Psychoanalysis in Ottawa
Psychoanalysis is psychotherapy at a higher frequency—typically two or three times a week rather than once. The difference matters. When you meet more often, less time is spent bringing the therapist up to date and more time is spent actually working through things. The continuity allows deeper patterns to emerge and be addressed in something close to real time.
How Psychoanalysis Works
You talk. I listen: not just to the content of what you're saying, but to tone, to what's left out, to the patterns that emerge across sessions. At appropriate moments, I offer what I think will help you fill in gaps in your own self-understanding. Over time, you internalize this capacity and learn to do this kind of thinking on your own. That's the goal: not to need me anymore.
Some people find it easier to speak freely while using the couch, which eases the demands of face-to-face conversation and allows attention to turn inward. Others prefer to work face-to-face throughout. We determine the arrangement together based on what suits you and the work.
Who Seeks Psychoanalysis
People who are tired of quick fixes. People who've tried other forms of therapy and found that the improvement didn't last. People who suspect that their difficulties have deeper roots than a coping strategy can reach. People who want to actually understand themselves, not just manage their symptoms.
Psychoanalysis in Ottawa: Practical Considerations
I see analytic patients from my office in central Ottawa (361 Waverley St) on Friday evenings and Saturdays. For patients meeting more than twice a week, we typically use a mix of in-person and virtual sessions. I also offer fully virtual psychoanalysis for clients anywhere in Ontario.
Fees are discussed during the consultation. I understand that meeting multiple times a week is a significant commitment, and I try to find arrangements that make the work possible.
I offer complimentary consultations to discuss whether psychoanalysis might suit your needs.
Related Services
Psychodynamic Therapy in Ottawa · Trauma Therapy in Ottawa · All Services