Meet Kris, Addiction therapist in Ottawa, and owner of Connect to Calm Therapy.
Kris (she/they) works with women & members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, ages 14 to 64, for individual therapy. Kris will also be offering couples counselling in April 2024.
Kris can support you with most mental health concerns & has added experience with concerns like addiction, sexual violence, anxiety, family conflict, & relationships.
NEW: Offering couples therapy as of April 2024!
Accepting new clients? Yes, accepting virtual & in-person clients with a short waitlist.
Reduced fees? Yes, fees range from $50-$150 per individual session.
Addiction
Reducing alcohol use
Substance use
Managing problematic behaviours like shopping, gambling, video games, etc.
2SLGBTQ+
Gender
Sexuality / Sexual orientation
Polyamory
Sexual Violence
Sexual assault
Childhood sexual abuse
PTSD & past trauma
Education: B.A. honours Psychology, B.A. Women’s Studies, Master of Social Work (MSW). Thesis topic: Women & sexual pain.
Primary therapy styles: Feminist therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Trauma-Focused ACT, Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT & EFiT), with a mix of other models like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), MI, & parts work.
Memberships/Registration: registered social worker (RSW) with the Ontario College of Social Workers & Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW), member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS).
Click here to view some of the training & reading Kris has been engaged in in addition to their university education.
Anxiety
Managing anxiety
Distress tolerance
Emotion regulation
Family
Conflict with family members or others
Parenting concerns
Couples sessions
Relationships
Assertiveness
Setting boundaries
Managing “people pleasing” behaviour
Availability
Mondays 2-8pm (in-person)
Fridays 2-8pm (in-person)
Tuesdays 1-4pm (virtual)
Thursdays 1-4pm & evening (virtual)
In-person Office
I am currently offering in-person sessions (Mondays & Fridays) in Barrhaven @ 200 Kennevale drive. This location is also easily accessible from Nepean, Kanata, Stittsville, Riverside South, Bells Corners, Manotick, and other areas of Ottawa West. I work in a shared unit with other clinicians and I’ll greet you in the waiting room space when it’s time to head into the therapy space. This lovely sunny room has a couch and pillow where you can get comfortable while we connect. I look forward to welcoming you into this space where all emotions are welcome to start our journey together…
Pandemic precautions: It is up to you whether you, I, or both of us wear masks & I have disposable masks available. The space has an air filter.
Virtual Therapy
There are many benefits to choosing virtual therapy:
- Virtual therapy may be more comfortable for you due to chronic pain or health conditions.
- You won’t need to travel to an in-person office location.
- You may not live in the Ottawa area but you still want to access a therapist with specific models or expertise.
- Virtual therapy means less time away from home responsibilities (like childcare).
- There is a lower cost (by $25) for virtual sessions.
- or perhaps you are just more at-ease in your own home.
If you do opt for virtual therapy sessions, my adorable Himalayan-Siamese cat may hop up to say “hi” (if she’s awake). I love seeing clients’ pets so feel free to introduce me to yours! Otherwise, I encourage you to find a quiet and private space where you won’t be disturbed by anyone else. Approach virtual therapy as much like an in-person session as possible to get the most out of our our time together.
You are welcome to shift between virtual and in-person sessions from week to week. I do encourage clients to have at least one in-person session if possible (ideally within the first few sessions) because I’ve found it very helpful for us to get a sense of each other “in 3D”. Of course, this is totally optional & I enjoy working with clients completely virtual.