Offering Affordable Therapy in London, Ontario: Reflections from a Student Intern Therapist

Written by Jule Recchia, MACP (in progress), RP (Qualifying). 

When I think about what it means to sit with someone in therapy, the word that comes to mind is connection. It is being present in a space where someone feels safe, seen, and heard as they navigate whatever they are carrying. As an intern therapist, I have been reflecting on how meaningful it is to be invited into people’s stories and to provide a connection that feels safe and secure.

When engaging in this connection, it sometimes looks like sorting through tangled emotions, sometimes it feels like finding calm in the middle of stress, and other times it is simply about having a place to pause and breathe. No matter what, it is a space where someone can show up just as they are, which I view as a very beautiful process to being authentically human.

One of the things I have been sitting with lately is what it means to be an intern therapist. Every conversation has been an opportunity to learn, not only about the person in front of me, but also about my identity as a therapist-in-training. I have constantly felt inspired by the resilience and growing insight individuals have brought to sessions, reminding me that connection is a primary need. I often leave sessions reflecting on how meaningful it is to witness people’s courage as they choose to show up honestly and vulnerably. These moments give me the encouragement to also show up in sessions as authentically as I can.

Offering affordable therapy has been a fulfilling part of this role. While I was working in community mental health, I often noticed the barriers to accessing affordable mental health supports. I feel very fortunate to be working as an intern therapist at Thrive Psychotherapy London because of this shared value to making mental health care more reachable. At the heart of it, affordability is really about connection, making sure that more people have the opportunity to be safe, seen, and heard.

As I continue to grow in this work, I keep coming back to the idea that therapy is really about being human together. By providing a safe space where honesty, emotion, and connection can exist without pressure or judgment. I feel grateful each day to be a part of this process, and I look forward to learning and growing more. If you’re curious about starting therapy, I would be honoured to connect and see whether this space might feel right for you!

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