Mark Pioro: Ontario Psychotherapy Rules and Regulations | Ep 148

Fearless Practice

Are you a Registered Psychotherapist? Are you licensed through the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)? Do you know what you’re allowed and not allowed to do in your private practice?

Today’s guest is Mark, the Deputy Registrar and General Counsel at the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. We discuss rules and regulations that pertain to registered psychotherapists in private practice.

MEET MARK

Mark Pioro is the Deputy Registrar & General Counsel at the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). CRPO is the regulator, established by the government, which sets the standards for RPs. CRPO acts in the interest of the public, striving to ensure the competent and ethical practice of the profession.

Learn more about Mark and the CRPO on the CRPO website.

In this episode:

• What is the CRPO?

• Certification and residency

• The CRPO and running private practices

• Going from graduation into private practice

• Do’s and don’ts in advertising

• Managing fees and rates ethically

• Handling complaints

What is the CRPO?

The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) is one of the regulatory bodies for psychotherapy in Ontario. This means that only individuals registered with the CRPO are legally permitted to call themselves Registered Psychotherapists (RPs). But other mental health professionals may be regulated to provide psychotherapy services by different colleges.

In 2007, the Ontario government decided to allow the following to provide psychotherapy services:

• Nurses

• Occupational therapists

• Physicians

• Psychologists

• Social workers

• Registered Psychotherapists

Certification and residency

With Registered Psychotherapists (RPs) you can be a registered RP without having to be in Ontario. You can also easily become a RP if you are registered with another regulated province as a Registered Counselling Therapist.

The CRPO and running private practices

The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) offers resources and information regarding regulations and laws related to the practice of psychotherapy. However, the CRPO does not provide training or guidance on the business aspects of running a private practice, including areas such as tax implications, insurance requirements, or other specific business-related advice.

Going from graduation into private practice

Essentially, it depends on the therapist. In Ontario, if the student has completed the course work and feels confident enough to run a private practice, they could start a private practice while finishing their degree. However, the psychotherapist would still need to have supervision and oversight. Remember that every provincial college may have different regulations for when a therapist can start private practice!

Do’s and don’ts in advertising

Make sure your advertising is;

• Truthful

• Accurate

• Verifiable

Some inappropriate advertising may include;

• Promising results

• Using comparisons or superlatives

• Concealing advertising

• Advertising in a regulated province where you are not licensed

Be clear and honest with your advertising. Be ethical, and don’t try to sell your services as a fix-all to potential clients in order to get more business. Talk with a Canadian consultant to make sure that you remain ethical while still effective.

Managing fees and rates ethically

An RP cannot lure in a client with a low rate and then suddenly increase it once the therapeutic relationship has been established. However, you can raise your fees and rates ethically, since your expertise levels may increase and inflation is an issue sometimes.

Handling complaints

• Check your insurance policies, since some insurance companies may offer you a lawyer for the process while others might not

• Have a network of support for this challenging time

• The most serious complaints may go public, but those are very rare and may need evidence and legal findings

• Most complaints and investigations are resolved without a disciplinary hearing which has to go public

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Resources mentioned and useful links:

Ep 147: Encore episode | EP 147

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Learn more about Mark and the CRPO on the CRPO website

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