Trauma Therapy in Ottawa
Paced, compassionate trauma therapy in Ottawa — in person and online.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationPaced, compassionate trauma therapy in Ottawa — in person and 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're not always sure when it's going to happen. A sound, a smell, a moment in conversation that suddenly pulls you somewhere else. The past feels less like memory and more like something that keeps arriving uninvited.
You can't fully relax. There's a low-level vigilance that doesn't turn off — scanning, watching, waiting for something to go wrong. It's exhausting. And it makes it hard to be present in your own life.
You feel flooded — heart racing, mind blank, body tense — before you even know what triggered it. Or you go completely numb and detached. The reaction doesn't match what's happening right now, but you can't seem to stop it.
You don't need a dramatic or life-threatening story for trauma therapy to be for you. Everyday, relational experiences can leave a real and lasting mark — not being comforted when you needed it, the reassurance or the hug that never came, feeling unseen for a long time, or a quiet moment that taught you the world wasn't safe. What matters isn't how big it would look to someone else; it's how it has stayed with you.
Trauma therapy at Auren Wellness is paced, collaborative, and grounded in your safety. We don't push people toward their most difficult material before they're ready. The first work is always building enough stability that deeper processing can happen without overwhelming you. We may draw on several approaches depending on what you're working with and what fits your nervous system. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is among the most researched trauma treatments available and works by helping the brain process stuck memories in a way that reduces their emotional charge. Somatic and body-based approaches recognize that trauma is stored in the body, not just in narrative memory, and work with physical sensation and nervous system regulation alongside talk therapy. Attachment-based and relational approaches are used when trauma is primarily relational in nature — when it happened in the context of relationships, and when relationships are where its impact is most felt. Healing from trauma is not linear. It has phases, and sometimes it means going slowly before you can go anywhere. We respect that, and we build the work around where you actually are.
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.
Everyone's experience is different. Explore the focus that fits what you're navigating, or book a free consult and we'll help you find the right starting point.
Book a free consultationQUESTIONS
Trauma therapy is psychotherapy focused on the lasting impact of overwhelming or frightening experiences. It works by helping your nervous system feel safe enough to process what happened, so memories and triggers lose their grip on the present. At Auren Wellness we pace the work to you, building stability first and drawing on approaches like EMDR, somatic, and attachment-based therapy.
There's no threshold you have to meet. If a past experience still affects how you feel, sleep, relate to people, or move through your day, that's reason enough to talk to someone. Trauma is defined by its impact on you, not by how big the event was.
No. Several trauma approaches, including EMDR and somatic work, don't require a detailed verbal account of what happened. We go at your pace and only move toward harder material when you feel ready and it's clinically appropriate.
Common evidence-based approaches include EMDR, somatic and body-based therapy, and attachment-based or relational work, often alongside talk therapy. Auren therapists draw on several depending on what fits your nervous system and what you're working through.
It depends on the kind of trauma. Single-incident trauma often responds faster than complex or developmental trauma. Some people notice meaningful shifts within twelve to twenty sessions; others work over a longer period. We'll give you an honest sense of timing once we understand your situation.
Sessions are 50 minutes and rates vary by therapist, confirmed during your free consultation. We offer sliding-scale spots case-by-case based on need and availability. Exact fees are discussed before you book anything.
OHIP generally doesn't cover psychotherapy with Registered Psychotherapists or Social Workers, but many extended health plans do. Check whether your plan covers RP or RSW services. Auren offers direct billing to many insurers and provides receipts for reimbursement.
Both work well. We offer in-person sessions at our Centrepointe office in Ottawa and secure, PIPEDA-compliant virtual sessions anywhere in Ontario. Many people find online trauma therapy just as effective, and you can switch between the two.
Look for someone registered (CRPO or OCSWSSW) with genuine trauma training, who paces the work to your readiness rather than rushing into difficult material. Fit matters too, which is why our free 15-minute consult lets you see whether it feels right before committing.
Therapy can't erase what happened, but it can change your relationship to it so it stops running your life. Many people move well beyond coping toward real recovery. Healing isn't linear, and we build the work around where you actually are.
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.
