Trauma Focused Therapists in Ottawa, ON
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.
Katherine McNichol
Registered Psychotherapist
Katherine is a Registered Psychotherapist with 8 years of experience supporting adults, couples, and teens through anxiety, trauma, depression, burnout and relationship issues. Trained in EFT, CBT, and EMDR, she takes a direct and compassionate approach to help clients move from surviving to thriving. She offers virtual psychotherapy across Canada and is current accepting clients.
Shereen Ishag
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Virtual psychotherapy across Ontario for teens (12+), adults, couples, and families. I work with clients experiencing relationship difficulties, emotional disconnection, anxiety, grief, and trauma-related concerns. I draw from emotion-focused and attachment-based perspectives, including EFCT-informed work, as well as other integrative approaches.
Shayesteh Zarieh
Registered Psychotherapist
Let’s be honest—starting therapy isn’t always a bold, empowered choice. Sometimes it’s a quiet, messy, or reluctant one. Maybe you’re simply tired of pretending everything’s fine. This space is for the parts of you that don’t have to be impressive, productive, or put-together. The parts that are unsure, grieving, angry, numb, or just curious about what else is possible.
Taylor Davis
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
If you constantly overthink, struggle to say no, or feel overwhelmed trying to keep everyone else happy, you’re not alone. I support adults navigating anxiety, depression, and people-pleasing using IFS, somatic therapy, and attachment-based approaches to help you reconnect with yourself, regulate emotions, and build more authentic relationships. Reach out to schedule a free consultation.
Allison Clayton
Registered Psychotherapist
Are you tired of the 'sunshine, butterflies and rainbows' idea of therapy? You aren't here for surface-level advice, trying to “just think positive,” or having to worry about judgment. I am here to provide you with tools that work individually for you and conversations that matter - on both a human level and from an evidence-based approach.
Maya Dousti
Registered Psychotherapist
I am a BIPOC trauma therapist, and I work with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, trauma, emotional dysregulation, self-esteem, life transitions, racial/cultural issues, new parenthood, identity, family and interpersonal relationships. I work eclectically, borrowing from several modalities to meet my client's needs.
Navkiran Bajwa
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Hi! My name is Nav and I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) in Ontario! I currently practice in Vaughan and offer in-person & virtual sessions! Feel free to contact me for a free 15 minute consultation to see if I'd be a good fit for your needs!
Parker Willis
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Feeling anxious, burned out, or not yourself? Therapy at Turning Point can offer space to slow down and connect truly. I support individuals and children, including athletes and young adults, through stress, trauma, injury, transitions, and performance pressure. My approach is tailored to you or your child. Showing up is a powerful first step, and I’d be honored to walk alongside you.
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.
Victoria Theodoris
Psychotherapist
Therapy is not just about techniques or sessions; it’s about the relationships, and that begins with a conversation. To make this step easier, I offer a free 20-minute consultation. You’ll have the chance to ask questions, share what feels comfortable, and receive a genuine sense of whether working together feels like the right path forward.
Victoria Brassard-Monahan
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with a Master of Counselling Psychology and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (with Distinction). I am currently practising psychotherapy under the supervision of Kim Lawrence (BScH, MSW, RSW). I work best with folks seeking counselling for anxiety, ADHD support, burnout, grief, childhood trauma, PTSD, and relationship issues.
Alli Ewacha
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Christine Nichols
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
You deserve the peace that comes with living authentically. On your journey to finding your purpose, you may be experiencing stress, anxiety, low-mood, or challenges with your self-worth. These experiences can make life feel overwhelming, and it’s easy to feel disconnected from the person you truly are. A better, more connected life is possible. As your therapist, I provide a genuine, compassion…
Katelyn Matias
Registered Psychotherapist
Hi, I’m Katelyn Matias, a Registered Psychotherapist and the Founder of Anchor & Bloom Psychotherapy. My approach to therapy is trauma-informed, relational, and grounded in attachment theory. I believe that our experiences, relationships, and nervous system responses shape how we understand ourselves, navigate emotions, and connect with others.
Lisa O’Donovan
Registered Psychotherapist
I offer Psychodynamic, trauma-informed therapy for adults and couples in-person in Burlington and virtually. I support clients navigating complex trauma, relationship difficulties, addiction and recovery, family dysfunction, and life transitions helping to uncover and understand emotional and relational patterns, process experiences, build greater self-awareness in a safe, compassionate space.
Abby Tait
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
You might come to therapy feeling stuck in familiar patterns - ways of coping, thinking, or relating that once made sense but now feel hard to shift. You may be thoughtful and self-aware, yet find yourself overthinking, avoiding certain emotions, or feeling disconnected from who you are or where you’re headed. Questions about identity, values, and purpose often sit quietly underneath these experi…
Jillian Ivany
Registered Psychotherapist
Life can feel overwhelming, leaving you anxious, disconnected, or stuck in painful patterns. I offer Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy in a warm, non-judgmental space where all parts of you are welcome. Together we explore your inner world with curiosity to support healing, clarity, and connection to yourself and others. I offer virtual/in person session. Free 15min consultations available.
Gulrukh Khan
Registered Psychotherapist, Qualifying
Helping South Asians, immigrants, and BIPOC individuals break free from cultural pressures, heal from trauma, people-pleasing, anxiety, guilt, and perfectionism as they embrace their true identity, and build a life that honours both heritage and personal well-being. At Empowering Roots in Brampton, Ontario, we offer culturally sensitive therapy tailored to your unique experiences.
Anna Marson
Registered Psychotherapist
Anna Marson is a registered psychotherapist specializing in ADHD, trauma, neurodiversity, attachment, stress, and emotion regulation. She integrates evidence-based therapies, mindfulness, and ADHD coaching to help clients build resilience, regulate emotions, and develop practical skills for lasting, positive change. Her approach is compassionate, brain/body-informed, and strength-based.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Trauma Focused
What is trauma-focused therapy?
Trauma-focused therapy refers to a family of therapeutic approaches specifically designed to address the psychological impact of traumatic experiences. Rather than only managing symptoms, these approaches help clients directly process traumatic memories, reduce their emotional intensity, and integrate them into a broader understanding of their lives. Trauma-focused therapy is indicated for PTSD, complex trauma, childhood abuse, sexual violence, accidents, grief, and many other trauma-related presentations.
How is trauma-focused therapy different from general therapy?
General therapy often addresses current functioning, coping, and emotions without directly engaging with traumatic memories. Trauma-focused therapy explicitly targets the memories, beliefs, and physiological responses connected to past trauma. It typically follows a phased approach: establishing safety and stabilization, processing traumatic material, and then integration and reconnection with life. This structure is important because jumping to trauma processing before a client has sufficient stability can be destabilizing rather than helpful.
What trauma-focused approaches are most evidence-based?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy have the strongest research evidence for PTSD. Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) is the leading approach for children and adolescents. Somatic therapies such as Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and phase-based models like EMDR-based FLASH and IFS, are also widely used for complex and developmental trauma where standard single-modality approaches may be insufficient.
How do I know if I need trauma-focused therapy rather than general therapy?
Signs that trauma-focused therapy may be particularly beneficial include: intrusive memories or flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness or avoidance of trauma-related reminders, hypervigilance, difficulty trusting others, significant shame, or the sense that you have tried general therapy without full resolution of symptoms. An assessment with a trauma-trained therapist can determine whether and what kind of trauma-focused work is appropriate for your presentation.
Is trauma-focused therapy safe?
When conducted by a trained therapist using an established protocol, trauma-focused therapy is safe and effective. Reputable approaches are designed to keep arousal within a manageable "window of tolerance" — avoiding both re-traumatization and emotional shutdown. Stabilization work done before processing ensures that clients have sufficient coping resources. If you feel unsafe at any point in trauma therapy, you can and should communicate this to your therapist, who will adjust the pace and approach.
