Your mind keeps racing ahead to the next deadline, replaying a conversation from yesterday or bracing for something that hasn't happened yet. You've heard mindfulness can help, but a meditation app or a class hasn't quite stuck. Mindfulness therapy in Ottawa offers something different: one-to-one counselling where a therapist weaves mindfulness skills into the work you're already doing on stress, worry or low mood, at a pace that fits you.
This post is general information, not a diagnosis or medical advice. Only a qualified professional can assess what you're experiencing.
What mindfulness therapy in Ottawa offers, in brief
Mindfulness therapy is individual counselling that uses mindfulness skills, paying attention to the present moment with curiosity rather than judgment, as part of therapy. It isn't a meditation class, and you don't need any experience.
People often come for help with:
Stress and feeling constantly "on"
Worry and anxious thinking
Low mood or getting stuck in negative thoughts
Rumination, going over the same things again and again
Feeling disconnected from themselves or their day
The aim isn't to empty your mind or feel calm all the time. It's to notice what's happening inside you a little sooner, so you have more choice in how you respond.
What a mindfulness-based session can include
Every session is shaped around you, but a typical mindfulness-based session might include:
A short guided practice. A few minutes of noticing your breath, sounds in the room or the feeling of your feet on the floor. Eyes open is completely fine.
Noticing thoughts and sensations. Your therapist may invite you to notice what thoughts, feelings or body sensations are showing up, without needing to change them.
Linking it to what you're working on. The practice connects back to your goals, like catching the start of a worry spiral or noticing tension before an argument.
Talking it through. Much of the session is still conversation about your life, your patterns and what you want to change.
Over a few sessions, many people start to notice patterns they couldn't see before. Maybe worry always shows up as tightness in the chest, or self-criticism gets loud after work emails. Spotting these patterns early gives you a moment to pause and choose a different response, rather than being swept along.
Practices are short and flexible. If something doesn't feel right, you can say so, and your therapist will adjust. You stay in charge of what you try.
Mindfulness inside other therapies
Mindfulness rarely stands alone in therapy. It often sits inside other approaches.
Acceptance-based work. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) uses mindfulness to help you make room for hard thoughts and feelings while moving toward what matters to you.
DBT skills. Dialectical behaviour therapy includes mindfulness as a core skill, a foundation for managing intense emotions. Our post on DBT therapy in Ottawa explains more.
Ideas from MBCT. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is usually taught as a group course. Our therapists don't run an MBCT course or group, but some ideas from it, like stepping back from thoughts and noticing early signs of low mood, can be used one to one.
Your therapist will blend approaches based on what you need, not on a fixed program.
When mindfulness may not be the right first step
Mindfulness is helpful for many people, but it isn't right for everyone at every moment. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that a minority of people find meditation practices unpleasant or distressing.
It may not be the best first step if you:
Experience trauma flashbacks or feel overwhelmed when you turn inward
Are dealing with very low mood, where sitting with thoughts feels too heavy
Find that paying attention to your body feels unsafe or brings up panic
That doesn't mean mindfulness is off the table. A therapist can adapt it, for example by keeping your eyes open, focusing on sounds outside the body, keeping practices very short or choosing another approach first. Some people start with grounding and body-aware work. Our post on somatic therapy in Ottawa explores that path.
A good therapist will check in with you often and never push you to keep going if something feels wrong.
Practising between sessions in a busy week
You don't need to meditate for an hour a day to benefit. Many people find small, realistic practices fit better into a busy Ottawa week:
Take three slow breaths before opening your email
Notice your feet on the ground while waiting for the bus
Eat the first few bites of lunch without your phone
Pause for a moment after a meeting to check how you feel
Notice one thing you can see, hear and feel during a walk
Some people like a set time, like the first few minutes after waking up. Others prefer linking a practice to something they already do every day, such as making coffee, brushing their teeth or locking the door on the way out. There's no right way. What matters is finding something small enough that you'll actually do it.
Your therapist can help you pick one or two practices that suit your routine. Missing a day isn't failure. Noticing that you forgot, and coming back, is part of the practice itself.
Over time, these small moments can add up. Many people notice they catch stress earlier, recover from a hard conversation faster or feel a little more present with the people they love.
What the research says
Research on mindfulness-based therapy is encouraging but modest. A meta-analysis that pooled many studies found that mindfulness-based therapy was linked with reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms for many people.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that mindfulness practices may help with anxiety, depression and stress for some people, that they aren't a replacement for care and that a minority of people find them unpleasant.
In other words, mindfulness is one helpful tool, not a cure-all. It tends to work best as part of a thoughtful therapy plan. The National Institute of Mental Health also offers a plain overview of different psychotherapies and tips on choosing a therapist.
If you're curious whether mindfulness-based counselling is a good fit, a short conversation can help you decide.
Downtown at 1 Rideau Street or online across Ontario
Our Ottawa office is at 1 Rideau Street, 7th Floor, inside the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in downtown Ottawa. You can reach the office at (613) 691-1006.
If getting downtown is hard, online counselling is available by secure video from anywhere in Ontario. Many people find online sessions easier to fit around work and family.
We also have offices in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, and every location offers every service.
Cost, billing and your first step
Sessions with our therapists range from $130 to $200, depending on the clinician.
We accept Health Spending Accounts (HSAs).
We can direct bill many insurers, including for sessions with an RP (Qualifying). Desjardins is the exception: through TELUS eClaims, we can direct bill Desjardins for sessions with an RSW, RP or psychologist, but not for an RP (Qualifying).
Coverage depends on your plan, so check with your insurer before you start.
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our admin team. Mention that you're interested in mindfulness therapy, and they'll suggest a good fit.
If you're in crisis: if you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 911. If you're thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 any time, day or night.
You don't have to quiet your mind completely to feel better. Sometimes, learning to notice is where change begins.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Sources
Hofmann SG, Sawyer AT, Witt AA, Oh D. The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2010
Meditation and Mindfulness: Effectiveness and Safety, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Psychotherapies, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)