Online Counselling for Indigenous Mental Health in Alberta, BC, & Ontario

Is the impact of trauma, grief, depression, or anxiety stopping you from living fully?
Struggling to find balance?

Our therapists offer virtual (video call or phone call) psychological services to support Indigenous  People in with high quality, compassionate care. Culturally informed online counselling can help support your healing journey, and where you and your therapist co-create a relational space for you to rediscover a sense of balance and improve your overall wellbeing. 

Book a consultation or appointment to speak with a compassionate therapist who will will listen without judgement, and provide support and understanding.

Fill out the form below and a Deep Sea Psychology team member will reach out to you soon to help you schedule your consultation or appointment. Feel free to share any information that might be helpful to match you with a therapist best suited to your needs and preferences. For example, sharing about your cultural identity can help ensure that you are matched with a therapist who is informed about your culture or nation's history on Turtle Island. 

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Which video-call or phone service are you interested in?
When do you prefer to schedule sessions?
Direct-Billing
What are you hoping to address? Would you like to share about your specific cultural identity (Nation)?

Culturally Responsive Indigenous Mental Health Services

Indigenous mental health services refers to virtual therapy or online counselling that is specifically tailored toward supporting Indigenous individuals, couples, families, and communities with compassionate, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed therapy that respects your specific cultural values and histories. 

At Deep Sea Psychology, we recognize the importance of culturally grounded mental health care and understand that everyone's relationship to their culture or cultural identities will vary from person to person. For most of us, our sense of identity is a life long journey. You might feel very connected to your ancestral roots, and already have significant awareness of how you want to incorporate traditional ways of knowing and healing practices in your therapeutic journey. Or perhaps through the widespread impacts of colonization, you might feel rather disconnected from your heritage. There is no one right way to feel when it comes to your cultural identity. We meet you where ever you are at. 

If you are connected with your cultural roots, and want to ensure that your therapist is aware of historical, social, or traditional contexts that are important to you, you might consider sharing a bit about your identity through our contact form on this page. ​By understanding some of the cultural contexts, values, worldviews and traditions of the specific culture(s) you identify with, your therapist can be better able to support you.

Culturally responsive mental health counselling for Indigenous mental health services involves ongoing cultural awareness, sensitivity and safety. Cultural awareness involves an understanding that there are cultural differences between groups. Being culturally sensitive means practicing an ongoing awareness of how different experiences and values can impact others. In addition to cultural awareness and sensitivity, cultural safety in the context of providing Indigenous psychological services focuses on improving the health and social outcomes for Indigenous People specifically. This includes examining and understanding the historical and political factors that underly power imbalances between Indigenous People and non-Indigenous people on Turtle Island.

​Part of the impact of colonialism is an ongoing systemic imbalance that contributes to there being an over-representation of non-Indigenous people holding positions in the healthcare system, including psychology, social work, psychotherapy and counselling. Presently, our team of therapists is made up of predominantly non-Indigenous allies, with a strong sense of solidarity with Indigenous communities. We routinely participate in cultural awareness and sensitivity trainings as well as  engaging with local communities to support the continued development of our capacity to support Indigenous Peoples in their healing journeys. However, we are always receptive to feedback from Indigenous People and communities receiving psychological services from us to determine the degree to which our services are indeed culturally safe.

Online Indigenous Mental Health Services Direct-Billing

Deep Sea Psychology provides direct-billing through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and other programs that support the provision of Indigenous mental health therapy. We are passionate about reducing barriers to accessing mental health services, and our direct-billing options for Indigenous mental health support services are designed to help make starting online counselling as easy and seamless as possible.

We are able to provide direct billing to the following Indigenous psychology services programs for virtual therapy (phone or online counselling):

  • Bigstone Health Benefits (BHB)
    • ​This program supports coverage for online counselling for members of Bigstone Cree Nation with a status number.
  • First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)
    • ​This program supports coverage for online counselling eligible First Nations individuals and families across B.C., who have a status, treaty, or client number.
  • ​Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB)
    • ​This program supports coverage for online counselling for eligible First Nations and Inuit individuals and families across Alberta and Ontario, who have a status, treaty, "N," or client number.
  • Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program (IRS RHSP)
    • ​This program supports coverage for online counselling for Survivors of residential schools, and any relatives who have experienced the effects of intergenerational trauma associated with their family member's time at a residential school, and who do not have a status, treaty, "N," or client number.
  • Federal Indian Day School (IDS) Health and Cultural Support Program
    • ​​This program supports coverage for online counselling for Survivors of day schools, and any relatives who have experienced the effects of intergenerational trauma associated with their family member's time at a day school, and who do not have a status, treaty, "N," or client number.
  • Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Health and Cultural Support Program
    • ​This program supports coverage for online counselling for Survivors, family members, and those affected by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit, and who do not have a status, treaty, "N," or client number.
  • Ni Natoohtaan Psychology Benefit Program
    • This program supports coverage for online counselling for registered citizens of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation within Alberta, with a pre-existing relationship with a psychologist or social worker

Through our community partnerships we are able to provide virtual therapy or online mental health counselling to Indigenous adults, youth, couples, and families, at no out-of-pocket cost to you.

How to Start Indigenous Mental Health Services Virtual Therapy

Here is how you can access online counselling through our Indigenous Psychological Services:
​
  1. Let us know that you would like Deep Sea Psychology to provide direct-billing for online counselling through one of the Indigenous psychological services virtual therapy programs (e.g. BNB, FNHA, NIHB, IRS RHSP, IDS, MMIWG)
  2. Our support team will send you a consent form by email for you to review and complete online.
  3. Once you submit your consent form, we will seek prior approval from the appropriate mental health counselling program to confirm your session coverage and reach out to you to schedule your first appointment.
​
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and our team would be happy to support you.

Connect, heal, thrive

Approved Indigenous Mental Health Providers

At Deep Sea Psychology, our team of mental health therapists includes Registered Psychologists, and Registered Clinical Social Workers. Our team is comprised of non-Indigenous allies who are approved providers with Indigenous psychological services programs across Alberta, B.C. and Ontario and passionate about supporting Indigenous People with culturally responsive online mental health counselling services.

Browse the images below to learn more about the trauma-informed and compassionate therapists on our team, offering top-rated virtual therapy services with direct billing to Indigenous psychological services programs.

​Let us know if you have a preferences to work with a specific therapist, or contact us for assistance with matching to a therapist that best suits your needs and preferences.
  • Alberta NIHB Providers
  • BC FNHA Providers
  • BC NIHB Providers
  • Ontario NIHB Providers
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Alberta NIHB Providers

The following Deep Sea Psychology therapists are approved Alberta NIHB providers.

Contact our Alberta office at 587-557-8573 or [email protected] for assistance with scheduling and setting up direct billing to NIHB Alberta to cover 100% of session fees for attended appointments.

If you have questions about your eligibility for coverage through NIHB in Alberta, you may call the NIHB Alberta Regional Office at: 1-800-232-7301 extension 4 for Mental Health Counselling.

BC FNHA Providers

Health Benefits for First Nations in British Columbia are provided by the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA). The following Deep Sea Psychology therapists are approved BC FNHA providers.

Contact the Deep Sea Psychology  BC office at 250-252-5221,  or [email protected] for assistance with scheduling and setting up direct billing to FNHA to cover 100% of session fees for attended appointments.

If you have questions about your eligibility for coverage through FNHA in BC, you may call the BC FNHA Health Benefits Office at: 1-855-550-5454 for Mental Health Counselling services information.

BC NIHB Providers

Health Benefits for Inuit in British Columbia are provided by the Non Insured Health Benefits (NIHB). The following Deep Sea Psychology therapists are approved BC NIHB providers.

Contact the Deep Sea Psychology  BC office at 250-252-5221,  or [email protected] for assistance with scheduling and setting up direct billing to NIHB to cover 100% of session fees for attended appointments.

If you have questions about your eligibility for coverage through NIHB in BC, you may call the NIHB Office at: 1-800-232-7301 for Mental Health Counselling services information.

Ontario NIHB Providers

The following Deep Sea Psychology therapists are approved Ontario NIHB providers.

Contact our Ontario office at 289-622-6727 or [email protected] for assistance with scheduling and setting up direct billing to NIHB Ontario to cover 100% of session fees for attended appointments.

If you have questions about your eligibility for coverage through NIHB in Ontario, you may call the NIHB Ontario Regional Office at: 1-800-640-0642 for Mental Health Counselling.

Immediate Mental Health Support

If you are in need of immediate emotional support without needing to fill out a consent form or schedule an appointment in advance, please reach out to the following toll-free support lines:
  • First Nations, Inuit and Métis seeking immediate emotional support can contact the Hope for Wellness Help Line toll-free at 1-855-242-3310, or by online chat at hopeforwellness.ca.
  • The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides 24-hour crisis support to former Indian Residential School students and their families toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.
  • Individuals impacted by the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls are encouraged to contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649.

Indigenous Mental Health FAQs

Who is eligible for direct-billed Indigenous mental health services?
We provide virtual therapy (phone or vide-call counselling) for Indigenous adults, youth, couples, and families. Our therapists provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed care that honours Indigenous perspectives on healing and psychological well-being.

Eligibility varies by program, but generally, direct-billed therapy is available to:
✅ First Nations individuals with a status or treaty number
✅ Inuit individuals with an "N" or client number
✅ Métis citizens (for specific programs)
✅ Residential school and day school Survivors and their families
✅ Family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People
Which indigenous mental health support program am i eligible for?
Your eligibility for direct-billed Indigenous mental health services depends on your background and specific program criteria.

​Here’s a general guide:

✅ First Nations with status (Treaty, Status, or Client Number) → Eligible for NIHB (Alberta & Ontario), FNHA (B.C.), or Bigstone Health Benefits (Bigstone Cree Nation members).
✅ Inuit with an “N” or Client Number → Eligible for NIHB.
✅ Métis Citizens (Otipemisiwak Métis Government, Alberta) → Eligible for Ni Natoohtaan Psychology Benefit Program (with a pre-existing relationship with a therapist).
✅ Indian Residential School (IRS) Survivors & Families → Eligible for IRS Resolution Health Support Program (even without status).
✅ Federal Indian Day School (IDS) Survivors & Families → Eligible for IDS Health and Cultural Support Program (even without status).
✅ Families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls & Two-Spirit (MMIWG) → Eligible for MMIWG Health and Cultural Support Program (even without status).

If you're unsure, contact us, and we’ll help determine which program applies to you and assist with direct billing.
Is there a limit to the number of therapy appointments covered?
The number of initial covered therapy sessions depends on the Indigenous mental health support program you are eligible for. For example, ISC programs like FNHA and NIHB generally approve an initial 22 hours of online mental health services per calendar year, and additional sessions can be approved as needed, throughout the same year.
Are the therapists indigenous?
If you are looking to connect with an Indigenous therapist, Jessica Roberts is a Tsattine (Beaver Dene) mental health therapist who offers free and low cost counselling online or by phone. Because she is a student, she is not yet able to provide direct-billing to Indigenous mental health counselling programs.

While our current team of fully registered clinicians who are able to bill to ISC programs, does not include Indigenous clinicians, we are a diverse team of deeply committed allies dedicated to providing culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and decolonized mental health care. 

Our therapists have extensive experience in working with Indigenous clients and continuously engage in cultural competency training, learning from Knowledge Keepers and Indigenous mental health frameworks to ensure respectful and effective support. We honour the importance of Indigenous perspectives on healing and are dedicated to creating a safe, supportive, and empowering space.
Can I access therapy if i live in a rural or remote area?
Yes! Our virtual therapy services are available across Alberta, B.C., and Ontario, making it easy to access professional Indigenous mental health support from the comfort of your home.
How does online counselling work?
Online therapy sessions are conducted via secure video or phone. You’ll meet with a licensed therapist who provides support tailored to your needs, whether for stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, or personal growth.
do i need to have a credit card or pay for therapy?
No. If you are eligible for coverage through one of the Indigenous mental health counselling programs session fees will be billed-directly to that program so you never pay upfront for attended appointments.

When you schedule an appointment, we will help you determine which program you are eligible for coverage through, and send you the appropriate consent form that you can fill out online, provide your information and authorize direct billing.  A credit card or debit card is not required to book appointments. Contact our office to schedule an appointment and by-pass the credit-card prompt in the online booking portal.

The Indigenous mental health programs do not cover fees associated with missed or late cancelled appointments with less than 24 hours notice, which may result in a fee being charged.  
what mental health concerns can indigenous counselling help with?
Indigenous mental health counselling services provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed support for a wide range of mental health concerns, including:
  • Trauma & PTSD – Including experiences of personal and intergenerational trauma, residential school and day school impacts, and systemic harm.
  • Anxiety & Stress – Support for overwhelming thoughts, worries, and life transitions.
  • Depression & Grief – Navigating grief, healing from loss, sadness, and disconnection.
  • Identity & Connection – Navigating personal and cultural identity, foster belonging and healing
  • Family Dynamics & Conflict – Supporting family healing through improved communication, conflict resolution, and rebuilding connections in a culturally respectful way.
  • Community & Social Support – Addressing challenges related to community involvement, and barriers to accessing resources, strengthening connections.
  • Coping Strategies – Providing tools and techniques for managing stress, anxiety, and difficult emotions, including mindfulness, grounding exercises, and culturally relevant practices like storytelling and connection to nature.
  • Burnout & Workplace Stress – Managing stress related to work-life balance, discrimination, systemic barriers, and career challenges.

At Deep Sea Psychology, our therapists recognize the deep connection between mind, body, spirit, and community in healing, integrating evidence-based therapeutic methods alongside a holistic and culturally respectful approach to mental wellness.
do I need a referral to book an online counselling session?
We do not require a referral--you can reach out directly to book an appointment.

Booking is easy! ​You can:
📞 Call us to schedule an appointment
📧 Email us with your program and eligibility details
💻 Use our online booking system 

Once confirmed, we handle the direct-billing so you can focus on healing without financial stress.

Ready to Book an Appointment?