2SLGBTQI+ Therapists in Ottawa, ON
Heart & Mind Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy
A neurodivergent, 2SLGBTQIA+ safe and inclusive space, with special understanding for those with barriers! Heart & Mind Psychotherapy....... where we can develop a relationship to support your mental, physical and spiritual well-being!
Myroslava Tyzkyj
Registered Psychotherapit
Therapy isn’t about fixing you — because you’re not broken. You’re human, and that’s messy enough. Adulting can feel like assembling IKEA furniture without the manual — confusing, frustrating, and somehow missing a crucial piece. Together, we’ll make space to breathe, reflect, and build a life that feels more grounded, more honest, and more like you. No perfection required.
Vanessa Leggio
MSW, RSW
Hello! I’m Vanessa, a couples therapist and trauma therapist. With both personal and professional experience, I’m dedicated to creating a safe space for healing and growth. I work with couples to rebuild trust, intimacy, and connection. For couples or individuals who are struggling with trauma, I use EMDR, a powerful and effective therapy that has helped many overcome and grow from trauma.
Michael Peddle
Registered Psychotherapist (RP), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), Certified IFS Therapist
Since 2011, I’ve supported clients through trauma and attachment wounds using IFS as my core approach. I integrate EMDR, SFBT, and evidence-based techniques to help people heal burdens, strengthen inner safety, and reconnect with their most grounded, empowered selves.
Tanja Ivic
Registered Social Worker
*Accepting new virtual clients across Ontario, supporting teens and adults navigating anxiety, trauma, addiction patterns, identity and life transitions.
Fran Isaacs
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I enjoy working with individuals from all ages and backgrounds, whatever challenges have arisen. I have experience working with anxious and depressed feelings, difficulty with control over emotions, problems arising from past experiences, current crises over relationship, career and motivation, coming to terms with grief, and LGBTQ+ issues.
Alysha Bernstein
Registered Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor & Traumatologist
I am a registered psychotherapist with a decade of experience in mental healthcare. I have built an authentic, client-centred, and empathic space in my private practice since 2020. We provide care for a wide range of mental health issues and couples or family conflict. My team is as accessible and affordable as possible and we are constantly learning new and better ways to support our clients
Kumasi Jay Gwynne
Registered Psychotherapist
Relationships of any kind can be challenging. I never underestimate how complicated things can get once we tease out the relational pieces in our lives and try to understand how they are affecting us.
Gillian Katsoulis
Intern Therapist | MACP Student
If you're feeling stuck between who you are and who you're expected to be, I'm here to help you reconnect with yourself and what matters most to you. You deserve to be met with compassion, understood for who you are, and supported in creating a life that feels true to you.
Rae Jardine
MA, RSSW, CC-PMH
I'm currently accepting new virtual clients in Ontario as well as in-person clients in Toronto with immediate availability and no waitlist, including limited sliding scale spaces. 2SLGBTQQIA+, Neurodivergence, Trauma, Perinatal
Carlos (Charlie) Garcia
CCC, MHC, MSc, PhD Candidate in Clinical Sexology
I help adults and couples navigate anxiety, identity, sexuality, intimacy and sexual concerns, and relationship challenges. My approach is modern, direct, and integrative — no fluff. I work with individuals of all genders and orientations, with a specialization in LGBTQ+ and trans clients. Bilingual services available in English and Spanish. Virtual sessions across Florida (USA) & Canada.
Franklynn Bartol
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I practice relational psychotherapy, which sees both suffering & healing as rooted in relationships. I support individuals & couples to grow their capacities to feel, reflect, & connect more deeply to themselves & others. I take a collaborative, trauma-informed, & anti-oppressive stance, holding curiosity for how social contexts, your personal history, & identities impact you & our work together.
Brayden Keeler
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Brayden (she/her) obtained a Master’s in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. Diagnosed with ADHD as a young adult, Brayden is particularly attuned to the challenges faced by others with neurodivergence, especially recognizing symptoms often overlooked in youth identifying as female.
Jessica Blair
Registered Social Worker, BSW, MSW, RSW (she, her)
Struggling with anxiety, trauma, or emotional overwhelm? I offer virtual DBT and trauma-informed therapy for adults across Ontario. Compassionate, structured care for BPD, complex trauma, and more. Individual sessions, DBT groups, and full DBT packages available. Learn more at jessicablair.ca.
Charlotte Pidgeon
Registered Psychotherapist
Charlotte Pidgeon Psychotherapy is a queer owned and orientated virtual psychotherapy clinic based in Toronto, ON. We are a collective of therapists offering individual, youth, couples, and low-cost therapy.
Megan Gauthier
Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist
*Accepting new client in-person in Guelph and virtually across Ontario* Therapy for people who struggle with self-doubt, overthinking, and repeating painful relationship patterns.
Zarifa Andani
MPCC-P, RTC-C
This work isn’t about fixing your parts—it’s about helping you feel more like your whole self again. We can work together to slow down, get curious, and listen deeply. Our internal body wisdom is an integral source of information that speaks more significantly than words. Real change is possible when ALL of you feels safe enough to be seen and supported, just as you are.
Iryna Dutko
Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Social Worker
Welcome - I’m glad you’re here. Whether you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply seeking a space to reconnect with yourself, I’m here to support you. I’m a Registered Psychotherapist and Social Worker with 12+ years of experience supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, chronic illness, burnout, substance use, and other life challenges. Drawing on contemporary…
Sophie Marie McPherson
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) B.A., M.A.
I offer psychotherapy services to teens and adults struggling with a wide range of presenting concerns. I have experience working with ADHD, anxiety, life transitions, stress, self-esteem and body image issues, chronic illness/pain, gender dysphoria, sexuality exploration, and non-monogamous relationships.
Monika Goetz (she/her)
Registered Social Worker
I support teens and adults struggling with misophonia (sound sensitivity), exploring 2SLGBTIQA+ experiences, anxiety, depression, stress, and more. I'm passionate about using an identity-affirming and weight-inclusive approach that accepts you as you are while supporting you to live the life that you want.
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Frequently Asked Questions About 2SLGBTQI+
What is 2SLGBTQI+ affirming therapy?
Affirming therapy creates a safe, non-judgmental space where your sexual orientation, gender identity, and relationship structure are respected and validated — not treated as problems to be fixed or changed. An affirming therapist understands the unique experiences and stressors faced by 2SLGBTQI+ people, including experiences of discrimination, family rejection, navigating coming out, and the mental health impacts of minority stress. Affirming therapy can address any mental health concern, not only those directly related to identity.
Why is finding an affirming therapist important?
Research consistently shows that 2SLGBTQI+ people experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation than the general population — not because of their identity, but because of minority stress, discrimination, and lack of acceptance. A therapist who is not affirming — or who holds biases about gender and sexuality — can cause harm, even unintentionally. An affirming therapist reduces the burden of having to explain or justify your identity, and helps you address mental health concerns in a context of full acceptance.
What specific concerns do 2SLGBTQI+ people often bring to therapy?
Common concerns include navigating coming out (to family, at work, in various communities), managing the emotional impact of discrimination or rejection, exploring gender identity or transition, relationship and family issues unique to queer experiences, internalized homophobia or transphobia, trauma from conversion practices, grief related to family estrangement, and the mental health effects of living in a world that may not fully accept who you are. Affirming therapists are equipped to support all of these areas.
What is conversion therapy and is it legal in Canada?
Conversion therapy refers to practices that attempt to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. It is harmful, ineffective, and has been widely condemned by medical and psychological associations including the Canadian Psychological Association and the Canadian Psychiatric Association. As of 2022, performing conversion practices on anyone is a federal criminal offence in Canada. All therapists on Theralist operate within professional and legal standards that prohibit these practices.
How do I know if a therapist is truly affirming?
Look for therapists who explicitly identify as 2SLGBTQI+ affirming or who have specific training in working with queer and trans clients. Some therapists are themselves 2SLGBTQI+ identified. In a first session, you might ask how they approach work with queer and trans clients, whether they have specific training in this area, and how they handle conversations about identity, transition, or relationships. Trust your instincts — if a therapist seems unsure, asks unnecessary questions about your identity, or frames your identity as something to be explored as a "problem," that is a sign to look elsewhere.
