PTSD Therapy in Ottawa
Evidence-based PTSD therapy in Ottawa. In person and online.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationEvidence-based PTSD therapy in Ottawa. In person and online.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationEvery clinician is registered with a regulatory college — the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), or the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).
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
Intrusive memories, flashbacks, nightmares. For many people, the event isn't just a memory — it can arrive as an experience, with the same intensity as when it first happened, regardless of how much time has passed.
Certain places, people, conversations, news stories, even smells or sounds. Avoidance can offer some relief, but for many people it ends up taking up more and more of daily life as the list of things to avoid grows.
Constantly scanning for danger. Startling easily. Trouble sleeping. Irritability that can seem out of proportion. For some, the nervous system keeps treating the world as though the threat is ongoing, even after it's over.
PTSD therapy at Auren Wellness is structured, evidence-based, and paced carefully to your nervous system. We aim not to move toward the hardest material until you have the tools to manage what comes up. We may draw on Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), a structured, PTSD-specific approach recommended in major clinical guidelines that helps you examine and shift the beliefs trauma can leave behind — about safety, trust, control, and self-blame. CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) offers tools for identifying and changing the thought and behaviour patterns that keep PTSD symptoms active. ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) focuses on building psychological flexibility — making room for difficult thoughts and feelings without letting them take over, so you can keep moving toward what matters to you. We also draw on somatic approaches, which work with the physical dimension of PTSD — the body sensations, the startle response, the chronic tension — alongside this cognitive and narrative work. For many people with PTSD, the body is where the work most needs to happen. For clients whose PTSD is rooted in ongoing relational or developmental experiences rather than a single event, see our page on complex trauma therapy in Ottawa.
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
Trauma-focused approaches, including trauma-focused cognitive and somatic therapies, are among the most researched treatments for PTSD and are recommended by major clinical guidelines. The right fit depends on your history and nervous system, which we figure out together.
PTSD can show up as intrusive memories or flashbacks, avoidance of reminders, feeling constantly on guard, and shifts in mood after a frightening or overwhelming event. Only an assessment can confirm it, but if these patterns are disrupting your life, it's worth talking to someone.
PTSD symptoms generally cluster into four groups: intrusion (flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories), avoidance of reminders, negative changes in mood and thinking, and heightened arousal like hypervigilance or being easily startled.
Single-incident PTSD often responds faster than PTSD rooted in prolonged or repeated experiences. Some people notice significant change within twelve to twenty sessions; others need longer. We'll give you a realistic sense once we understand what you're carrying.
Many people experience substantial, lasting relief from PTSD with effective treatment, to the point that symptoms no longer interfere with daily life. We avoid promising a cure, but processing trauma can genuinely change how those memories affect you.
Sessions are 50 minutes with rates that vary by therapist, confirmed at your free consultation. Sliding-scale spots are available case-by-case. We'll be clear about fees before you commit.
OHIP generally doesn't cover psychotherapy with Registered Psychotherapists or Social Workers, though many extended health plans do. Check your plan for RP or RSW coverage. Auren direct-bills many insurers and provides receipts.
For most people, yes. Online trauma therapy can be delivered effectively over a secure video platform. We offer both in-person sessions in Ottawa and virtual sessions across Ontario, and we'll talk through what suits you.
PTSD often follows a specific event or series of events, while complex PTSD develops from prolonged or repeated trauma, frequently in childhood or close relationships. Complex PTSD usually adds difficulties with emotional regulation, self-worth, and relationships.
Yes. Trauma responses can persist even when memories are fragmented, absent, or from very early life. Several approaches, including somatic work, don't require a complete, detailed recollection to help.
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.
