Treatment Interventions
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in Ottawa
Structured, evidence-based therapy that helps you understand and change the thought patterns and behaviours contributing to your difficulties. Our Ottawa clinics offer individualized CBT for anxiety, depression, ADHD-related challenges, and more.
Understanding CBT
What Is Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy?
Cognitive-behavioural therapy is one of the most extensively researched and widely practised forms of psychotherapy. It is based on the principle that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected—and that by changing unhelpful patterns in one area, we can create meaningful shifts in the others.
Unlike some forms of therapy that focus primarily on exploring the past, CBT is present-focused and goal-oriented. Sessions are structured around identifying specific thought patterns and behaviours that maintain your difficulties, then developing practical strategies to address them. This makes CBT particularly effective for concerns like anxiety, depression, and stress.
At Stradwick Clinic, our therapists are trained in evidence-based CBT protocols and adapt their approach to each client’s unique presentation. Whether you’re an adult managing workplace stress or a young person navigating social anxiety, CBT offers a clear, structured path toward change.
Who Is CBT For?
Who We Help
CBT is effective across the lifespan and has strong research support for a wide range of mental health concerns.
Adults
CBT is one of the most widely researched and effective treatments for adult mental health concerns. Whether you’re managing anxiety, depression, chronic stress, or patterns of avoidance, CBT provides structured, practical tools to create lasting change.
Children & Adolescents
CBT is adapted for younger clients using age-appropriate language, activities, and examples. It helps children and teens develop emotional awareness, challenge unhelpful thinking, and build coping skills they can use at school, at home, and with peers.
Conditions commonly treated with CBT: Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, depression, OCD, PTSD, phobias, insomnia, chronic pain, anger management, and ADHD-related difficulties. If you’re unsure whether CBT is appropriate for your concern, we’re happy to discuss it with you.
What CBT Therapy Involves
The Process
CBT follows a structured yet flexible process, tailored to your specific concerns and goals.
Initial Assessment
Your first sessions focus on understanding your current difficulties, personal history, and goals for therapy. Your therapist will explain how CBT works and collaborate with you to identify the patterns that may be maintaining your concerns.
Case Conceptualization
Together, you and your therapist develop a shared understanding of how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours interact. This personalized framework guides treatment and helps you see how specific patterns contribute to your difficulties.
Cognitive Restructuring
You learn to identify and examine unhelpful thought patterns—such as catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking, or self-criticism—and develop more balanced, realistic ways of interpreting situations.
Behavioural Strategies
CBT incorporates practical behavioural techniques such as graded exposure, behavioural activation, and skills practice. These strategies help you gradually approach situations you’ve been avoiding and build confidence through direct experience.
Skill Integration
Between sessions, you practise applying new strategies in your daily life. Your therapist supports this process by reviewing what worked, troubleshooting challenges, and refining your approach over time.
Relapse Prevention & Closing
As therapy progresses, sessions focus on consolidating your gains, anticipating future challenges, and developing a personalized plan to maintain progress after therapy ends.
“It’s not the situation that determines how you feel, but how you interpret it—and that’s something you can learn to change.”
What to Expect & Session Structure
Your Experience
Session Structure
CBT sessions are typically 50 minutes and follow a predictable structure that helps maximize your time in therapy. Each session generally includes a check-in, review of between-session practice, focused work on a specific skill or concern, and planning for the week ahead.
- Sessions: 50 minutes, typically weekly
- Duration: Usually 12–20 sessions, depending on your needs
- Between-session practice to reinforce new skills
- Regular progress reviews to ensure therapy stays on track
What You Can Expect
A structured, goal-oriented approach to therapy
Practical tools and strategies you can use between sessions
Homework and exercises to reinforce learning
Regular progress monitoring and goal review
A collaborative relationship with your therapist
A clear framework for understanding your difficulties
How CBT Helps
Conditions We Treat
CBT has a robust evidence base across a wide range of mental health concerns, making it one of the most versatile therapeutic approaches available.
Anxiety & Worry
CBT is considered the gold-standard treatment for anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, and specific phobias. It helps you understand anxiety’s underlying mechanisms and develop effective strategies to manage it.
Depression & Low Mood
Through behavioural activation and cognitive restructuring, CBT addresses the withdrawal, negative thinking, and loss of motivation that characterize depression. Research consistently supports its effectiveness for both acute and recurring depression.
ADHD-Related Challenges
While CBT does not treat ADHD directly, it is highly effective for managing the secondary challenges that often accompany it—procrastination, disorganization, emotional dysregulation, and negative self-talk that can develop over years of unmanaged symptoms.
Stress & Burnout
CBT helps identify the thought patterns and behaviours that contribute to chronic stress and burnout. By developing healthier boundaries, realistic expectations, and effective coping strategies, you can build greater resilience in your personal and professional life.
Complementary Approaches
Related Services
CBT can be used on its own or alongside other therapeutic modalities depending on your needs.
Psychotherapy
Explore our broader psychotherapy services and other therapeutic modalities offered at our clinic.
Learn More
Neurofeedback
Brain-based training that can complement CBT by helping regulate the neural patterns underlying anxiety and mood difficulties.
Learn More
Biofeedback
Learn to regulate physiological stress responses through real-time feedback, supporting the skills developed in CBT.
Learn MoreFrequently Asked Questions
Common Questions
CBT provided by psychologists, psychotherapists, and social workers is not covered by OHIP in Ontario. However, most extended health insurance plans through employers include coverage for psychological services. We provide receipts for insurance submission. If cost is a concern, please contact us to discuss options.
CBT is typically a time-limited therapy, often ranging from 12 to 20 sessions depending on the nature and severity of your concerns. Some clients benefit from shorter courses of treatment, while others find longer-term work more helpful. Your therapist will discuss expected timelines during your initial sessions.
CBT is a specific type of psychotherapy that focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It tends to be more structured and goal-oriented than some other approaches, with an emphasis on developing practical skills and strategies. Other forms of therapy may focus more on exploring emotions, relationships, or past experiences.
No referral is needed to begin CBT at Stradwick Clinic. You can contact us directly to book an initial appointment. If you have a referral from your physician or another provider, we’re happy to coordinate care.
CBT is an effective complement to other ADHD treatments. While it doesn’t address core ADHD symptoms like inattention, it helps with the secondary challenges—such as procrastination, emotional reactivity, and negative self-talk—that often accompany ADHD, particularly in adults.
Yes, CBT has strong research support for use with children and adolescents. Our therapists adapt the approach to be developmentally appropriate, using concrete examples, interactive activities, and age-appropriate language to help young people build lasting coping skills.
CBT typically involves practising new skills between sessions through structured exercises or ‘homework.’ This might include thought records, behavioural experiments, or gradual exposure tasks. Between-session practice is an important part of the process, as it helps translate what you learn in therapy into real-life change.
Ready to Start CBT Therapy?
If you’re looking for a structured, evidence-based approach to managing anxiety, depression, or other concerns, our team can help you determine whether CBT is the right fit.
Contact us to learn more about our CBT services, availability, and fees.