Ethos

My name is Richard Sembera. I am a Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO), a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCPA), and a Training Candidate of the Canadian Institute of Psychoanalysis.

The name of my practice—Light in Extension—evokes the light of the mind reaching into the shadowed places of the psyche, where meaning hides beneath symptom. Analysis begins not with advice, but with listening—quiet, exacting, and honest.

I offer insight-oriented psychotherapy and psychoanalysis for individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, creative crisis, self-sabotage, or emotional difficulty.

If you're curious about the work, or if something on this site resonates, I invite you to reach out.

Portrait of Richard Sembera
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Services

Consultations

I offer complimentary virtual consultations (20 minutes) to help you decide if this approach resonates with your needs. Sessions are available virtually most weeknights, and in person on Friday evenings and Saturdays from my office in Ottawa (361 Waverley St).

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Insight-based psychotherapy, typically once or twice a week. The approach is the same regardless of frequency: we pay attention to what emerges in the conversation, not just the content, but the patterns and feelings beneath it. Suitable for anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, creative blocks, or the persistent sense that something isn't right. Learn more about psychodynamic therapy.

Trauma

I have extensive experience working with trauma, including four years of front-line crisis work. Trauma doesn't mean you're broken. It means something from the past is blocking your mind's natural ability to process the present. The work is about clearing that obstruction. Learn more about trauma therapy.

Psychoanalysis

Psychotherapy at a higher frequency, typically two or three times a week. More sessions means more continuity, and more continuity means more gets done. Some people use the couch; others prefer face-to-face. We work it out together. Learn more about psychoanalysis.

Virtual Sessions

I offer virtual sessions to clients anywhere in Ontario. The work translates well to video—what matters is the conversation, not the room.

Flexible-Frequency Psychotherapy

Weekly sessions work well for some; others prefer to meet every two or three weeks. Both can be effective. If your schedule, budget, or benefits only allow for occasional sessions, that doesn't have to be a barrier.

Fees

A limited sliding scale is available for clients with financial need. The best way to find out if this approach is right for you is to schedule a consultation.

Books

  • Book Cover: Metapsychology for Contemporary Psychoanalysis

    Metapsychology
    for Contemporary Psychoanalysis

    This book contains a major revision of psychoanalytic theory, replacing the outdated drive–defence model with an information processing model of mental functioning. The book argues that the most basic human need is the need for clear thinking, and that physical drives ultimately only have significance for the mind insofar as they tend towards the one central and fundamental aim of self-knowledge.

  • Book Cover: Meditation - A Self-Study Guide

    Meditation:
    A Self-Study Guide

    This book is a complete, hands-on, do-it-yourself guide to meditation in both practice and theory. Unlike other books on the subject, its approach is secular, rational, and pragmatic. It borrows concepts from psychoanalysis, philosophy, and computer science to explain what meditation is and why it works. It explains meditation in such a way that absolutely everyone can benefit from it.

Writing

I write about psychoanalysis, therapy, and the questions that bring people to this work. Recent posts explore why all therapist profiles look the same, when therapy doesn't work, and how I approach trauma.

Let's Connect

Richard Sembera, M.Ed. (Counselling), RP, CCC

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I'll get back to you within one business day.

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