Top 4 Best Ukrainian-Speaking Counsellors and Therapists in Canada

Finding the right therapist is about more than choosing someone with the right qualifications. You also need to feel comfortable explaining what you are experiencing. For many Ukrainians living in Canada, speaking about anxiety, grief, relationships, immigration, trauma, work stress, or major life changes can feel more natural in Ukrainian.

Working with a Ukrainian-speaking counsellor can remove one extra communication barrier. Instead of translating personal thoughts into English, you can communicate in the language that feels most natural to you. A Ukrainian-speaking therapist may also understand cultural references and experiences that would otherwise require additional explanation.

Fortunately, Ukrainian counselling in Canada is becoming easier to access. Some therapists offer in-person appointments in major cities, while others provide online Ukrainian therapy that can serve clients across a much wider geographic area.

Below, we compare four Ukrainian-speaking counsellors and therapists serving clients in different parts of Canada.

Quick Comparison of Ukrainian-Speaking Therapists in Canada

Provider	Location / Service Area	Languages	Appointment Options	Areas of Focus
Yuliia Kovalova, MA, RCC	Vancouver to Chilliwack, BC	Ukrainian, English, Russian	Primarily online	Trauma, anxiety, burnout, depression, grief, relationships
Maksym Tkachenko, RP	Toronto, ON	Ukrainian, Russian	In-person & online	Anxiety, depression, relationships, grief, trauma
Petro Palykhata, MA, RPsych	Edmonton, AB	Ukrainian, English, Russian	In-person & online	Anxiety, trauma, mood concerns, relationships, family counselling
Yana Bilyk, MSW, RSW	Calgary, AB	Ukrainian, English	In-person & online	Trauma, cultural adjustment, anxiety, burnout, grief

How We Chose the Ukrainian-Speaking Counsellors on This List

There is no single therapist who will be the right choice for everyone. Our list focuses on helping Ukrainian-speaking Canadians narrow their options based on practical factors that can be checked before booking an appointment.

We considered:

• Ukrainian-language services: The provider must publicly state that they offer counselling or therapy in Ukrainian.
• Professional credentials: We looked for Canadian professional registrations and recognized counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, or social-work credentials.
• Relevant counselling services: We considered the range of concerns and client groups each professional works with.
• Accessibility: Online therapy, in-person appointments, scheduling options, and geographic coverage were considered.
• Clear information: Providers with transparent descriptions of their qualifications, approaches, services, and languages were preferred.
• Public feedback: Where genuine public client feedback was available, we considered recurring comments about communication, professionalism, comfort, and the overall experience.

This is a research-based shortlist rather than a measurement of clinical effectiveness. The best fit for you will depend on your needs, location, preferred language, budget, schedule, and the type of support you are looking for.

1. Yuliia Kovalova Counselling — Ukrainian-Speaking Counsellor Serving Vancouver to Chilliwack

Counsellor: Yuliia Kovalova, MA, RCC
Practice: Yuliia Kovalova Counselling
Service Area: Vancouver to Chilliwack, British Columbia
Session Format: Primarily online
Languages: Ukrainian, English, Russian
Additional Role: Bereavement Services Manager at Chilliwack Hospice Society
Client Types: Individuals, couples, groups, teens and adults depending on service
Areas of Focus: Trauma, anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, self-esteem, ADHD, relationships and workplace concerns

Overview: Why Yuliia Kovalova Is Our #1 Choice

For people in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley looking for a Ukrainian-Speaking Counsellor, Yuliia Kovalova stands out because of the breadth of her counselling experience, Ukrainian-language availability, trauma-informed approach, and ability to work primarily online with clients across the region from Vancouver to Chilliwack.

Rather than limiting her practice to clients who live directly in Chilliwack, her online format makes her a practical option for people across a much broader part of British Columbia. This may be especially helpful for Ukrainian-speaking clients who cannot find an appropriate counsellor close to home or who prefer the convenience and privacy of virtual sessions.

Kovalova is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a Master of Arts degree in counselling and rehabilitation work. In addition to her private counselling practice, she joined Chilliwack Hospice Society in November 2025 and currently serves as its Bereavement Services Manager. In that role, she supports individuals and families experiencing grief, loss, and major life transitions through one-to-one, family, and group support.

Her experience also includes work with professionals facing high-pressure careers. Her background includes corporate counselling focused on workplace stress, burnout, and professional transitions, while her broader counselling work covers concerns such as trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, relationships, and self-esteem.

Counselling Services

Kovalova uses a collaborative, trauma-informed and person-centred approach. Depending on the client’s needs, her counselling may incorporate methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, grief counselling, and other integrative approaches.

Her services may be relevant for people looking for:

• Ukrainian counselling between Vancouver and Chilliwack
• online Ukrainian counselling in British Columbia
• anxiety and depression counselling
• trauma and PTSD support
• burnout and workplace stress counselling
• grief and bereavement support
• relationship and couples counselling
• self-esteem support
• help with significant life transitions
• counselling for teens and adults

Her role at Chilliwack Hospice Society adds another important area of experience. The Society identifies Kovalova as its Bereavement Services Manager and notes that she works with people experiencing grief and loss through individual, family, and group support.

Chilliwack Hospice Society also lists her as part of its one-to-one grief-support program, which offers support in person, by telephone, and over Zoom.

What Clients and Other Professionals Say

We did not find enough independently verifiable written client reviews specifically identifying Yuliia Kovalova to responsibly paraphrase them as customer testimonials.

There is, however, substantial professional information supporting her experience. Her role with Chilliwack Hospice Society confirms her current work in bereavement support, while professional counselling profiles document her broader experience with trauma, stress, burnout, relationships, and emotional well-being.

For someone searching for Ukrainian counselling anywhere from Vancouver through the Fraser Valley to Chilliwack, her primarily online model can be particularly practical because the choice of counsellor does not depend on living close to a physical office.

2. Maksym Tkachenko — Ukrainian-Speaking Psychotherapist in Toronto

Therapist: Maksym Tkachenko, M.Ed., RP
Practice: Feel Your Way Therapy
Address: 455 Spadina Ave., Unit 202, Toronto, ON M5S 2G8
Session format: In-person and virtual
Languages: Ukrainian and Russian
Clients: Individuals and couples
Areas of focus: Anxiety, depression, grief, relationships, trauma, communication and life challenges

Overview

Maksym Tkachenko is a Registered Psychotherapist working with Feel Your Way Therapy in Toronto. He is listed as speaking Ukrainian and Russian and works with both individuals and couples.

He may be especially relevant to people searching for a Ukrainian-speaking therapist in Toronto who want help with emotional and relationship concerns. His listed areas include anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, communication difficulties, divorce, infidelity and relationship problems.

Feel Your Way Therapy provides in-person counselling at its downtown Toronto office as well as online therapy across Ontario.

Therapy Services

Tkachenko’s work includes individual and couples therapy. Emotionally Focused Therapy is an important part of his approach, alongside methods such as CBT, ACT, solution-focused work and other approaches depending on client needs.

He could therefore be particularly relevant to clients seeking:

• Ukrainian therapy in Toronto
• couples counselling
• relationship therapy
• anxiety counselling
• grief counselling
• trauma-related therapy
• online Ukrainian psychotherapy in Ontario

What Clients Say

There is significantly more public feedback available for Tkachenko and the Toronto practice than for some of the other providers on this list.

Public patient-rating directories show strong feedback for Tkachenko, while reviews of Feel Your Way Therapy frequently mention a comfortable environment, helpful administrative staff, straightforward booking, and therapists who help clients better understand their emotions and work through difficult experiences.

Clinic-wide comments should not automatically be treated as reviews of Tkachenko personally, but they provide useful context about the practice where he works.

3. Petro Palykhata — Ukrainian-Speaking Psychologist in Edmonton

Psychologist: Petro Palykhata, MA, RPsych
Practice: Palykhata Psychology Solutions Inc.
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Session format: In-person and online
Languages: Ukrainian, English, Russian
Clients: Teens, adults, seniors, couples and families
Areas of focus: Anxiety, mood concerns, trauma, PTSD, relationships, family conflict and psychological assessments

Overview

Petro Palykhata is a Registered Psychologist serving Edmonton and Alberta clients. His professional profile lists more than 20 years of therapy experience and extensive experience providing psychological assessments. He was born in Ukraine and offers services in Ukrainian, English, and Russian.

That combination may make him a practical option for Ukrainians in Edmonton who want both Ukrainian-language communication and access to a psychologist who works with a broad range of concerns.

He provides in-person therapy in Edmonton as well as online services for eligible Alberta clients.

Psychology and Counselling Services

Palykhata works with individuals, couples, and families. His areas of practice include anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, grief, family conflict, parenting concerns, relationship problems, anger management and other mental-health concerns.

His practice uses several therapeutic approaches, including:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
• Emotionally Focused Therapy
• attachment-based therapy
• solution-focused therapy
• trauma-focused approaches

Psychological assessments are also available for selected concerns.

This makes his practice worth exploring for someone searching for a Ukrainian-speaking psychologist in Edmonton rather than counselling alone.

What Clients Say

We did not locate enough reliable public written client reviews to summarize individual patient experiences without risking misattribution.

However, his professional profiles clearly identify his Alberta registration, Ukrainian-language services, experience, client groups and therapeutic approaches.

Before booking, potential clients may want to ask which type of appointment is most appropriate for their concern and whether their extended-health plan covers services from a Registered Psychologist.

4. Yana Bilyk — Ukrainian-Speaking Therapist in Calgary

Therapist: Yana Bilyk, MSW, RSW
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Session format: In-person and online
Languages: Ukrainian and English
Clients: Adults and young adults
Areas of focus: Trauma, cultural adjustment, life transitions, anxiety, depression, burnout, grief and self-esteem

Overview

Yana Bilyk is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Clinical Social Work from the University of Calgary. She provides therapy in Ukrainian and English and offers both online counselling and in-person appointments in Calgary.

Her practice is especially relevant to adults and young adults experiencing major transitions, trauma, stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, grief, self-esteem concerns, or cultural adjustment.

The cultural-adjustment component may be particularly useful to some Ukrainian newcomers or immigrants who are adapting to life in Calgary or elsewhere in Alberta. However, clients should still discuss their specific circumstances during an initial consultation rather than assuming that language alone means a therapist specializes in every immigration-related concern.

Therapy Services

Bilyk lists training in several therapeutic approaches, including:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
• Internal Family Systems
• Accelerated Resolution Therapy

Her practice is centred on individual therapy for adults and follows a collaborative, client-centred approach.

She may therefore be worth considering for people searching for Ukrainian therapy in Calgary focused on trauma, anxiety, stressful transitions, burnout, grief, or cultural adjustment.

What Clients and Professionals Say

We did not find sufficient independently published client-review text to paraphrase as customer testimonials.

There is, however, professional feedback available describing Bilyk’s caring manner and knowledge of trauma and cultural adjustment.

These are professional endorsements rather than patient reviews, so they should be considered alongside a consultation and the therapist’s qualifications rather than used as evidence of individual treatment outcomes.

Why Choose a Ukrainian-Speaking Therapist?

Therapy can involve describing feelings that are difficult to put into words even in your first language. Having to translate those thoughts at the same time can add another layer of effort.

A Ukrainian-speaking therapist may make it easier to discuss:

• family relationships
• grief and loss
• cultural identity
• stress related to moving to Canada
• major life transitions
• homesickness and isolation
• relationship concerns
• work stress and burnout
• difficult memories
• anxiety and emotional overwhelm

There can also be cultural details, expressions, humour, family expectations, and shared references that are easier to communicate in Ukrainian.

That does not mean a Ukrainian-speaking counsellor is automatically the right therapist for every Ukrainian client. Professional qualifications, area of expertise, communication style, availability, and personal comfort still matter.

Online vs. In-Person Ukrainian Counselling in Canada

Finding Ukrainian-speaking counselling locally can be difficult if you live outside a major Canadian city. Online counselling can significantly expand the number of professionals you can consider.

Virtual therapy may be useful if you:

• live outside a major urban centre;
• have limited Ukrainian-language therapy options nearby;
• prefer appointments from home;
• have transportation or scheduling limitations;
• care more about finding the right language and specialty than having a therapist nearby.

For example, a counsellor based in the Fraser Valley may still be accessible to eligible clients in Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and surrounding BC communities when services are delivered virtually.

In-person counselling may be preferable if you value face-to-face interaction or want a clear physical separation between therapy and your home environment.

One important consideration is location. Online therapy does not necessarily mean a therapist can serve someone anywhere in Canada. Professional rules can depend on both the therapist’s registration and where the client is physically located during the appointment.

Always confirm that a provider can legally and professionally work with clients in your province before booking virtual Ukrainian counselling.

How to Choose a Ukrainian-Speaking Counsellor or Therapist

Finding someone who speaks Ukrainian is only the beginning. Before booking, consider these questions.

1. Can the Full Session Be Conducted in Ukrainian?

Some professionals list Ukrainian as a language but may have different levels of fluency. If you specifically want therapy entirely in Ukrainian, ask before your first appointment.

2. Do They Work With Your Main Concern?

Someone specializing in couples counselling may not be the right choice for psychological assessments, while a therapist focused primarily on trauma may not be the best match for another concern.

Review the provider’s areas of practice and ask directly if necessary.

3. What Credentials Do They Have?

Canada has several different mental-health designations, and regulation differs by province. You may encounter Registered Clinical Counsellors, Registered Psychotherapists, Registered Psychologists, Registered Social Workers and other professionals.

Check what the designation means in your province and whether it matches your needs.

4. Are Sessions Available Online or In Person?

If you prefer in-person Ukrainian counselling, confirm the actual office location. If you prefer virtual appointments, check whether the therapist can work with clients where you live.

5. Does Your Insurance Cover the Service?

Benefits plans vary. Coverage may depend on whether your provider is a psychologist, social worker, psychotherapist, clinical counsellor or another type of professional.

Ask your insurance company what credentials are covered under your individual plan.

6. Does the Therapist Feel Like the Right Fit?

Credentials matter, but so does your comfort level.

If a therapist offers a short initial consultation, use it to ask questions and see whether you feel comfortable communicating with them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ukrainian-Speaking Therapy in Canada

How can I find a Ukrainian-speaking counsellor in Canada?

Start with professional counselling and psychology directories and filter providers by language and location. You can also search specifically for a Ukrainian-speaking counsellor in your city or province. Before booking, verify the provider’s credentials, Ukrainian-language availability, appointment format and areas of practice.

Can I find a Ukrainian-speaking therapist in Vancouver or British Columbia?

Yes. Ukrainian-speaking counselling professionals serve clients throughout British Columbia. Because many counsellors now work online, you do not necessarily need to find someone physically located in Vancouver. A provider based farther east in the Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley may still be able to work virtually with eligible clients from Vancouver through Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack.

Are there Ukrainian-speaking therapists in Toronto?

Yes. Toronto has Ukrainian-speaking psychotherapists, including professionals offering both in-person therapy and virtual counselling across Ontario.

Can I find a Ukrainian therapist in Calgary or Edmonton?

Yes. Both Calgary and Edmonton have Ukrainian-speaking mental-health professionals. Options include psychologists, Registered Social Workers, psychotherapists and other counselling professionals providing in-person and online services.

Can I see a Ukrainian-speaking therapist online?

Often, yes. Several professionals on this list provide online Ukrainian therapy. However, you should confirm that the provider is permitted to work with clients physically located in your province.

Can a Ukrainian-speaking therapist help newcomers to Canada?

Some therapists work with concerns such as cultural adjustment, immigration-related stress, grief, identity, life transitions, relationships, anxiety and trauma. Ukrainian language and cultural understanding may make these conversations easier for some newcomers.

However, not every Ukrainian-speaking therapist specializes in immigration, refugee experiences, or war-related trauma, so ask about their experience before booking if those concerns are important to you.

Is Ukrainian-language counselling covered by insurance in Canada?

The language used during a session normally is not what determines insurance eligibility. Coverage usually depends on your benefits plan and the therapist’s professional designation.

For example, your plan may cover psychologists or Registered Social Workers but not every type of counsellor. Confirm coverage directly with your insurer before your first appointment.

What should I ask a Ukrainian-speaking therapist during a consultation?

Consider asking:

• Can our sessions be entirely in Ukrainian?
• Do you regularly work with my main concern?
• Are you accepting new clients?
• Do you offer in-person, virtual, or both types of appointments?
• Can you see clients in my province?
• What are your fees?
• Do you provide receipts for insurance?
• What therapeutic approaches do you normally use?
• How long are appointments?

Finding the Right Ukrainian Counselling Support in Canada

Having more Ukrainian-speaking therapists in Canada gives clients greater choice, whether they are seeking counselling in British Columbia, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, or through virtual appointments.

Yuliia Kovalova, Maksym Tkachenko, Petro Palykhata and Yana Bilyk each bring different credentials, approaches, locations, and areas of focus. Use this list as a starting point, then verify current availability and speak with the provider before deciding whether they are the right fit for you.

The most important choice is not simply finding someone who speaks Ukrainian. It is finding a qualified professional whose language, expertise, communication style, and approach make it easier for you to discuss what matters.