBT, ACT, EFT, or IFS, and perhaps somatic strategies such as biofeedback.	Many insurance plans cover therapy with RSWs — please check with your provider.
Note on Clinical Social Workers	—	Though “clinical social worker” isn’t a formal designation, it's used to identify social workers who provide psychotherapy in clinical settings, just like in our practice. In addition, the term differentiates from front-line social workers who focus on providing assistance with housing, service navigation, etc.	—	—	—	—
Psychologist / Psychological Associate	College of Psychologists and Behavioural Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO)	Psychological associates have a master’s degree; psychologists hold a PhD or PsyD. Minimum of 500 hours master's-level practicum, 500 hours doctoral-level practicum, 1,600 hours doctoral internship, plus 1,500 hours of supervised practice post-graduation (four years supervised practice post-graduation for psychological associates).	Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), Jurisprudence and Ethics Examination (JEE), and Oral Examination.	Mental health, psychoeducational, and neuropsychological psychodiagnostic assessments. Can diagnose.	Talk therapy such as CBT, ACT, EFT, or IFS, and perhaps somatic strategies such as biofeedback.	Most insurance plans cover therapy with psychologists and psychological associates — please check with your provider.
Psychiatrist	College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)	Medical degree (MD in Canada/US or MBBS in the UK) followed by a 5-year psychiatry residency. Residency includes an initial year of rotations and four years of psychiatric training covering biological and psychotherapeutic approaches, with minimum requirements in multiple psychotherapy modalities.	Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and Part II, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) specialty examination in psychiatry.	Comprehensive assessments using a biopsychosocial model. Can diagnose mental health conditions per DSM-V criteria, while ruling out primary medical causes. Generally do not conduct psychometric testing for learning disabilities.	Can prescribe medication or guide family doctors on medication management. Required for certain treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). May provide psychotherapy depending on training.	Psychiatric services are covered by provincial health plans, such as OHIP, and you’ll need a referral from your family doctor to see a psychiatrist.
Nurse Practitioner (NP) – Mental Health Focus	College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)	Master’s degree in nursing combined with a nurse practitioner certificate and a post-master's fellowship in medical psychiatry.	Nurse Practitioner registration exam approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario.	Mental health psychodiagnostic assessments. Can diagnose.	At PRISMA, our NP focuses on mental health, providing medical consultations, assessments, diagnoses, and treatment planning, including medication management. Our NP works closely with therapists to support clients’ overall treatment.	NP services are not covered by provincial health plans such as OHIP. Some insurance plans cover medical consultations with NPs or RNs, especially through health spending accounts — please check with your provider. You do not need a referral from your family doctor to see an NP.

Note:
The education and training listed in this chart reflect the minimum requirements as outlined by each profession’s regulatory body in Ontario. At PRISMA, our clinicians often far exceed these standards and bring a high level of expertise, education, and specialization to their work.

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