How to Find a Therapist in Ottawa

Therapy is hard work. Finding the right therapist shouldn’t be. At First Session, we believe the fit between you and your therapist is the most important factor for a positive therapy experience and improved mental health.

Here’s how to find a therapist in Ottawa and make sure they’re the right fit for you and your mental health goals.

What to Consider When Looking for a Therapist in Ottawa

• Ottawa is Canada’s fourth-largest municipal district — and it is served by over 2,000 registered therapists (sometimes called counsellors)

• Ottawa is diverse — with a substantial immigrant population, Ottawa has a greater need overall for therapists with diverse backgrounds and perspectives

• Ottawa is the political centre of Canada — and with over 20% of the city’s labour force working in Public Administration, many residents have high-stress, high-stakes careers 

• Ottawa’s cost of living is rising — which could have a negative effect on residents’ mental health, according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada 

• Ottawa is bilingual — and with more than one third of residents fluent in both English and French, it’s important to find a therapist who speaks your preferred language

Communities in Ottawa

When seeking therapy in Ottawa, you may be able to narrow down your search by looking for a counsellor within your community.

The Old City of Ottawa includes Central Ottawa, the East end, the South end, and the West end. 

The suburbs consist of Nepean, Kanata, Gloucester, Rockcliffe Park, Vanier, and Cumberland.

Public Mental Health Services in Ontario

Typically, publicly-funded mental health care in Canada serves people in an acute mental crisis or with complex diagnoses. 

You may have to wait months or even years before being seen by a publicly-funded therapist, with little to no choice in therapist or schedule and a limited number of sessions.

Sessions with private-practice therapists are not covered by OHIP, they are often covered in extended health plans through your employment.

Skip to the end of this article to learn about publicly funded mental health services and resources in Ottawa and Ontario.

Three Stages of Seeking Therapy in Ontario

Everyone is at a different point in their therapy journey. We should know: We’ve helped over 10,000 Canadians connect with the right therapists. Every individual has their own needs and questions. 

But we’ve noticed that most people looking for therapists are at one of three stages in their journey:

• ‍Stage 1: You know you want to see a therapist, but you’re unsure what kind of therapy or therapist you’re looking for‍

• Stage 2: You know what type of therapy or therapist you’re looking for—you just need help finding it

• Stage 3: You’ve found a potential therapist and you’re ready to take the next step

Here’s what you need to know at each stage.

Stage 1: You Want to Find a Therapist but You’re Not Sure What You’re Looking For 

Why do you want to see a therapist?

First things first: What made you interested in seeing a therapist?

More specifically, do you have a particular issue or concern? Some people seek therapy because they want to improve their emotional regulation skills, or reduce the frequency of panic attacks. Others seek help improving a particular relationship.

You don’t need to have a specific goal in mind when you seek therapy, but consider what you’re hoping to get out of it. That will make beginning your search—and, later, consulting with individual therapists—more straightforward.

Why is “right fit” so important?

Your connection with your therapist is the number one factor affecting your success in therapy.

Decades of research have shown that finding the right therapist for your needs improves the likelihood of therapeutic success. That applies across different modalities, mental health diagnoses, and therapeutic settings(1).

- First Session therapy client

When you and your therapist have established a meaningful human connection, you can be vulnerable, feel heard, and trust the process.

Therapist traits

Some individual traits may be important to you when you consider what makes a good therapist for you. Some may not.

Consider:

• Age: Would you prefer an Ottawa therapist your own age, or someone older with more lived experience? 

• Gender: You may feel more comfortable working with a therapist of a particular gender (or agender)

• Lived experiences: Every therapist on First Session has the opportunity to include lived experience on their profiles. While all therapists receive training, you may benefit from speaking with someone who has experienced similar challenges and overcame them.

• Cultural background: Depending on your own experience, you may prefer to work with an Ottawa therapist who has a cultural background similar to your own.

• Online presence: You may choose to seek a therapist with a detailed profile, updated website, and active social media. It’s against ethical guidelines for therapists to provide testimonials and reviews, but their online presence can give you a better idea of what their practice is like. 

• Language: Given Ottawa’s large bilingual population, it’s important to find a therapist who speaks your preferred language. First Session allows you to filter search results for therapists who speak either French or English.

Specializations

Therapists may choose to specialize in:

• specific diagnoses (e.g. borderline personality disorder, PTSD, autism, OCD)
• client concerns (low self-esteem, sleep issues, grief, work or professional challenges)
• client demographics (such as BIPOC, couples, children, caregivers)

If you don’t have a specific concern, you can work with a therapist with a broader client base. 

Often, First Session clients start therapy with a broad scope, and over time identify more specific areas they’d like to focus on.

However, some conditions require more support from the therapist to navigate or have specific treatment methods, including: trauma/PTSD, eating disorders, and gender and sexual identity. 

Modalities

A therapy modality is a specific method or approach used by therapists to help people deal with mental, emotional, or physical issues. It’s a tool tailored to help individuals heal or improve their well-being in a way that works best for them.

What are the most common modalities?

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
• Somatic Therapies
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Eye Motion Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Psychedelic Therapy

Even as you consider different modalities, keep this in mind: Evidence shows that therapist-client fit affects therapy outcomes more than the specific modalities used(2). 

Objective criteria

Cost and payment

The cost of seeing a therapist in Canada varies widely.

But therapists in Ottawa charge anywhere from $120 – $295+ per session. Most sessions last 50 or 60 minutes. 

Therapists in Ottawa set their prices based on a number of factors, including their level of education, specialization(s), and overhead costs. 

What constitutes affordable therapy for you will depend on your expendable income, as well as how much you are willing to invest in therapy. 

It’s easier to find affordable therapy when you have coverage. Many workplace and student health benefits cover therapy services, but most restrict which therapist designations qualify. Check out your policy details to see which designations and credentials qualify for reimbursement. Examples include “social worker”, “MSW”, “psychologist”, etc.
For more help with determining your insurance coverage see our full guide: How to Find a Therapist Covered by Insurance in Canada

Licence or designation of therapist

Different provinces have different licenses and designations for therapists. Extended health insurance typically only covers therapists with certain designations, so it’s important to make sure your insurance covers therapists with the designations most common in your province.

In Ontario, the most comment designations for therapists are:

• Registered Psychotherapist (RP). Members are regulated by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).
• Registered Social Worker (RSW). Members belong to the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). 
• Psychologists. These professionals hold advanced degrees in psychotherapy, and most belong to the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA). 
• Psychiatrists. These professionals are medical doctors, and some offer psychotherapy along with prescribing medication—you need a doctor’s referral to see a Psychiatrist. Most belong to the Ontario Psychiatric Association (OPA).

In-person vs virtual therapy

In-person therapy is the traditional format for psychotherapy in Ottawa.

Many people who see therapists find that having a separate physical space for therapy helps them to create their own separate mental and emotional space. Also, certain aspects of therapy—like the therapist’s body language—are better experienced in person rather than 

on screen.

That being said, you may find it difficult to fit trips to a therapist’s office into your schedule. Or you may discover that the therapist you most strongly connect with has their office far away from where you live.

Virtual therapy has gained popularity in recent years, partly due to the effects of the pandemic. It opens up more options in terms of which therapists you can see. And you may find it more comfortable to do a session of therapy in your own home than in someone else’s office.

Most First Session therapists are licensed to serve clients across Canada.

Even if you don’t need to commute to your therapy sessions, schedule time to yourself before and after the session, so you can prepare in advance and process your thoughts and feelings when the session is over.

Therapist availability

Here are some questions to consider when reviewing a potential therapist's availability:

• Are they available in the time window you’re looking for? (mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends)
• Do you want to meet at the same day and time for each session or do you need flexibility?
• Do they require you to book weeks in advance or can you take it one week at a time?
• Do they offer appointments on short notice? 

For in-person psychotherapy in Ottawa, you should also take into account commuting time and how it will affect your personal schedule.

Stage 2: You Know What You’re Looking For, You Just Need  to Find It

Some people are at the stage where they already know what they’re looking for in a therapist. The trick now is to narrow down the search.

Googling “therapist Ottawa,” “therapy Ottawa” “Ottawa therapists,” or “therapist near me” will turn up thousands of results. And those results are ranked according to the statistics of each page—not according to whether they’re the right therapist for you.

At this point, many people turn to PsychologyToday. But PsychologyToday lists over 2,000 therapists in Ottawa alone. Where do you even start?

Our goal at First Session is to connect Canadians with the right therapist the first time. Our directory of qualified therapists has been curated to make it easier for you to find the right fit. Explore therapist profiles and get started by booking your first session today. 

How to assess a therapist’s profile page

Here are some things to keep in mind as you browse therapists on First Session:

Images and video 

A picture is worth a thousand words. Most people aren’t comfortable contacting a potential therapist if they don’t know what they look like. Besides photos, First Session includes a video as part of each therapist profile. That gives you an even better sense of what to expect during an actual session. 

Note your gut reaction to exploring these videos—that is, your connection not only to what a potential therapist says, but how they say it. 

Keywords and phrases 

These words and phrases give a rough indication of a therapist’s approach to treatment. Some examples:

• “Spirituality”
• “Those seeking growth and transformation”
• “Self-compassion”
• “Mind-body connection”

Some keywords may inspire you and help you better articulate what you’re looking for. Others may not. Keep an open mind, but also be realistic about your own goals and attitude.

You may also find that the language a particular therapist uses speaks to your own experience. For instance, if a particular therapist’s description of how it feels to suffer from clinical depression speaks to your own experience, that could be a sign they would be a good match.

Objective criteria

This includes availability, cost, designations required for health benefits, and location.

Vetting

Depending on which directory you’re using to learn more about a particular therapist, that therapist may or may not have been vetted. 

Vetting includes making sure therapists meet certain qualifications in terms of availability, response times, transparent pricing, and policies of diversity and inclusion. Research a therapist directory’s vetting process before using it to make a decision.

(Heads up: Every First Session therapist is thoroughly vetted.)

Take advantage of free consultations

A free consultations gives you the chance to test your personal fit with a therapist over a short, no-commitment conversation. You can also ask any questions not answered by a therapist’s profile page.

Word of advice: Don’t get bogged down with consultation calls. When interviewing potential therapists, only schedule one to three at a time, and make sure they’re spread over one week or more. Any more than that tends to lead to decision paralysis.

Finally, you don’t need to book a consultation before seeing a therapist. If you’re confident, based on what you’ve learned about them, that a therapist would be a good fit for you, you’re free to go ahead and book your first official session.

Stage 3: You’ve found a potential therapist and you’re ready for the next step

If you’re reached this stage, you’ve already identified the therapist that’s right for you, and you’re ready to start your journey.

Some tips to help you take the next step:

• If you find yourself really struggling to choose between more than one therapist, then whichever one you choose is going to be a good choice—so go ahead and book that first session

• There’s no such thing as therapist soulmates. If you’re always waiting for that one perfect therapist to come along, you’ll end up waiting forever. Statistically speaking, there are many therapists that would make a great fit. 

• If you’re having trouble making a decision, consider: Are you unsure about a particular therapist, or are you unsure about your ability to make the right choice?

• If you struggle to listen to your intuition or trust your own judgment—issues therapy can address—then the decision to schedule the first session with a therapist that feels right for you counts as progress.

Even before they’re met with a therapist, people usually feel better after booking their first therapy session. Taking concrete steps to address your mental health is empowering, and starts to build inertia that will help carry you along your therapy journey.

How can I tell if therapy is working?

First things first: Therapy offers you the rare opportunity to work towards something without worry about performance or achievement.

That something could be concrete mental health goals, or the general aim of improving your wellbeing. But an achievement-oriented mindset is more likely to hinder your progress than help it. And it may even feed into issues you’re trying to address—eg. a sense of inadequacy, or obsessive compulsive behaviour.

So, you don’t need to track your progress with an Excel spreadsheet in order to tell if therapy is working. But here’s what you can do:

• Journal. Keeping a journal of the insights and challenges you meet in your sessions creates a time capsule you can review later. Reading through entries that range over months or even years can give you a sense of how your outlook has changed with the help of therapy.

• Talking to loved ones. As you continue along your journey, your partner, your family, or your closest friends are likely to notice positive changes in your behaviour. Ask them what they notice. You may find you’re surprised at how far you’ve come.

Ready for the next step? Browse our directory to find the right therapist for you.

References:

1. Horvath A. O., Luborsky L. (1993). The role of the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 61, 561–573

2. Horvath A. O., Symonds B. D. (1991). Relation between working alliance and outcome in psychotherapy: a meta-analysis. J. Couns. Psychol. 38, 139–149

Publicly-funded and community mental health resources in Ottawa:

• The Ottawa Mental Health Crisis Line provides immediate support for Ottawa residents facing mental health crises.
• CMHA Ottawa, the Ottawa branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), provides support and resources for people of all ages.  
• Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health Services and Resources - Ottawa Public Health provides a comprehensive list of resources for a wide range of mental health challenges.
• The Walk-In Counselling Clinic provides free single-session counselling on a walk-in basis at numerous locations across the city.  

Ontario-wide:

The government of Ontario lists a range of mental health resources available to residents:

• Find mental health and addiction services in your community | ontario.ca 

Major province-wide programs include:

• BounceBack Ontario is a free, guided self-help program for people aged 15 and up who are experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression
• ConnexOntario offers free and confidential information and resources to people experiencing problems with alcohol and drugs, mental health and/or gaming and is available 24/7.
  Call: 1-866 -531-2600 or www.connexontario.ca 
• AbilitiCBT is an internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) program that is free to anyone in Ontario and can be accessed from any device, any time. 
• Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program offers free, publicly-funded, short-term cognitive behavioural therapy to adults (a8 years and older) dealing with depression and anxiety.

211 Ontario is a helpline that easily connects people to the social services, programs and community support they need.