At Kids Reconnect, we often hear questions like:

• “What’s the difference between a psychologist and a social worker?”
• “With whom should I book for my child’s therapy?”
• “Does insurance cover child therapy offered by psychologists and registered social workers?”

These are all great questions—and we’re here to help you understand the differences, similarities, and what’s best for your family.

Our child psychology clinic, Kids Reconnect, is based in Calgary, Alberta. We offer in-person and online counselling services for children, adolescents, parents, and families in Alberta.

Our team’s Registered Psychologists and Registered Social Workers have training and expertise to support children, adolescents, and families who have mental health concerns. Although in each of their professions they are both specialized in child therapy and offer the same level of specialized care, their education and scope of practice are not completely identical.

Our child therapists have specialized training, advanced education, and extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and families. We are committed to providing developmentally informed, evidence-based support tailored to the unique needs of young people.

The Kids Reconnect team includes:

• Registered Psychologists, registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP)
• Registered Provisional Psychologists, provisionally registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists at Kids Reconnect practice under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist, as described under the Health Professions Act.
• Registered Social Workers, registered with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW).

In Alberta, the psychologist profession is a regulated health profession.

In Canada, a regulated health profession is one governed by provincial or territorial legislation, such as the Health Professions Act (HPA) in Alberta. This includes psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, physicians, nurses, and others.

The College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) is the regulatory body for the profession of psychology in the province of Alberta. CAP sets the standards for psychologists’ registration, practice, and professional conduct. This means that to practice psychology in Alberta, individuals must be registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), which entails meeting specific education, practice requirements, licensing, ethical standards, and professional conduct guidelines, as outlined by CAP.

A Registered Psychologist in Alberta is a mental health specialist trained in how people think, feel, and behave. Registered Psychologists are licensed by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and provide services that are typically covered by private insurance.

Registered Psychologists in Alberta:

• Hold a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology (e.g., M.Ed., MACP, PhD)
• Are licensed by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP)
• Can diagnose mental health disorders such as ADHD, anxiety, or depression
• Use evidence-based therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), play therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Often work in private practice, schools, as well at Alberta Health Services (such as mental health community clinics and hospitals)
• May specialize in psychological assessments (e.g., psychoeducational evaluations)

While CAP doesn’t officially designate the title “Child Psychologist,” some psychologists focus specifically on children and adolescents based on advanced training and experience. At Kids Reconnect, all our psychologists have specialized training in child development and use developmentally appropriate, evidence-based tools in therapy.

A Registered Psychologist in Alberta:

• Holds a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology. For example, a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.), a Master’s of Science (MSc) in Counselling Psychology, a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP), a PhD in Psychology, or a Doctor of Counselling Psychology (DCP) degree
• Is registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP)
• Offers psychological services that are covered by most insurance companies
• Can specialize in areas of assessments, diagnosis, and evidence-based therapy approaches. For example, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), emotionally focused therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Play Therapy, Synergetic Play Therapy, AutPlayTherapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Can diagnose mental health disorders (e.g., ADHD, anxiety, depression)
• Often works in private practice, clinics, hospitals, the Alberta Health Services system, in public schools with the Calgary Public School Board and Calgary Catholic School Board, or private schools.

Psychologists are specialists in “the science of how people think, feel, and behave.”
(College of Alberta Psychologists, 2025)

While Registered Social Workers (RSWs) are highly trained professionals with clinical skills, the title “social worker” is often misunderstood by the public. Many parents associate social workers with:

• Child protective services or crisis response
• Government agencies or school-based support
• “Fixing problems” instead of offering ongoing emotional care

This perception can sometimes lead families to assume that social workers only work in government institutions, although that is not the case. While some Registered Social Workers do work in those fields, social workers in private practice are trained therapists who support mental health, just like psychologists.

In Alberta, the social worker profession is a regulated health profession. As such, it is regulated by the Health Professions Act (HPA), in a similar way to the psychologist profession.

The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) is the regulatory body for the profession of social work in the province of Alberta. The ACSW sets the standards for social workers’ registration, practice, and professional conduct. This means that to practice social work in Alberta, individuals must be registered with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), having met the education, practice requirements, licensing, ethical standards, and professional conduct guideline outlined by the ACSW. Registered Social Workers often focus not just on the individual, but also on the broader systems that impact a child’s well-being: family, school, culture, and community.

Registered Social Workers in Alberta:

• Hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree with clinical training
• Are licensed by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW)
• Use evidence-based therapy modalities and approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, narrative therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), play therapy, and trauma-informed care
• Provide parent coaching and support navigating school or community systems
• Take a holistic view, considering social, cultural, and family dynamics.

Social workers are often the “unsung heroes” in the mental health world. While their title might sound practical, clinical social workers are deeply trained in emotional support, trauma healing, and relationship work.

At Kids Reconnect, our Registered Social Workers:

• Have advanced clinical training and master’s degrees
• Are regulated professionals with ongoing supervision and ethical guidelines
• Focus on helping children, youth, and parents through therapy and emotional support
• Work collaboratively with families to address anxiety, grief, trauma, family conflict, and more.

Most extended health benefit plans do cover services by both psychologists and clinical social workers, but coverage can vary.

Check your plan under terms like:

• “Psychological services”
• “Registered psychologist”
• “Clinical social worker”
• “Mental health therapist”

Ask your provider:

• What’s the annual coverage limit per practitioner?
• Is there a per-session cap?
• Do they require a specific credential?

At Kids Reconnect, all our mental health professionals are licensed and covered by most private insurance plans in Alberta.

In Alberta, psychologists are often listed explicitly in insurance policies, but many benefit plans now include Registered Social Workers as well. Registered Social Workers at Kids Reconnect are covered by most benefit plans.