Walk-In Counselling

The walk-in offers same day sessions with a single session model. It does not allow to book future appointments and is not an on-going counselling program. In-person sessions are at 815 Danforth Ave on Tuesdays.

Virtual sessions are offered on Wednesdays, call (416) 645-6000 ext. 1900. Registration starts at 4:00 PM both days, until 6:30 PM or until spots are full. If you are unable to have a same-day session because you need an interpreter, call the number above to coordinate.

You are not limited to just one session, however if you have a session on Tuesday we ask that you wait until the following week to request another session, to allow other members of the community to access the service on Wednesday.

If you do request a session as a returning client, you may be turned away on a busy night as the Walk-In Counselling service prioritizes new clients that have not accessed the service before.

New clients are prioritized as the Walk-in is a solution-focused, single-session model to be utilized on an as-needed basis and not meant to be an ongoing counselling program. Returning clients are still accommodated if the capacity allows for it, after scheduling new clients.

Returning clients that have not been to the Walk-In Counselling service for a long period of time may be accommodated over another return client who had a recent session. A client is classified as new if it has been over a year since the last session.

Being a new client does not guarantee a session as the Walk-In Counselling service is still first come first served. Registrations start at 4:00 PM and end at 6:30 PM, but the spots can get filled up before 6:30 PM.

Please note that space is limited. While new clients are prioritized over returning clients, completing your intake as close to 4:00 PM as possible will give you the best chance of securing a spot for a virtual session.

If you are registering by phone on Wednesday, the time of your call will be recorded. If the intake worker is assisting another caller, it may take some time for them to return your call, but your place in line is based on when you first contacted us.

Be sure to leave a voicemail with your name and phone number.

The start and end time of your session is based on your time of intake and where you are on the night’s schedule. Each counsellor typically sees two clients a night. Clients in the first round of sessions start around 5:00 PM, while those in the second round can start between 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM, dependent on when the first session ends.

If you are in the second round and start late due to an unexpected circumstance, it will not affect the length of your session. Sessions can go until 8:30 PM – 9:00 PM depending on the start time. You will be notified during intake which round you are in, but you may be moved from the second round to the first, if someone scheduled before you cancels their session.

The session will generally be an hour in length. Partway through the session there will be a brief 10-15-minute break so that the counsellor can consult the team and the supervisor to gather any ideas, resources, or feedback that may be helpful for you. This break is part of the walk-in model and a part of every session. After the break, the session will continue and wrap-up.

The Walk-In Counselling service provides single-session counselling to address a wide range of concerns, such as anxiety, depression, anger management and difficulties with work, school or relationships.

The counsellors work with clients to identify their most pressing issue and discuss strategies that can lead to positive change. There are limits to confidentiality, which are mentioned on the welcome form and the counsellor will go over them again before the session begins.

The counsellors are registered professionals (social workers and psychotherapists) who are volunteering their time to provide free counselling for the community. Though they are volunteers, the WIC does choose qualified counsellors through an interview process, and trains them after they join the team.

All new volunteers go through a training period, regardless of how experienced they are, to ensure the quality of the program. All counselling sessions are further supervised by the Walk-In Counselling service supervisor through the break the counsellors take during each session.

With your consent, your session may include two counsellors. One counsellor will lead the session, while the second will act as a shadow counsellor.

A shadow counsellor is a qualified professional counsellor who is new to the Walk-In Counselling service and is completing their training and orientation period. Depending on their stage of training, the shadow counsellor may simply observe the session or participate under the guidance of the main counsellor.

If you would prefer to meet with only one counsellor, you may make this request. We will do our best to accommodate it, based on staff availability.

The Walk-In Counselling service keeps a file for each client with client information and session notes. The file is confidential and stored in a digital client record platform. If you are participating in a session in-person, you may see the counsellor making notes on paper.

The paper will be shredded after the notes are added to the digital file. If you would like to have a copy of any or all of your session notes, you can request them. If you would like them to be sent to a lawyer or another counsellor, you will need to provide a signed release.

Please call (416) 645-6000 ext. 1990 or email [email protected] for note requests.

If you are returning to the Walk-In Counselling service, the counsellor you’re paired with will be briefed on the content of your last session using the session note. This is simply a way for the counsellor to have some context before your session, so you don’t need to repeat yourself. Since the counsellors at the WIC are volunteering their time, there will always be different counsellors on the schedule.

If a counsellor you were paired with before happens to be on the schedule again, the Walk-In Counselling service will not take any requests to pair you up with them, in order to avoid it becoming ongoing counselling instead of a single-session model.

Yes! Let your counsellor or the intake worker know you need a letter and provide either an email or a mailing address.

If you need a letter for a past session, call (416) 645-6000 ext. 1990 or email [email protected].

Please allow a few days for the letter to be sent. If the letter is sent via email, it will be password protected and the password will be shared with you by either the counsellor or the intake worker. If you are unable to open the email, call the above number.