Mindfulness-Based (MBCT) Therapists in Ottawa, ON
Stacy Kirkbride
Registered Psychotherapist, Recreation Therapist
I offer compassionate support for those living with chronic illness, pain, and post-injury life challenges. I specialize in helping you navigate the emotional and mental hurdles these bring. My goal is to help you reclaim your sense of self, cope with grief and loss, and rebuild your life with resilience and purpose. You're not alone--I'm here to support you every step of the way.
Mackenzie Howard
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I provide psychotherapy to adults across Ontario who are navigating concerns such as anxiety, stress, burnout, perfectionism, relationship concerns, self-esteem, and life transitions. My approach is collaborative and individualized, with sessions focused on understanding your experiences and working toward goals that are meaningful to you.
Annie Szalkai
Registered Psychotherapist
I work with adults from diverse backgrounds, supporting those navigating anxiety, stress, and self-esteem challenges. My approach is client-centred and integrative, drawing from CBT, ACT, EFIT, Solution-Focused Therapy, and more to meet each person’s unique needs.
Carol D.B. Whaley
Psychotherapist
I am a Vancouver based Psychotherapist in a diverse and inclusive Private Practice offering both in person and virtual sessions. I have over 22 years of extensive clinical experience working with individuals, couples, families and groups. I work with all ages on any issues that are getting in the way of the client experiencing life to its fullest in the very personal way they want to live.
Yasmin Ahmad
Registered Psychotherapist
Sisu Therapy offers virtual psychotherapy to adults across Ontario. A calm, collaborative space for anxiety, overwhelm, life transitions, and navigating cultural or family expectations, with care taken to move forward at a manageable pace.
Katherine Koplov
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
A second-generation psychotherapist with lived experience as an immigrant, corporate leader, and survivor of relational trauma, I bring a compassionate, culturally attuned, and trauma-informed lens. My integrative approach draws on Mindfulness, Somatic Therapy, EFT, IFS, Polyvagal-informed approaches, Narrative Therapy, DBT, CBT, and SFBT to foster meaningful and lasting change.
Maya Awad
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), MACP, ADHD-SP, HBSc (she, her)
Accepting NEW clients - Are you feeling overwhelmed or like you’re carrying a lot on your own? Feel like you're doing everything you’re “supposed to do,” but something still doesn’t feel right? Have a desire to better understand your thoughts, emotions, or patterns, work on building confidence or self-esteem, or find support for your relationship?
Salima Jadavji
Registered Social Worker, MSW, RSW, CHyp™
I support high-functioning professionals and caregivers who feel exhausted, anxious, or disconnected beneath the surface. Using a trauma-informed, collaborative approach, I help you move beyond coping toward steadiness and self-trust. Email [email protected] to book a free consultation and see if we’re a fit.
Geneviève Fontaine
Registered Psychotherapist
Hi, I'm Geneviève! I offer individual counselling and psychotherapy for adults. My approach to therapy is guided by the belief that every individual deserves meaningful human connection: to be seen, to be heard, and to be acknowledged. As a queer therapist, my role is to provide guidance, support, and practical tools that empower individuals to make choices that enhance their well-being.
Manisha Grewal
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I offer a compassionate space to address both immediate struggles and deeper patterns. Together, we’ll build tools to manage symptoms in the present while exploring past experiences, identity, and meaning. My approach blends existential therapy, parts work (IFS), and ACT, and is inclusive, culturally sensitive, and LGBTQIA+/BIPOC affirming.
Anastasia Berezowsky
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
My practice blends talk therapy and structured accountability to help you find balance and resilience—especially when life feels demanding and you need some direction. With a background in Kinesiology and Psychology, I take a whole-person approach that connects mind and body. I support clients who feel misaligned and need the space to untangle themselves from the stressors of every day.
Amelia Traer
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), BA, PsiChi
My work is shaped by CBT, ACT, DBT, ERP, and trauma-informed, mindfulness-based approaches. I support clients with anxiety, burnout, OCD and phobias, ADHD, grief, life transitions, women's health, and chronic health concerns. Our therapy space adapts, with a focus on connection, emotional regulation, and practical strategies that fit your life.
Connie Coda
Registered Nurse Psychotherapist, Certified Nurse Psychotherapist
Connie is a Registered Nurse Psychotherapist and Certified Nurse Psychotherapist offering virtual therapy to individuals aged 16 and up across Ontario. She supports clients coping with chronic illness, anxiety, grief (including pet loss), stress, and life transitions, using a compassionate and collaborative approach.
Cierra DoCouto
Registered Psychotherapist
Helping adults in Burlington, Ontario navigate anxiety, self-esteem challenges, relationship concerns, and attachment patterns. Offering in-person and virtual psychotherapy that is collaborative, evidence-informed, and tailored to support personal growth, emotional well-being, and resilience.
Stacey Sanderson
Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Social Worker, Subject Matter Expert
I am Subject Matter Expert in complex, relational trauma, narcissism and high conflict divorce. If you are in a toxic relationship, I can help you navigate the process while learning the powerful boundaries and strategy you need to get to the next chapter in your life feeling confident and empowered. I will help you understand the attachment patterns that are keeping you stuck.
Lylla Goheen
Registered Psychotherapist RP (Qualifying), Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC)
Do you and your partner speak different languages? Whether it’s the silence of a "roommate phase," sexual dysfunction, or the weight of chronic illness, you don't have to navigate it alone. I provide inclusive Sex Therapy, Gottman Couples Counselling, and Chronic Pain support in Etobicoke & Toronto. My practice is judgment-free and not "one-size-fits-all." Let's start your new era.
Erika Szabo
Registered Social Service Worker, Psychotherapist
My name is Erika. I'm a white, cis-gender queer woman with lived experience of complex trauma. I work from a person-centered, relational, and anti-oppressive lens and embody this in the work I do! Whether you're interested in meditation, art making, somatics, or simply an empathic ear, I will hold space for you in whatever way you need. BOOKING OPEN in-person and online across Ontario.
Samantha Duarte Alvarez
Registered Psychotherapist (RP)
New clients are welcome! I'm Sam, a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario specializing in trauma, grief, and work stress for adults navigating difficult experiences and life transitions. Together, we work to make sense of what you’re experiencing, gently connect with your nervous system and emotions, and support meaningful shifts that feel aligned with who you are.
Eleni Anagnosti
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), ADHD-CCSP, MS, HBA, BA
My approach is compassionate, culturally attuned, and collaborative. I draw from CBT, strengths-based, solution-focused, and trauma-informed approaches to support ADHD, anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, life transitions, and relationship patterns. Together, we focus on building practical tools, emotional balance, and a stronger sense of self-trust.
Grace Gao
Registered Social Worker
Grace is passionate about creating accessible and culturally responsive mental health support, particularly for individuals who may feel hesitant to seek formal counseling services. As a bilingual professional fluent in English and Mandarin, she values creating a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment where clients feel heard and respected.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Mindfulness-Based (MBCT)
What is mindfulness-based therapy?
Mindfulness-based therapies integrate formal mindfulness practices — paying deliberate, non-judgmental attention to the present moment — into a psychotherapeutic framework. Rather than teaching mindfulness as a relaxation technique, these approaches use it as a tool for changing how people relate to difficult thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. The two most established approaches are Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), both with robust research support.
What is the difference between MBSR and MBCT?
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, is an 8-week program originally designed for chronic illness and stress; it is widely used for anxiety, pain, and general wellbeing. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), developed by Segal, Williams, and Teasdale, integrates CBT elements specifically for people with recurrent depression; it is the best-evidenced psychological intervention for preventing depressive relapse. Both are typically delivered in group format, though individual MBCT and MBSR-informed therapy are also offered.
What conditions does mindfulness-based therapy help with?
Mindfulness-based approaches have strong evidence for reducing anxiety, preventing depressive relapse, managing chronic pain, reducing burnout and stress, and improving overall quality of life. They are also used adjunctively in treatment for PTSD, eating disorders, substance use, and personality disorders. MBCT is specifically recommended in Canadian clinical guidelines for people who have experienced three or more episodes of major depression.
Do I need to have a meditation practice to benefit from mindfulness-based therapy?
No prior meditation experience is needed. Mindfulness-based therapy programs teach practice from the ground up, starting with brief exercises and building gradually. What matters more than prior experience is willingness to practise regularly between sessions — most programs involve daily home practice of 30–45 minutes. This commitment is what drives the benefits; the techniques themselves are learned through repeated practice rather than conceptual understanding.
Is mindfulness-based therapy connected to religion or spirituality?
Mindfulness has roots in Buddhist contemplative practice, but clinical mindfulness-based programs like MBSR and MBCT are secular and evidence-based — they do not involve religious instruction or belief. The practices are taught as psychological and attentional tools, not spiritual ones. People of all religious backgrounds, including those with no spiritual interest, participate in and benefit from these programs. If you have concerns about the spiritual context, discuss them with your therapist before beginning.
