Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Ottawa, ON.

Anxiety and stress can appear in many forms — constant worry, racing thoughts, tension in the body, difficulty sleeping, or a sense of being “on edge.” While some stress is a natural part of life, ongoing anxiety can begin to affect our work, relationships, and overall sense of well-being. Through psychotherapy, I provide a supportive space to understand the root causes of your anxiety and the patterns that maintain it. Together, we will identify triggers, challenge unhelpful thought patterns, and build coping strategies to help you feel more grounded and in control. My goal is to help you develop practical tools for managing anxiety and stress, while also exploring the underlying emotions

Is anxiety or stress overwhelming your life? You don't have to face it alone. I’m Simona Ilieva, a Registered Psychotherapist specializing in anxiety and stress management. Together, we’ll explore the root causes of your stress, learn techniques to reduce anxiety, and create personalized strategies to regain control. Whether you're facing daily pressures or chronic anxiety, I’m here to support you in finding balance and inner calm. With the right tools and guidance, you can break free from the cycle of stress and start living a more peaceful, fulfilling life. Let's take that step together. Book a free consultation today.

In working with clients on their anxiety and stress I primarily aim to promote understanding: understanding of why we are feeling so anxious and stressed, what factors contribute, what can be done to better manage or eliminate anxiety and stress from our lives, and most importantly, how to eliminate ambiguity from our lives. I specialize in working with clients on their stress and anxiety, whether it stems from work, relationships, family, trauma, lifestyle, or beliefs. It is only through understanding that we can promote comprehensive and meaningful change in our lives. I utilize principles of cognitive behavioural therapy, solution-focused work, and psychodynamics in my work.

Struggling with anxiety? Take a step towards peace of mind with compassionate support. As a dedicated psychotherapist, I specialize in guiding individuals through anxiety with evidence-based techniques tailored to your unique needs. Together, we'll cultivate resilience and empower you to manage stress effectively. Begin your journey towards calm and confidence today.

For anxiety and fears, a multimodal approach will be used with cognitive behavioural therapy and narrative. It will facilitate the identification of the anxiety or fears while creating a preferred narrative surrounding it. The benefits of using the combination of these two approach is that it will allow for an alternative perspective and to better understand what one is thinking and feeling.

External stressors cause internal reactions as a survival mechanism. Fight, flight, freeze! being tense and constantly hypervigilant is exhausting and often leads to the development of fatigue and generally unhelpful habits (working too much, drinking too much, eating too much, using anger to obtain what we and then feeling guilty & ashamed). Learning to relax, have fun and enjoy life on its own terms is critical. To help people accomplish this task, I start with providing education about what happens physiologically when we are under stress. Then, I teach CBT based strategies including confronting unhelpful thought patterns, exposure and connecting with and processing difficult emotions.

As a Somatic (SE) therapist- mental & emotional health follows the state of the nervous system. If it is flowing seamlessly between sympathetic and parasympathetic; arousal and settling, within a “manageable range” there’s a deep, internal sense of well-being, emotional stability, confidence, clear thinking, aliveness, trust in self and others, and mastery. With SE we will focus on: Your experiences... in the body Learn to track, observe, describe what is going on for you Regulate internal arousal states, shift locked patterns into action, increase body awareness. Encourage emotional engagement with attention to: mindfulness, sensations, movements and impulses. Here & Now find YOU!

Saint Paul University’s Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre welcomes a diverse clientele, for individual or couple’s therapy. Services are provided by counselling interns at the Master of Arts and Doctoral level in Counselling and Spirituality at Saint Paul University. *Services in French available

In anxiety and stress therapy, I provide a safe and supportive space to help you understand and manage overwhelming thoughts, feelings, and physical tension. Together, we explore the root causes of your anxiety or stress, develop practical coping strategies, and practice techniques to regain a sense of calm and control. My goal is to help you reduce worry, improve focus, and build resilience so you can feel more balanced, confident, and in control of your life.

When our sense of self is threatened we respond by experiencing anxiety. In verbalizing our anxiety we begin to see our reality with more clarity. We consider the beliefs and events on which we base our reality and examine our protective strategies and the consequences of our choices. We learn to expand our reality so as to include various helpful factors that we earlier omitted and that will better allow us to manage our stress and anxiety.

I help clients reduce overwhelm and manage anxiety by exploring triggers and developing practical coping strategies. Through our work, clients gain calm, clarity, and a greater sense of control over their thoughts, emotions, and daily life. Therapy with me helps people feel more balanced, centered, and capable of handling life’s challenges with resilience and confidence.

Who hasn't felt anxious or stressed in life?! Anxiety and stress often show up as racing thoughts, sleepless nights, tight chests, and a relentless inner critic. Whether you suffer from gereralized anxiety, social anxiety, panic or crushing self-doubt, my goal is to offer a calm, steady presence and practical tools grounded in CBT, ACT, and mindfulness to help you slow the spin, quiet the noise, and (literally) breathe again. As a psychologist—and as a person shaped by my own life’s pressures, stresses, and challenges —I can meet you with empathy, not judgment. Together, we’ll create space for clarity, courage, calm, and resilience. When our rational minds fail us... therapy saves the day!

My approach to anxiety and stress treatment is compassionate, client-centered, and practical, helping individuals understand the root causes of their worries and build strategies to manage overwhelming thoughts and feelings. I draw from evidence-informed techniques, including behavioural and emotionally focused approaches, to support clients in identifying triggers, developing coping skills, and creating routines that promote calm and balance. Clients benefit by gaining greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and resilience, enabling them to navigate daily stressors with confidence and reduce the impact of anxiety on their overall well-being.