Most of the men who contact us have handled things quietly for years, and handled them well enough that nobody thought to ask. Coping that well has a way of hiding what it costs, until the cost turns up somewhere harder to ignore. What finally prompts the call is usually something specific rather than a crisis: an argument you are still replaying days later, a run of bad nights, a comment from a partner that stuck. Therapy for men here begins wherever you are, whether that is one problem you could name today or a longer sense that something has been off. Both are reasonable places to start.
- Psychotherapists registered with CRPO and OAMHP
- A no-cost initial assessment lasting half an hour
- Fees begin at $100 per session
- Counselling for men in English, Russian or Farsi
Why Many Men Wait Longer Than They Need To
The reason men most often give for putting this off is not embarrassment. It is a suspicion that therapy means sitting in a room describing feelings with no particular destination. In practice the direction gets set early. Your therapist will ask what you want to be different, agree with you on where the work is heading, and keep checking that it is still going there. You set the pace, and you decide what gets talked about and what can wait.
What Brings Men to Counselling
Counselling for men here covers any of the following, and men often arrive with two or three of them at once.
- Stress that has stopped switching off.
- Anger and irritability, or a shorter fuse than you used to have.
- Anxiety you have kept to yourself.
- Low mood, flatness, or losing interest in things that used to matter.
- The pressure of providing, and the burnout that follows.
- Distance or conflict at home.
- Becoming a father, or wanting to parent differently than you were parented.
- Drinking or numbing habits, or substance use that has grown into its own problem.
- Trouble focusing, restlessness, or an ADHD question that has come up late.
What Men’s Mental Health Counselling Involves
Men’s mental health counselling here is individual talk therapy, one therapist and one client, usually weekly to begin with. Some men arrive looking for a men’s therapist specifically; others just want someone who will not waste their time. Depending on what you bring, your therapist may draw on cognitive behavioural therapy to work on the thinking patterns that keep stress and anger circling, or on solution-focused work when there is a specific problem you want to shift. Where older experiences are still shaping how you react now, trauma-informed work is available. The same sessions run by secure video if getting to the clinic is the thing standing in the way.
We share our Vaughan location with 101 Medical Centre. When it is clinically indicated, patients may also benefit from psychiatric assessment and medication management through its psychiatry team, arranged as part of an individualized care plan and requiring a physician’s referral.
101 Psychotherapy – Always caring, always here
What Happens in a First Session
Expect to do most of the talking while your therapist listens and asks questions. What has been happening, how long it has gone on, and what you would want to look different. You will not be asked to start with your childhood unless you want to. Men’s therapy is not a fixed programme, so you should finish the hour knowing whether this is a person you can work with, and usually with one thing to test out before you come back. If it helps to know more before you book, we have a fuller guide to what to expect in a first therapy session.
If Someone You Care About Is Struggling
A good share of the inquiries we take come from a partner, a parent or a friend rather than from the man himself. If that is you, two things tend to help. Being specific works better than being general, because naming one change you have noticed is easier to respond to than a question about his mental health. And leaving the decision with him matters, since pressure usually just shortens the conversation. You are also welcome to book the free consultation yourself and use it to ask what support could look like, without committing him to anything.
If you are worried about his immediate safety, 9-8-8, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, takes calls and texts at any hour.
Counselling from $100 a Session
Your first half hour costs nothing. It is there for your questions, and for you to make up your own mind afterwards, with no obligation to book anything further. Men’s counselling starts at $100 a session. Sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist are not covered by OHIP, but a good number of extended health plans reimburse some of it, so check what yours includes.
Book a Free ConsultationMeet Your Therapists
You will be matched with the clinician whose experience fits what you are bringing, and you can move to someone else at any point if the fit is not right. A good therapist for men is not necessarily a man, though if you would prefer one, Alex Kazmin is a Registered Psychotherapist with the CRPO, registration number 007133, and has more than twelve years in practice. Lev Dvorkin is a psychotherapist (qualifying) whose clinical training was in short-term, solution-focused work at York University’s student counselling centre. Read any of the profiles below before you decide.
Natalie Besharat
Clinician, Pediatric Care and Addictions Specialist, MSc, CCAC, CICAPP Candidate
Full profileVisiting Our Vaughan Office, or Meeting Online
We're here to support individuals and families across Vaughan, including Concord, Woodbridge, and Maple, and in nearby communities such as Aurora, Brampton, Markham, Mississauga, Milton, Oakville, Oshawa, and Richmond Hill, as well as Thornhill. We also welcome clients from across Toronto, including North York, Midtown, and Uptown Toronto. If you can't make it to our office, we offer virtual appointments across Ontario.
Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Men
What type of therapy is best for men?
There is no single best therapy for men. What tends to matter more is the fit between you and the person you are working with. In practice, cognitive behavioural therapy is often useful for stress, anger and anxiety because it works on patterns you can identify and interrupt. Solution-focused work suits a specific problem you want to move. Trauma-informed approaches matter when something older is still driving how you react. Your therapist will tell you what they are drawing on and why.
Can I see a male therapist?
Yes. Two of the seven clinicians on our team are men: Alex Kazmin and Lev Dvorkin. Say so when you get in touch and we will arrange it. For some men this matters a great deal and for others not at all, and neither response is the wrong one. If you are undecided, the free consultation tells you more than guessing will.
What is the biggest mental health issue in men?
Depression and anxiety are among the most commonly diagnosed. The pattern that matters most, though, is when men reach out: help-seeking tends to come late. The Public Health Agency of Canada reports roughly 4,500 deaths by suicide each year in Canada, with rates approximately three times higher among men than among women. If any of that feels close to home right now, you can call or text 9-8-8, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, at any hour.
How do I know if I need therapy?
Two questions usually help: how long has this been true, and what is it costing you? Several weeks of broken sleep, slipping work, or strain on the people closest to you is reason enough to book a conversation. There is no threshold of severity you have to reach first, and no diagnosis you need to arrive with.
Is what I say confidential?
Yes. What you say in session stays in your clinical file and is not shared with your partner, your employer or your family doctor without your written consent. There are narrow legal limits, for instance where there is a risk of serious harm or where a child may be at risk, and your therapist will go through those with you in the first session.
Book a Free Consultation
The first conversation lasts half an hour, costs nothing, and asks nothing of you afterwards. Send your details through the form below, or call (905) 597-2521 and ask for whatever you need to know.
