Service Transparency & Billing — How We Bill Our Services at Vistas Wellness
Service transparency & billing

How We Bill Our Services

At Vistas, care doesn't come in a single shape. Some of what we offer is regulated psychotherapy. Some is skills-based coaching. Some is movement, bodywork, or wellness instruction. Each pathway sits at a different point on the map, and we think you deserve to know exactly which one you're standing on before you book.

This page breaks down the different services offered at Vistas, who provides them, what governs each one, and how each is billed — so there's no confusion about what you're receiving or how to submit it to an extended health plan, if applicable. For current session fees, visit our Services & Fees page.

Why it matters

Why we're spelling this out

When a practice offers more than one type of service, it's easy for the lines to blur — a coaching session can start to sound like therapy in a testimonial, or a receipt can imply insurance eligibility that isn't there. That's not good for clients, and it's not good for the professions involved.

We want it to be obvious, before you ever book:

  • Who you're working with, and what they're trained and authorized to do.
  • Whether the service is regulated psychotherapy, clinical supervision, or a non-regulated coaching/wellness service.
  • What the session will be documented and billed as.
  • Whether your extended health plan is likely to cover it.
At a glance

The short version

ServiceWho provides itRegulated by
Individual psychotherapyRegistered Psychotherapists, and RP-Qualifying clinicians under supervisionCollege of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
Clinical supervision & EMDR consultationAmanda Carver, R.P.CRPO
Mindfulness & meditation coachingMark Atherton, ERYT-500Not a regulated health profession; not psychotherapy
One-on-one yoga instruction & workplace wellness facilitationAmanda Carver, RYT-200 (for people who aren't her psychotherapy clients), Natalie Anthony (Yoga Instructor & Workplace Wellness Facilitator), and Mark Atherton (ERYT-500), offered strictly as instruction, not psychotherapyNot a regulated health profession; governed by yoga teacher training standards, not a health college
Massage therapyNatalija Filinova, RMTCollege of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO)
Naturopathic careDr. Makoto Trotter, Naturopathic DoctorCollege of Naturopaths of Ontario (CNO)
For current session fees and extended health plan guidance for each service, visit our Services & Fees page. Coverage varies by plan — you're always encouraged to check your specific policy.
Regulated psychotherapy

Psychotherapy and clinical supervision

Individual psychotherapy at Vistas is provided by Registered Psychotherapists and by clinicians registered with CRPO as RP-Qualifying, working under supervision. This work is governed by the CRPO's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, and sessions are documented and billed as psychotherapy.

Clinical supervision and EMDR consultation are offered separately by Amanda Carver, R.P., for students, RP-Qualifying therapists, and pre-independent-practice clinicians. These services meet all current CRPO requirements to provide clinical supervision, including CRPO's mandatory supervision module and required directed learning hours, and are documented and billed as supervision or consultation, not as client psychotherapy.

Receipts for psychotherapy and supervision reflect the credential of the provider (R.P. or RP-Qualifying under supervision) so they can be submitted accurately to your insurer. For reduced-fee options, see sliding-scale spaces, and for federal programs, see NIHB, IRS RHSP, and MMIWG below.

Non-regulated coaching

Mindfulness & meditation coaching

Mindfulness & meditation coaching at Vistas is offered as a distinct, non-regulated service, led by Mark Atherton, ERYT-500. It's educational and skills-based — focused on helping you build a sustainable personal mindfulness practice through breathwork, meditation, and mindful movement — and it is not a form of psychotherapy, clinical treatment, or diagnosis.

Because it isn't a regulated health service, mindfulness coaching is invoiced separately from psychotherapy and is generally not eligible for extended health benefit claims. If you're combining coaching with psychotherapy, the two will always appear as separate services on your invoices.

You can read more about mindfulness & meditation coaching with Mark or meet Mark on our team page.

Non-regulated instruction

One-on-one yoga instruction & workplace wellness facilitation

Amanda Carver, RYT-200, Natalie Anthony, and Mark Atherton, ERYT-500, offer one-on-one yoga instruction, and Natalie and Mark also offer group yoga and workplace wellness facilitation. Amanda teaches yoga only to people who aren't her current psychotherapy clients. This is movement and wellness instruction — not psychotherapy, and not a regulated health service. It's governed by yoga teacher training and certification standards rather than a health regulatory college.

Yoga and workplace wellness sessions are invoiced under the instructing team member's role specifically, and are generally not eligible for extended health benefit claims tied to psychotherapy coverage. Some benefit plans do offer separate fitness, wellness, or yoga-specific coverage — worth checking with your provider directly.

See yoga-informed therapy in Toronto for how yoga instruction and yoga-informed psychotherapy differ. In Ottawa? See yoga-informed therapy in Ottawa.

Dual credentials, explained

A note on yoga, breathwork, and psychotherapy: two hats, two receipts

Amanda holds both a CRPO registration as a Registered Psychotherapist and an RYT-200 yoga teacher certification. These are two separate credentials, and Vistas keeps them in two separate service categories — even when the same practitioner, or the same underlying practice, is involved.

As an RYT, in one-on-one yoga instruction

Amanda (and other RYT-credentialed team members) can offer individualized, bespoke yoga instruction — poses, breathwork, and movement practices built around what a client wants to work on physically or for general wellbeing. This is yoga instruction, not psychotherapy. It's documented and billed as yoga instruction, and it isn't eligible for extended health claims tied to psychotherapy coverage. To avoid dual relationships, Amanda doesn't take her current psychotherapy clients on as yoga students; if you're in therapy with her and want stand-alone yoga, those sessions are arranged with Natalie or Mark.

As an RP, within a psychotherapy session

CRPO recognizes a number of activities that sit outside the controlled act of psychotherapy on their own, but that a Registered Psychotherapist may still draw on as an ancillary part of their psychotherapy practice, within an existing psychotherapeutic relationship and treatment plan. Many nervous-system-regulation techniques — including breathwork and certain grounding poses — can fall into this category. When Amanda brings these techniques into a psychotherapy session, they're offered in service of the client's broader treatment goals, within the therapeutic relationship, and the session continues to be documented and billed as psychotherapy. This body-based, nervous-system-informed work is part of our somatic therapy, which is always billed as psychotherapy.

What this means in practice: the same technique (a breathing exercise, a grounding pose) might show up in either context, but your receipt reflects the actual service provided, not just what physically happened in the room. You can't book a stand-alone yoga session and receive a psychotherapy receipt for it — for a session to be billed as psychotherapy, it has to be genuine psychotherapy, with the clinical relationship, assessment, and treatment purpose that involves. If you're ever unsure which one you're booking, ask — that's exactly what your intake conversation or free consult is for.
Other regulated professions

Massage therapy & naturopathic care

CMTO-Regulated

Massage Therapy

Natalija Filinova provides massage therapy as a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT), regulated by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) — a different regulatory college from CRPO, with its own scope of practice, standards, and billing requirements. Sessions are documented and receipted as massage therapy, separate from any psychotherapy, coaching, or yoga services you may also access at Vistas.

CNO-Regulated

Naturopathic Care

Dr. Makoto Trotter provides naturopathic care as a Naturopathic Doctor, regulated by the College of Naturopaths of Ontario (CNO) — a different regulatory college from CRPO, with its own scope of practice, standards, and billing requirements. Visits are documented and receipted as naturopathic care, separate from any psychotherapy, coaching, or yoga services you may also access at Vistas.

Reduced fees

Sliding-scale spaces

Cost shouldn't be the reason anyone goes without support. Each Vistas therapist holds a limited number of sliding-scale psychotherapy spaces, at a reduced fee based on your circumstances. These spaces are open to anyone.

Heather Lash, RP (Qualifying) also offers a lower fee while she completes her registration under clinical supervision. Ask about current availability at your free consult, and see current rates on Services & Fees.

Direct billing

NIHB, IRS RHSP, and MMIWG

Amanda Carver, R.P. and Sandra Gautreau, R.P. are registered to direct bill these federal programs for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis clients, so there's less paperwork for you:

  • Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) mental health counselling, for eligible First Nations and Inuit clients.
  • Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program (IRS RHSP), for Survivors and their family members.
  • Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) health support, for eligible family members and survivors.

If you think the Federal Indian Day Schools support program might apply to you, we can help you check. NIHB doesn't cover Métis clients; extended health benefits and private pay are options.

At Vistas, these programs apply to psychotherapy sessions only. Our therapy for Indigenous clients page explains who you can see and how billing works, and our post on therapy for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis clients goes deeper.

Before you book

How to know what you're booking

A few simple ways to stay oriented:

  • Check what you're booking, not just who you're booking with. Some team members hold more than one credential — Amanda, for example, is both a Registered Psychotherapist and an RYT. What matters for billing is which service you booked, not just the practitioner's full list of qualifications.
  • Check the provider's title on the service itself. "Registered Psychotherapist" or "RP-Qualifying" means regulated psychotherapy. "Mindfulness & Meditation Instructor," "Yoga Instructor," or "Workplace Wellness Facilitator" means a non-regulated wellness service. "RMT" means massage therapy under CMTO. "Naturopathic Doctor" means naturopathic care under CNO.
  • Ask at booking or at your free consult. You're always welcome to ask directly what a session will be documented and billed as, and whether it's likely to be covered under your specific plan.
  • Look at your receipt. Your invoice will reflect the actual service and the provider's credential — this is what determines insurance eligibility, not the general idea of "seeing someone at Vistas."

If you're ever unsure which service fits what you're looking for — psychotherapy, coaching, yoga, massage, or naturopathic care — that's exactly what a free 15–20 minute consult is for. You can book a consult, or explore our Services & Fees and Mindfulness & Meditation Coaching pages for more detail.

Please note

Safety note

This page is for general information only and does not replace individualized mental health care, medical advice, or insurance guidance from your specific benefits provider. It does not establish a therapeutic relationship. If you are in crisis, at risk of harm, or unable to stay safe, please contact 9-8-8 (Suicide Crisis Helpline), 9-1-1, or your local crisis service before reaching out for non-urgent care.

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