Generalized Anxiety Therapy
For the worry that never quite switches off. Generalized anxiety therapy in Ottawa, in person or online.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationFor the worry that never quite switches off. Generalized anxiety therapy in Ottawa, in person or online.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationEvery clinician is registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).
We want therapy to be financially accessible for everyone. Reduced rates are available case-by-case based on need and availability.
We submit directly to most major insurers, so you don't pay out of pocket upfront.
Our office is in Ottawa. All client records are stored in Canada and handled under PIPEDA and PHIPA.
Therapy is a space to slow down and look at what's underneath. These are some of the patterns people bring into the room.
FOR WHEN SOMETHING FEELS OFF
You resolve one concern and find another waiting. Good news doesn't bring relief, it brings the awareness of what could still go wrong. You've been told you're a "worrier," but it doesn't feel like a choice. It feels like a setting you can't turn off.
Muscle tension. Headaches. A stomach that feels unsettled most of the time. Fatigue that sleep doesn't fix. Generalized anxiety has a significant physical dimension, your body is living in a state of low-level alertness that adds up over time.
When your mind is perpetually ahead of where you are, planning for things that haven't happened, rehearsing conversations, preparing for worst cases, it's hard to actually be in the moment you're in. Many people with generalized anxiety describe a sense of never quite arriving in their own life.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is one of the most common presentations we work with, and one of the most responsive to therapy. The patterns that drive it, catastrophic thinking, intolerance of uncertainty, habitual worry, are learnable and changeable.
We may draw on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). CBT helps you examine the thought patterns that feed anxiety and develop more grounded, realistic responses. ACT complements this by helping you build a different relationship with worry itself, learning to observe it without being controlled by it, and to act based on what matters to you regardless of whether anxiety is present.
Sessions are practical. You'll develop tools you can use outside the therapy room, techniques for interrupting worry spirals, building tolerance for uncertainty, and grounding yourself in the present.
Because GAD involves broad worry across many areas, it often overlaps with more specific forms of anxiety. If health concerns are a primary worry, our health anxiety therapy page goes into that in more detail.
Email, phone, or fill out our booking form. There's no script and no pressure. You can share as much or as little as you want.
A real person, not a bot, will reply as soon as we can with a few options for a free 15-minute consultation.
We listen. You ask questions. No paperwork, no obligation. If we're not the right match, we'll point you toward someone who might be.
Direct billing where possible. Evening and weekend availability. Virtual or in-person in Ottawa.
Sessions are 50 minutes in length. Rates vary by therapist and are confirmed during your free consultation. We accept e-transfer and credit cards, and direct-bill most insurers.
Sliding-scale spots are available based on need. Ask during your free consultation.
Same 50-minute format, structured for two participants and shared concerns.
Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Social Worker services are covered by most extended health plans in Canada. We recommend confirming your specific coverage before your first paid session. Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield, and most major insurers include coverage.
We direct-bill where your insurer allows it. Otherwise, you pay at the time of session and submit the receipt for reimbursement.
Every session generates a receipt listing the provider's license number, suitable for insurance reimbursement.
In-person sessions are held at our Ottawa office. Virtual sessions use a secure, PIPEDA-compliant video platform. You can switch between the two.
We ask for 24 hours notice on cancellations. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged the full session fee.
After the free 15-minute consultation, your first paid session is intake-focused. Bring questions, anything you have already tried, and any goals you have in mind.
QUESTIONS
Cognitive behavioural therapy is the most studied approach for generalized anxiety disorder and is often considered a first-line option. Methods like mindfulness-based and acceptance-based therapy can also help with persistent worry. There is no single best fit for everyone, so GAD therapy at Auren Wellness in Ottawa is tailored to how your worry shows up and what you want to change.
Therapy for generalized anxiety disorder in Ottawa generally costs around $150 to $225 per session with a Registered Psychotherapist or Social Worker. Many extended health plans reimburse a portion, and sliding-scale spots may be available. Auren Wellness offers direct billing to many insurers, and you can book a free 15-minute consult to ask about fees before committing.
GAD therapy with an RP or RSW is usually not covered by OHIP but is often reimbursed through extended health benefits. Coverage varies by plan, so check your policy for psychotherapy, psychology, or social work benefits and any annual maximums. Auren Wellness in Ottawa offers direct billing to many insurers, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs at the time of your session.
Structured GAD therapy often runs roughly 12 to 20 sessions, though the timeline depends on how long worry has been present and your personal goals. Some people notice gradual relief earlier, while others benefit from a longer course. Your Auren Wellness therapist in Ottawa will review progress with you regularly and adjust the plan rather than committing to a set number upfront.
GAD is considered highly treatable, and many people find their symptoms become much more manageable with therapy. Rather than framing it as a cure, the goal of GAD therapy is to reduce excessive worry, ease physical tension, and build coping skills you can rely on long term. Outcomes vary, so an Auren Wellness clinician in Ottawa works with you toward realistic, meaningful goals.
Everyday worry tends to be tied to a specific situation and eases once it passes. With generalized anxiety disorder, the worry is excessive, hard to control, spans many areas of life, and persists for months, often with symptoms like restlessness, fatigue, and trouble sleeping. If you are unsure where you fall, a GAD-focused therapist at Auren Wellness in Ottawa can help you sort it out.
Virtual GAD therapy can be a comparable option to in-person care for many people, and it lets you attend from a familiar setting anywhere in Ontario. Auren Wellness offers secure online sessions as well as in-person appointments in Ottawa. The best choice often depends on your routine, privacy at home, and personal preference.
CBT for generalized anxiety disorder often includes identifying and challenging worry-driven thoughts, learning relaxation and grounding skills, gradually facing avoided situations, and building problem-solving strategies. The aim is to give you tools you can apply between sessions. At Auren Wellness in Ottawa, these techniques are adapted to your specific worries rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all script.
GAD often involves more than worry. Common physical symptoms include muscle tension, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and disrupted sleep. These can affect your body and daily functioning even when there is no clear threat. GAD therapy at Auren Wellness in Ottawa addresses both the worry and these physical effects so you can feel steadier day to day.
It may be time to seek GAD therapy when worry feels uncontrollable, lasts for months, or interferes with sleep, focus, work, or relationships. Reaching out early can keep symptoms from building. If you ever feel unsafe or overwhelmed to the point of crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger. Otherwise, an Auren Wellness therapist in Ottawa can help you take the next step.
Therapy is a longer-term relationship. If you're in acute distress, please reach the services below first. They are free, confidential, and available right now.
