Paula Ruiz 
Clinic Owner, Registered Psychotherapist & Clinical Supervisor

​As a regular person who has experienced life challenges, I was drawn to the field of psychotherapy and counselling because I wanted to help others who might be going through difficult times.

I have always been keenly interested in understanding people's lives and knowing their stories. Initially this interest led me to completing Master's and PhD degrees in Anthropology. In my studies I was drawn to the topics of trauma, suffering, mental health and resilience. While I loved hearing stories from individuals and communities in my research studies, I wanted more than to research the lives of others. I wanted to provide assistance and support those having a hard time. That led me to then train as a psychotherapist and counsellor. I completed the five-year training program in psychodynamic psychotherapy through the Ontario Psychotherapy & Counselling College, where I am now a faculty member.   

I am a Registered Psychotherapist (College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, CRPO, #008198) and a member of the Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals (OAMHP) and the Canadian Association of Psychodynamic Therapy (CAPT). 

Additional training includes (among many others):

• Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Training Course, Psychotherapy Networker
• How to Work with Anxiety, National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine​
• Psychosocial Oncology: What to Expect When Caring for an Oncology Patient, Harvard Medical School
• Foundations of Clinical Supervision, University of Ottawa

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Approach
We offer culturally sensitive, client-centred, and anti oppressive care. We welcome working with diverse populations including newcomers, BIPOC and members of LGBTQ2S+ communities. 

We are interested to learn about you as whole and not simply as a diagnosis or label.  We will work with you to identify the inner obstacles and challenges that are holding you back from being the person you wish to be. Together we will also explore your strengths and capacity for change.

We work from psychodynamic lens, which means we will work to understand the impact of unconscious dynamics on your patterns of thinking, feeling and relating to others.  The psychodynamic approach also looks at how experiences from the past may continue to impact your experiences in the present. 

​We believe we all have the capacity to change and heal within us, and that change happens when we begin to know ourselves deeply.

Affordable Therapy: Quality Support at Accessible Rates

​Our Affordable Therapy Program offers accessible options so cost is not an obstacle to getting the help you deserve.

We offer affordable psychotherapy and counselling services provided by Master’s-level student interns. Our team can support you with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, immigrant and BIPOC experiences, stress and trauma, relationships and parenting, life transitions and illness, among many others.  

Rates: $30-90/ Session
Contact our team today to be matched with the right practitioner for you.

Contact Us