Virtual Therapy & Counselling Across Ontario

A place to be seen, understood and supported.

Virtual counselling across Ontario for individuals, couples and first responders who want therapy that feels human, honest and tailored to what is actually happening in their lives.

Therapy Should Feel Like the Right Fit

You don't have to filter yourself here.

Good therapy starts with feeling safe enough to be honest. At True Counselling, we take the time to understand who you are, what you're carrying and what is happening around you—not just the symptoms that brought you to therapy. Our approach is warm, direct and collaborative. We'll build a treatment plan around your needs, revisit what's working and make adjustments when something isn't. And if we don't believe we're the right fit for you, we'll be honest about that too.

Ways we can support you

Counselling built around the person—not a template.

One-on-one support for stress, anxiety, trauma, relationships, grief, life transitions and the challenges that can become difficult to navigate alone.

Confidential therapy informed by the realities of repeated crisis exposure, occupational stress, trauma and the impact this work can have beyond the job.

Senior Counselling

Support for older adults experiencing grief, change, relationships, health-related transitions and emotional wellbeing.

Relationship-focused therapy for couples navigating conflict, disconnection, communication breakdowns, infidelity and patterns that keep repeating.

Teen Counselling

Virtual counselling for teens navigating mental health, relationships, transitions and the growing pressures around them.

Virtual Counselling Across Ontario

Therapy where life already happens.

You don't need to live near a particular office—or rearrange your life around getting there.


True Counselling provides online counselling and virtual psychotherapy across Ontario, making consistent support more accessible whether you're at home, travelling within the province or balancing a demanding schedule.



Virtual therapy also gives you the ability to choose a therapist based on fit, rather than simply who happens to be nearby.

First Responder and Frontline Support

A space to talk about the impact of the work, on and off shift.

True Counselling provides specialized support for police officers, firefighters, paramedics, nurses and other frontline professionals navigating occupational stress, trauma, PTSD, relationships and life beyond the role. Founder Ava Frans brings both specialized professional training and the personal perspective of being part of a first responder family.

Police officer writing in a notebook inside a patrol car
Explore First Responder Support

Meet your therapists

Support starts with the right fit.

Ava Frans MSW, RSW, BSW, B.Kin

Founder and Registered Social Worker supporting individuals, couples and first responders, with a particular focus on relationships, trauma and PTSD. Her work is strongly informed by Relational Life Therapy, alongside additional trauma and relationship-based training.


Meet Ava

Amanda Gomes MSW, RSW, BSW

Amanda is a Registered Social Worker who provides individual counselling to clients ages 12+, including adults and seniors, with areas of focus including trauma, grief and loss, family and caregiver support, life transitions and mental health concerns.


Meet Amanda

Our Approach

Progress shouldn't be a mystery.

Therapy can be deeply personal without being directionless. We work collaboratively with you to understand what is happening, develop a treatment plan and identify changes you can actually make in your day-to-day life. Our social work and psychotherapy perspective also considers the larger picture—relationships, family, work, health, school and the systems surrounding you.

Clinical experience, with a human approach.

Registered Social Workers

Virtual care across Ontario

Individualized treatment planning

Relationship and trauma-informed care

Experienced clinicians

Secure and confidential online sessions

You don't need to know exactly what you need before reaching out.

Start with a conversation. We'll help determine what kind of support—and which therapist—may be the best fit.

Book a Free Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How does online therapy work in Ontario?

    Online therapy allows you to meet with your therapist through a secure video platform from a private space that works for you. True Counselling provides virtual therapy across Ontario, so your therapist does not need to be located in the same city as you.


    Sessions follow much of the same process as in-person counselling: getting to know you, understanding what brings you to therapy, developing a treatment plan and working toward meaningful goals together.

  • Is online counselling as effective as in-person therapy?

    For many people and concerns, online counselling can provide a meaningful and effective therapeutic experience. What matters most is often the quality of the therapeutic relationship, your comfort with the format and whether the therapist's approach fits your needs.


    Virtual counselling also removes travel and location barriers, which can make attending therapy consistently easier.

  • Do I need to live in a specific city to work with True Counselling?

    No. True Counselling is a fully virtual practice providing online counselling across Ontario.


    You don't need to live in any particular city to work with Ava or Amanda. As long as you're located in Ontario at the time of your session, virtual care allows you to choose a therapist based more on fit than proximity.


  • What's the difference between a social worker, psychotherapist and psychologist?

    Social workers, psychotherapists and psychologists can all provide mental health support, but their training, professional regulation and scope of practice differ.


    Ava Frans and Amanda Gomes are Registered Social Workers (RSWs) who provide psychotherapy as part of their social work practice. This means their work can extend beyond the therapy session to consider the systems affecting a client's wellbeing.


    Depending on a client's needs, this may include advocacy, navigating workplace or disability processes, providing documentation, collaborating with other healthcare providers, and helping clients access or communicate with other systems of care.


    Registered Psychotherapists and Psychologists are separately regulated professions in Ontario, each with their own training and scope of practice.


    At True Counselling, the social work perspective allows therapy to consider not only what you're experiencing emotionally, but also the relationships, workplaces, healthcare systems and circumstances surrounding you.

  • Is online therapy covered by insurance in Ontario?

    Many extended health insurance plans include coverage for services provided by a Registered Social Worker, but every plan is different.


    We recommend checking your individual benefits to confirm whether Registered Social Work or counselling services are covered, how much coverage you have and whether your insurer has any specific requirements.

  • Does True Counselling provide direct billing, and what programs/providers is True Counselling registered with?

    Yes we provide direct billing.


    We are an eligible provider with Telus eClaims, ProviderConnect and NIHB (Non-Insured Health Benefits for First Nations. We provide service and directly bill your extended health benefits, which saves you paying for sessions upfront and waiting for reimbursement if you have coverage with the following insurance companies:  


    NIHB (Non-Insured Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit)

    AGA Financial Group inc.

    Beneva

    BPA 

    Canada Life

    Canada Life - PSHCP

    Canadian Construction Workers Union

    Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan

    CINUP

    ClaimSecure

    Cowan Insurance Group (managed by Express Scripts Canada)

    D.A. Townley

    Desjardins Insurance

    Equitable

    First Canadian

    GMS Carriers 49 and 50 (Express Scripts Canada)

    GroupHEALTH

    GroupSource

    Industrial Alliance

    Johnson Inc.

    Johnston Group

    LiUna Local 183

    LiUna Local 506

    Manion

    Manulife Financial

    Maximum Benefit

    MDM Insurance Services

    People Corporation

    RWAM

    Simply Benefits

    Sun Life Canada

    TELUS AdjudiCare

    Union Benefits

    UV Insurance


  • How do I choose between individual and couples counselling?

    Individual counselling focuses primarily on your own experiences, concerns, relationships and goals. Couples counselling works with the relationship itself, including patterns developing between partners.


    If you're unsure which would be most helpful, that's okay. Reaching out or booking a consultation can help clarify where it makes the most sense to begin.

  • What should I expect in a first session?

    Your first session is primarily about understanding you.


    Your therapist will learn more about what brought you to counselling, what's happening in your life, what you've already tried and what you'd like to change. From there, you'll begin developing a treatment plan together rather than being placed into a one-size-fits-all approach.

  • Can I see a virtual therapist anywhere in Ontario?

    Yes. True Counselling provides virtual counselling and psychotherapy throughout Ontario.


    Online sessions allow you to access care from home or another private location without needing to live near your therapist's physical office.

  • How much does online therapy cost in Ontario?

    Therapy fees vary between practices, clinicians and session types. True Counselling's current individual and couples counselling rates are available on our Rates & Insurance page.


    If you have extended health benefits, your plan may also include coverage for services provided by a Registered Social Worker.


    True Counselling also offers a limited number of compassionate-rate spaces to help make counselling more accessible. You’re welcome to ask about availability when booking.

  • Is virtual therapy confidential and secure?

    Confidentiality is taken seriously in virtual therapy just as it is in person. True Counselling uses appropriate systems and practices to protect client privacy and discusses confidentiality, its limits and expectations around virtual sessions with clients.


    We also recommend attending from a private location where you feel comfortable speaking openly.