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Crisis numbers in Canada
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline, call or text, at any hour: Tel: 9-8-8 | Text: 9-8-8
- Kids Help Phone, 1-800-668-6868, for children and young adults: Tel: 1-800-668-6868 | Text: CONNECT to 686868
- Hope for Wellness Help Line, 1-855-242-3310, for Indigenous people: Tel: 1-855-242-3310
- National Indian Residential School Crisis Line, 1-866-925-4419: Tel: 1-866-925-4419
- All crisis lines in Canada
Surrey has 12 therapists listed on TherapyRoute, including registered counsellors, clinical counsellors and licensed professional counsellors.
At a glance
- Languages
- English 100%, Hindi/Urdu 27%, Gujarati 9%, Mandarin 9%, Punjabi 9%.
- Gender balance
- Female 60%, Male 40%.
- Common concerns
- Anxiety, Mood Disorder, Stress / Burnout, Anger, Behaviour or Conduct Issues, Life Transitions, Addiction.
- Who they work with
- Individuals, Couples, Adolescents, Adults, Families, Parents, Elderly.
Options Community Services Society provides free short-term counselling and support to families with children who live in Surrey, subject to age and other eligibility conditions. Of the 12 therapists listed, 9 offer online sessions.
What a session costs varies with training, setting and where the practice is. What therapy costs in Canada sets out the current picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I find a therapist in Surrey?
The profiles listed above are practitioners who consult in Surrey, or who name Surrey as an area they work in. You can narrow the list by profession, by the difficulties someone works with, by language, by client group and by identity. That matters when the fit of the person counts for as much as the method.
If nobody here suits you, try widening the area to Coquitlam. You can also filter for people who work online.
That opens up the list without changing what you are looking for. Choosing well is a question of its own, and we have written about what to weigh.
Is this a list of registered and licensed therapists in Surrey?
In British Columbia, only the College of Psychologists of British Columbia may register a psychologist, so that is the body to ask about when you are offered that title. Social workers register with the BC College of Social Workers, where a clinical registration signals advanced skills and independent diagnostic authority. British Columbia also recognises registered psychiatric nurses as distinct specialists in mental health, registered with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives.
The three colleges publish separately, so match the register to the title. Everyone listed must be qualified for the work they offer. Whether that qualification is also a licence depends on the profession.
A tick beside a registration, qualification or membership means we have seen evidence for that entry, not that we endorse the practitioner. The Verified mark means we have run a closer check on that practitioner's documents. It is paid for by the practitioner, and it fails if the documents do not pass.
Of the 12 practitioners listed in Surrey, 2 carry the Verified mark. Where a profession is registered, that register is the check worth making before you book.
Should I see a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a therapist or a counsellor?
Therapist is a colloquial word rather than a protected title. It covers everyone who offers talk-based help for emotional and relationship difficulties, and it tells you nothing on its own about training. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specialises in mental health.
Psychiatrists can prescribe medicine, which is the main practical difference between them and the other three. A psychologist is trained in the study of the mind and behaviour, and works by assessment and talk therapy. Where the title is protected, it usually takes a postgraduate qualification in psychology and registration with the body that governs the profession.
Counsellors and psychotherapists work by talk therapy as well, and their training runs from a short course to years of supervised practice. The titles that carry legal weight are the registered ones. Where a title is not registered, anyone may use it, so the register is what tells you what training sits behind the word.
How much does therapy cost in Surrey?
In Canada a psychiatrist is a physician, so provincial health insurance covers their care with a referral; a psychologist is not, so in general it does not. That leaves most people paying privately or through work benefits. There is no national therapy price, because health care is provincial, so what a session costs depends on the province and on the practitioner.
Before booking, ask the fee and the session length. Ask whether your provider is a psychologist, a psychotherapist or a counsellor, and whether your group plan covers that designation. Ask what your plan's annual maximum and per-session cap are, and whether a sliding scale or intern rate exists.
Consultations in the public health and education networks are free. What a particular practitioner charges is set by them, not by any figure on this page. Their profile lists a fee where they have given one, and asking them is the way to be sure.
An online session is usually not much cheaper than one in a consulting room. Practitioners commonly charge the same rate either way, so what you save is the travelling and the time around the appointment.
What are more affordable or low-cost therapy options in Surrey?
Cost stops many people before they start, and there is usually more than one rung below the full private fee. In Surrey the list includes counsellors, social workers and occupational therapists, who generally charge less than clinical psychologists. Many practitioners keep a few reduced-fee places.
They set the reduction themselves after asking about your income, so it is worth asking rather than assuming the answer. Group therapy costs less per session, and for a number of difficulties it works as well as individual work. Publicly funded clinics and non-profit services exist in many countries, and will often see someone without a referral.
Is online therapy a good option?
For most common difficulties the research puts video sessions close to in-person work. That holds on the same condition that governs the rest of therapy: the working relationship between the two of you has to be a good one. It suits people who live far from a practitioner, who have little room in a week, or who want a choice their own town cannot offer.
It suits some situations less well, and a practitioner should say so. Immediate risk to safety, and having nowhere private to talk, are the usual reasons a practitioner suggests meeting in person. Text-based and on-demand app services do cost less, and they are a different product rather than a cheaper version of the same one.
The evidence behind them is thinner than for regular psychotherapy. What is being sold is often messaging rather than a scheduled hour with one practitioner who knows your history.
Of the practitioners listed in Surrey, 9 offer online sessions and 3 work in person only. Filtering the list above for online availability shows who offers it here.
Are therapy sessions confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is the condition that makes the rest of therapy possible. A registered practitioner works inside an ethical code that requires them to keep what you say private.
Someone who belongs to a professional body is bound by that body's code as well. The limits are narrow. They commonly include a serious and immediate danger to you or to another person, and abuse of a child or of a vulnerable adult.
A court order or a subpoena can also compel disclosure. A claim to an insurer usually carries some information with it.
A practitioner should set those limits out in the first session. You are entitled to ask where the line sits before you say anything you would rather keep private.
What should I expect in the first session?
The first session is an orientation and a brief assessment, usually 50 to 60 minutes. The therapist will ask what brings you, say how they work, and go through confidentiality, fees and practical arrangements. It is also your chance to ask about their approach and experience. You do not need to prepare anything; come as you are.
Whether it is a good fit matters more than any technique. People do better in therapy when the working relationship is strong,3 and that relationship usually takes a few sessions to settle, so give it a little time before deciding.
To learn more, read our guide on What is Therapy?
Which type of therapy should I look for in Surrey?
There is no single answer, and the honest version is that the match between you and the practitioner matters at least as much as the school they trained in. The names you will come across include cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic therapy, EMDR, family therapy and couples therapy. What shapes the choice is the nature of the difficulty, and whether you want something short and focused or something open-ended.
It also depends on how much of the past you want to work with, and what you can sustain in time and money. A first consultation is partly for settling this. Someone trained will ask what brought you there, say what they think would suit, and say so when they are not the right person.
Is therapy for me?
You do not need a diagnosis to benefit from therapy.1 Many people come because something is not working and they want to think it through with someone. If you want change, support, or clarity, therapy is likely for you.
Common reasons people seek therapy:
- Personal growth to build confidence, self-understanding, and emotional maturity2
- Low mood, worry, emptiness, or irritability
- Relationship strain and conflict
- Support for your child or teenager
- Big changes like job loss, bereavement, relocation, or divorce
About 1 in 8 people lives with a mental health condition, and many more face stress or want more from life.1 You do not need to wait for a crisis.
To learn more, read our guide on Who Needs Therapy?
Why choose an independent therapist?
In Surrey you choose your own therapist and approach them directly. Nobody is assigned to you, and the two of you agree the goals and the way of working together. An independent practitioner can adjust the approach, the pace and the session length to what you need, rather than working to somebody else's protocol. Fewer parties are involved in your care, and you can see the same clinician over time, which supports deeper work.
Nearby and related
- See the 1 therapist listed in Coquitlam
- See the 9 therapists listed in Burnaby
- See the 4 therapists listed in Maple Ridge
- See the 2 therapists listed in Richmond
- See the 9 therapists listed in North Vancouver
- See the 41 therapists listed in Vancouver
- See the 9 counsellors in Surrey
- Browse therapists in Canada
Real choice. Authentic, independent, clinician-led care.
TherapyRoute is a clinician-led directory that champions independent practitioners who answer to you and their professional ethics, not to investors or corporate interests. We don't take commissions, sell your data, or assign therapists by algorithm. You browse, compare, and choose.
Vincenzo (Enzo) Sinisi, Clinical Psychologist (HPCSA), Psychoanalyst (IPA/SAPA), Group Analyst (IGA)
References
TherapyRoute is not for emergencies and does not provide medical advice. All of our content is informational and cannot replace professional healthcare. In an emergency, contact a local emergency service. For immediate support, consider a local helpline.