Special Populations

Interim Federal Health Program

Wholetherapy is an IFHP-registered provider. We offer culturally responsive, trauma-informed therapy in multiple languages for refugees, refugee claimants, and protected persons across Atlantic Canada.

Quick Facts

What you need to know

Registered IFHP providers

Several of our clinicians are registered IFHP providers and accept IFHP coverage directly. We bill IFHP through Medavie Blue Cross.

Co-payment as of May 2026

As of May 1, 2026, IFHP beneficiaries are responsible for a 30% co-payment for mental health counselling and other supplemental services. We'll explain this clearly before your first session.

Multiple languages

Our clinicians offer sessions in English, Urdu, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Tamil, Rajasthani, and Punjabi. We'll match you with a clinician you can talk to in the language that feels most natural.

Trauma-informed care

Our team specializes in trauma. Many people arriving in Canada are carrying difficult experiences. We meet you where you are and move at the pace that fits.

What IFHP Covers

Mental health coverage under IFHP

If you're eligible for IFHP, you can access mental health counselling with a registered provider. Coverage depends on your specific eligibility category.

Individual psychotherapy with an IFHP-registered provider
Trauma-focused therapy including EMDR
Treatment for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and adjustment-related concerns
Support with the experience of displacement, migration, and resettlement
Culturally responsive care from clinicians who understand newcomer experience
Sessions in multiple languages
Virtual sessions across Atlantic Canada

Important: May 2026 changes

As of May 1, 2026, IFHP beneficiaries are responsible for a 30% co-payment for mental health counselling. This is paid directly to the provider at the time of service. Our team will explain what your costs will look like before your first session, so there are no surprises. If cost is a concern, please reach out anyway. We'll work with you to find a path forward.

How It Works

Getting started with IFHP

Here's what to expect, step by step.

Get in touch

Contact us by phone or email and let us know you're seeking care under IFHP. Tell us your preferred language if it's not English. We have clinicians who speak several languages.

We verify your eligibility

Our team confirms your IFHP eligibility through Medavie Blue Cross. This usually takes 1 to 3 business days.

We match you with a clinician

We match you with one of our IFHP-registered clinicians based on language, what you're seeking support with, and clinical fit.

We explain the co-payment

Before your first session, we'll explain what your 30% co-payment will be and how it works. We're transparent about cost up front.

Book and start

Once eligibility is verified and the cost is clear, we book your first session. We bill the IFHP portion to Medavie Blue Cross directly.

Why IFHP Clients Choose Wholetherapy

Care that meets you in your own language and worldview

Therapy is hard enough in your first language. Doing it in a second or third can make it nearly impossible. Several of our clinicians offer sessions in Urdu, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Tamil, Rajasthani, and Punjabi. Others bring deep experience with newcomer and refugee experience.

Migration, displacement, and starting over carry their own weight. We don't pathologize that. We work with it. Our approach is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and built around what each person actually needs.

Clinician Spotlight

Meet Sumi Iqbal, MA

Sumi Iqbal is an IFHP Provider and Registered Counselling Therapist Candidate, EMDR trained, with a warm, trauma-focused approach to supporting newcomers and refugee claimants. She understands that starting therapy in a new country — often in a second language, often after difficult journeys — takes real courage, and she works at your pace.

Avani Santhoshkumar, MA, is also an IFHP Provider and EMDR-trained clinician accepting new clients.

Book a Free Consult with Sumi Read Sumi's Full Bio →

Common Questions

Questions about IFHP

Who is eligible for IFHP?↓

IFHP provides temporary health coverage for resettled refugees, refugee claimants, protected persons, certain other migrants, and victims of human trafficking and family violence. Eligibility is determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. You should have an IFHP eligibility document. If you're unsure, we can help you verify your status.

Why is there a co-payment now?↓

As of May 1, 2026, the federal government introduced a 30% co-payment for supplemental IFHP services including mental health counselling. This applies to all IFHP beneficiaries. Basic health care like doctor visits and hospital care remain fully covered with no co-payments.

How much will the co-payment actually cost me?↓

It's 30% of the eligible fee for the service. The IFHP fee schedule determines what the total cost is. We'll give you the exact figure before your first session so you know what to expect.

What if I can't afford the co-payment?↓

Please reach out anyway. We'll talk through what options might be available, including whether sliding scale arrangements may apply in your situation. Cost shouldn't be the only thing standing between you and support.

What languages can I have sessions in?↓

Several of our clinicians offer sessions in languages other than English, including Urdu, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Tamil, Rajasthani, and Punjabi. When you reach out, let us know your preferred language and we'll match you appropriately.

Can I do sessions virtually?↓

Yes. We offer secure virtual sessions across Atlantic Canada. If you don't have a private space at home, that's OK. We can talk through options.