Walk and talk therapy in Ajax, Pickering & Durham Region
A walk and talk session is a regular psychotherapy session with Alicia Panchal, MSW RSW, held outdoors on a quiet trail instead of in an office. Sessions are 50 minutes and fully confidential. If your insurance plan covers therapy, you can claim a walk and talk session just like a regular appointment.
Many people find it easier to talk while walking side by side, and the movement and fresh air can help you feel more settled during a session.
What changes when you walk
Easier to open up
Walking side by side removes the face-to-face intensity that some people find difficult, especially when talking about hard things.
Movement settles you
A steady walking rhythm gives an anxious or overwhelmed nervous system something to do, which makes it easier to stay present while working through heavy material.
A gentler first step
If therapy has always felt too clinical to try, a walk is a more natural place to start. It is still real psychotherapy, it just doesn't feel like an appointment.
Want the longer version first? Read what walk and talk therapy actually looks like, or see all of the ways to work with Alicia.
Walk and talk therapy questions
Walk and talk therapy is a regular psychotherapy session held outdoors, walking side by side with your therapist instead of sitting across from each other in an office. The conversation, the confidentiality and the therapeutic work are the same as any other session — only the setting changes.
A walk and talk session is a psychotherapy session held outdoors, so if your plan covers services from a Registered Social Worker it may be reimbursed the same way as an office or virtual appointment. Every plan is different, so confirm your coverage with your provider. You'll receive a receipt after every session with everything needed to submit a claim.
Sessions are $170 for 50 minutes, the same as any individual therapy session. There is no extra charge for meeting outdoors.
Outdoors in Ajax, Pickering and Port Union, on quiet trails and waterfront paths chosen for privacy. Alicia will confirm the meeting point with you before your first session.
Your session simply moves to a virtual or phone format for that week. Nothing is lost and nothing needs rescheduling.
Privacy is part of how routes are chosen — quiet paths at quiet times, walking side by side rather than sitting still. Alicia will never acknowledge you as a client if you pass someone you know, and the same professional confidentiality standards apply as in any session.
No. The pace is conversational and entirely yours to set, and stopping to sit on a bench is a normal part of a session. This isn't exercise — it's therapy that happens to be moving.
Yes, if you're within reach of Ajax, Pickering or Port Union. Some clients alternate: virtual sessions most weeks, outdoors when the weather is good. Mention it in your discovery call and Alicia will work it out with you.
Book a walk and talk session
Start with a free 15-minute discovery call — no pressure, just a conversation about whether walking sessions are a good fit for you. Outdoor sessions run in Ajax, Pickering and Port Union, weather permitting.
Outdoor sessions across Durham Region
Walk and talk sessions are held on trails and waterfront paths in Ajax, Pickering and Port Union, which puts them within easy reach of Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa and the rest of Durham Region. If you're further afield, therapy is still available virtually and by phone anywhere in Ontario — the FAQs cover cost, coverage and what to expect.