Money is one of the most common reasons people don't get help. I get it. I've done the math on the kitchen table more than once, staring at a number and wondering if my head was worth it this month.
So here's the plain answer for Québec. A private psychologist usually charges between $120 and $180 for a 50-minute session. That's from the Ordre des psychologues du Québec, based on a 2023 survey of its members. RAMQ doesn't cover psychologists in private practice. Many group insurance plans pay back part of it. And therapy in the public network is free, through your CLSC or Info-Social 811. The catch with free is usually time, and you don't get to pick who you see.
Why do private psychologists charge such different prices?
Because there's no fixed rate. The OPQ says it plainly: private psychotherapy in Québec is a free market. Each psychologist sets their own fees, depending on things like their specialty, their experience and where they practise.
That $120 to $180 range covers most of them. In the OPQ survey, 82% of respondents said their rate fell in it. Some charge less, some more.
Quick kitchen-table math. Ten sessions at $150 is $1,500. Twenty is $3,000. That's real money for most people, and it's why the rest of this post matters.
Does RAMQ cover therapy?
Not with a private psychologist. RAMQ lists psychologists among the professionals whose services aren't covered when they're in private practice. That surprises people, because a doctor's visit is covered and a psychologist isn't.
What is covered is the public network. If you get therapy through a CLSC, a hospital or another public establishment, you don't pay.
What does insurance cover?
The OPQ says most group insurance plans reimburse at least part of a psychologist's fees. How much depends entirely on your plan. My whole life it's been the same cycle: a set number of sessions the public system or my insurance would pay for, then nothing. Dig out the booklet or call your insurer before you book, and ask two things:
- How much per session, and up to what yearly maximum?
- Does it cover psychologists only, or other professionals who hold a psychotherapy permit too?
Keep every receipt. They're also worth showing to whoever does your taxes, because some health costs can count toward medical expense credits. I'm not an accountant, so I'll leave the details to Revenu Québec and the people who know.
What free options are there in Québec?
More than people think. They're not instant, and you don't get to shop around, but they're real.
Your CLSC. Québec says all public health and social services establishments offer mental health care and services free of charge. The program is the PQPTM (Programme québécois pour les troubles mentaux), set up in 2017, and it goes from self-care up to psychotherapy. You can see a psychosocial worker at your CLSC with or without an appointment. They assess what you need and send you to the right level of help.
Info-Social 811, option 2. Free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Psychosocial professionals answer. They listen, advise and can refer you to services in the public network or a community organization. Good for "I don't know where to start."
Your GMF or family doctor, if you have one. They can refer you into public mental health services.
Waits. I'd love to give you a number. Nobody publishes one I'd trust for the whole province, and it varies a lot by region, so I'm not going to invent one. Ask when you call. And if things get worse while you wait, call back. Tell them.
What about lower-cost private options?
University training clinics. The OPQ points to university clinics where students in psychology see clients under supervision, at lower cost. If there's a university near you, look.
Employee assistance programs (PAE). If you have a job, check. Some employers offer a few free, confidential consultations.
Group therapy. Often cheaper than one-on-one, and sometimes offered in the public network. I wrote about what group therapy is really like.
Free peer support groups. Not therapy, but not nothing either. Mutual-help groups run by people who've been there cost nothing. The RRASMQ directory lists Québec's alternative mental health resources, including peer support groups, by region. There's also my page of support groups.
How do I make the money go further?
A few things I'd tell a friend.
Ask the psychologist up front what they charge, and whether they ever lower their fees. Some do. You lose nothing by asking.
Don't be shy about saying you have a budget for, say, eight sessions. A good therapist can plan around that and give you tools to keep going without them.
Use the free stuff alongside the paid stuff. A peer group on top of a handful of private sessions stretches further than either one alone.
And check the person's permit. Everyone in the OPQ directory holds one. In Québec, you need a permit to practise psychotherapy. Cheaper "therapists" without one aren't a bargain. I wrote about finding an autism-aware therapist in Québec if that's part of your search.