If you work in Ontario education, there's a good chance your benefits come through OTIP, the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan. So does OTIP cover therapy? The honest answer is that it depends on which OTIP plan you're on. A full-time teacher's group plan, an occasional teacher's plan and a retiree plan can look very different. This guide walks through each type, what to look for in your own booklet and how to make your coverage go further.
This post is general information, not insurance or tax advice. Plans change, so always confirm with your own plan.
Does OTIP cover therapy? It depends which OTIP plan you are on
OTIP serves many members of the education community, and its plans fall into three broad groups:
Group benefits through your employer. Most permanent teachers, education workers and administrators are in a group plan that their employer arranges.
Plans for occasional and casual members. OTIP offers plans for education workers who aren't full-time, including occasional teachers.
Retiree plans. OTIP's Retired Teachers Insurance Plan (RTIP) offers health, dental and travel plans for retired education workers.
Each has its own rules for mental health services. The sections below explain where to find the details for yours.
Group benefits through your employer
OTIP says group benefits plans are customized, which means two teachers at different boards, or in different roles, may have quite different OTIP mental health benefits. There isn't one published number that applies to everyone.
To find your details, OTIP directs group members to the OTIP Member Site, or to log into My Member Account and check their benefits booklet. When you open your booklet, look for:
the section called paramedical, health practitioners or mental health services
which practitioner types are listed, such as psychologist, psychotherapist or social worker
the percentage reimbursed and the yearly maximum
whether the maximum is per practitioner type or combined across several
whether you need a doctor's note for a claim
when the plan year resets
The occasional and casual members plan
For one OTIP plan, the figures are published on OTIP's own site. As of October 2026, OTIP's page for occasional employees lists paramedical services at 80% reimbursement, with a $500 combined maximum per plan year for clinical counsellors, marriage and family therapists, psychoanalysts, psychologists, psychotherapists and social workers. That plan year runs from September 1 to August 31.
These figures can change each plan year. If you're on this plan, check OTIP's current page or your own documents before you book.
Retiree plans
OTIP's Retired Teachers Insurance Plan has three plan options, and each has its own paramedical maximum. If you're retired, check your RTIP plan guide or My Member Account for which practitioners are included and how much is available each year. Don't assume your old work plan carries over. Retiree coverage is a separate plan with its own limits.
Which of our clinicians fit those categories
Our team includes several types of regulated professionals:
Psychologists, who provide assessments and therapy
Registered Psychotherapists (RP)
Registered Psychotherapists (Qualifying), who practise under clinical supervision while completing the requirements for full registration, according to the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
Registered Social Workers (RSW)
Most OTIP plans that include mental health services list psychologists, psychotherapists and social workers, but whether a plan accepts a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) is decided plan by plan. If you're not sure, ask us to check, or look for the word "psychotherapist" in your booklet and any notes on registration.
Psychologist or psychotherapist?
Many people search for OTIP psychologist coverage first, because "psychologist" is the title they know. But in many plans, sessions with a psychotherapist or social worker are covered in the same way. If your booklet lists Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan psychotherapy coverage alongside psychology, you may have more choice than you think.
Psychological assessments are done by psychologists. For counselling on its own, any of our regulated therapists may be a good fit, and our admin team can help you choose.
Questions to ask before you book
If your booklet isn't clear, these questions can help when you check My Member Account or speak to your benefits contact:
Which mental health practitioners does my plan cover?
Is the yearly maximum shared with other services?
Does my plan accept a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)?
Can my therapist submit claims for me?
When does my plan year reset?
Write the answers down, so you have them for your first call with us.
Making a combined maximum go further
A combined maximum is one pot of money shared by several practitioner types. If your booklet lists counselling and psychology together, every session with any of them draws from the same amount.
Here's how to work out your own number:
Find your yearly maximum and the percentage your plan pays.
Multiply your session fee by that percentage to see what the plan pays per session.
Divide your maximum by that amount.
For example only: if your plan pays 80% and your session costs $150, the plan would pay $120 per session, so a $500 maximum would cover about four sessions. Your own numbers will differ.
When coverage runs out, a Health Spending Account can help. Our post on using a Health Spending Account for therapy explains how. Some people also space sessions out, or plan a few sessions toward the end of one plan year and the start of the next.
Receipts and OTIP direct billing for therapy
OTIP is one of the insurers on our direct-billing list, which means you may not have to pay the full fee up front and wait for a refund. We can direct bill many insurers, including for sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), so ask us to check your plan before your first session. If direct billing isn't possible, we'll give you a receipt with the details most insurers ask for, so you can submit a claim through My Member Account.
Keep your receipts either way. The Canada Revenue Agency lists psychologists, registered psychotherapists and social workers in Ontario as authorized medical practitioners for the medical expense tax credit, so fees your plan didn't reimburse may count at tax time. This isn't tax advice, so check the CRA's current rules.
Why educators reach out
Teaching and school support work can be deeply rewarding, and it can also be exhausting. People in education often come to us with:
stress that follows them home every evening
burnout after years of giving more than they have
anxiety about classroom management, parents or evaluations
low mood or trouble sleeping during the school year
grief, family strain or other life changes
Our page on stress and burnout describes how counselling can help. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests seeking professional help when distressing symptoms, like trouble sleeping, changes in appetite or trouble concentrating, last two weeks or more.
Many educators prefer evening or weekend sessions, or online appointments that fit around the school day. We offer sessions in person in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Ottawa, and online counselling anywhere in Ontario.
Your first step
Sessions with our therapists range from $130 to $200, depending on the clinician.
Depending on your plan, OTIP may cover some or all of the cost. Coverage varies, so check your booklet.
We accept Health Spending Accounts (HSAs).
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our admin team. Tell them you have OTIP coverage and which type of plan you're on, and we'll help you work out what to ask.
If you're in crisis: if you or anyone else is in immediate danger, call 911. If you're having thoughts of suicide, call or text 9-8-8 any time.
You spend your days supporting other people's learning and growth. It's okay to use your benefits on your own.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Sources
OTIP, Occasional Employees (plan page, read October 2026)
OTIP, Group Benefits
OTIP, For Retirees
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, Registration Categories
National Institute of Mental Health, Caring for Your Mental Health