Lawyers for Psychotherapists

As trusted psychotherapist lawyers, we routinely represent psychotherapists in Ontario in regulatory, litigation, clinical and risk issues, including those with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (the “CRPO”), the Human Rights Tribunal and the Information and Privacy Commissioner. We help psychotherapists navigate the legal landscape governing the practice of psychotherapy in Ontario, including under the Psychotherapy Act, 2007.

If you have a complaint, investigation or disciplinary matter before the CRPO, it is important to get legal advice from a psychotherapist complaint lawyer or psychotherapist discipline lawyer to evaluate your risk and help you manage your response. This is especially important because many forms of remediation ordered by the CRPO remain on a psychotherapist’s public register indefinitely. We are psychotherapist defence lawyers who assist on all types of CRPO matters, including clinical issues, billing issues, communication issues, recordkeeping issues and boundary violations/sexual assault allegations.

We work with insurance companies covering Ontario psychotherapists and also represent psychotherapists directly who do not have coverage for regulatory matters. We typically offer our clients the choice of an hourly rate or flat fee for these regulatory matters, especially for psychotherapist complaints. We represent psychotherapists across the province of Ontario, including in Toronto and the GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Brampton, Barrie, Kingston and Thunder Bay.

Legal Services for Psychotherapists

  • Responding on behalf of psychotherapists to CRPO patient complaints before the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (“ICRC”) of the CRPO;

  • Facilitating proactive courses or Specific Continuing Education or Remediation Programs (“SCERP”) for psychotherapists ordered by the CRPO;

  • Responding for psychotherapists to CRPO section 75 investigations before the ICRC;

  • Responding to disciplinary matters and allegations of professional misconduct for psychotherapists before the Discipline Committee of the CRPO;

  • Responding to registration issues for psychotherapists before the Registration Committee of the CRPO or guiding psychotherapists on their application for licensure in other provinces/countries;

  • Defending psychotherapist malpractice lawsuits;

  • Defending allegations for psychotherapy students on testing irregularity and cheating on the Canadian Professional Standard for Counselling and Psychotherapy ("the “CPSCP”);

  • Responding to appeals and judicial reviews for psychotherapists before the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (“HPARB”), the Divisional Court of Ontario or the Court of Appeal for Ontario;

  • Responding to complaints made against psychotherapists and psychotherapy clinics to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario regarding discrimination and human rights violations;

  • Responding to complaints against psychotherapists and psychotherapy clinics before the Information and Privacy Commissioner;

  • Responding on behalf of psychotherapists to CRPO Fitness to Practice matters;

  • Assisting psychotherapists in managing a challenging patient, including harassment and assault, and terminating the psychotherapist-patient relationship;

  • Navigating clinical issues for psychotherapists, including privacy breaches, psychotherapist malpractice allegations, recordkeeping issues and patient demands;

  • Navigating billing issues for psychotherapists, including insurance company inquiries and audits;

  • Navigating compliance for psychotherapists with CRPO Standards and Regulations;

  • Assisting psychotherapists in responding to the annual CRPO report regarding past criminal and regulatory issues; and

  • Representing psychotherapists and psychotherapy clinics in workplace investigations.

Need help with any of the above? We are psychotherapy attorneys, so don’t hesitate to contact John McIntyre for a free consultation at john@mcintyre-szabo.com or through the website here.