About Stephanie Kale -
Embodied Mind Psychotherapy, Ottawa
Hello! I'm Stephanie Kale, a Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO #10101) and the founder of Embodied Mind Psychotherapy, a somatic and trauma-informed practice in Ottawa, Ontario. I offer individual therapy to adults 18 and older, in person in Ottawa and virtually across Ontario.
I support people navigating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma (c-PTSD), anxiety and depression, self-esteem, substance use and addiction, interpersonal challenges, grief and loss, spiritual and existential questions, chronic pain and illness, and life transitions — in both private practice and community health settings.
I've listed my education and training below so you can see whether my background aligns with what you're looking for. I warmly invite you to reach out for a free consultation to see if we're a good fit — your comfort with me is the most important ingredient in good therapy outcomes.
“There is more wisdom in your body
than in your deepest philosophy.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
What does the body have to do with therapy?
We think in bodies. We feel in bodies. Our body carries us through this world.
My approach combines traditional talk therapy with body-based and mindfulness methods — including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and Focusing-oriented therapy — informed by neuroscience research on trauma processing and emotion regulation, and by a growing body of clinical research on body-based trauma treatment.
Together, we explore your thoughts and feelings while also inviting mindful awareness of inner sensations, patterns of tension and release, and the body's impulses to move — as we explore the stories of your life. In my research and clinical experience, cultivating this kind of embodied awareness opens new paths toward wellbeing, especially when you feel stuck in habitual thoughts, feelings, and physical reactions.
Client-centred. You are the expert of your own experience. My role is to support your exploration of your inner world and help you reconnect with the inner compass that leads toward growth, healing, and health.
Attachment-oriented. Early relationships shape our sense of self, others, and the world. Together we explore ways to listen and respond to your deep emotional needs, and find pathways toward safe, secure connection.
Somatic-oriented. Our body holds patterned ways of relating to self, others, and the world. Through mindful exploration of the mind-body connection, we learn to slow down and shift these patterns toward greater self-awareness, self-compassion, and joy.
Trauma-informed and relational. Healing from trauma begins with a trustworthy space and relationship. Together, we build on your strengths and resilience, creating a stable foundation from which to process difficult experiences and create new meaning.
Before becoming a therapist, I spent more than a decade in the federal public service, primarily in support of postsecondary research. That midlife career transition gave me a deep appreciation for the questions of meaning, purpose, and risk that arise when we follow what calls to us.
Dance, yoga, and meditation have been lifelong embodiment practices that guide me toward greater health, connection, and wellbeing — and I bring that lived experience of the mind-body connection into my work with clients.
I am currently completing my PhD dissertation exploring the somatic experiences of individuals with PTSD in MDMA-assisted therapy, bringing that research directly into my clinical understanding.
My path to this work
Breathwork and psychedelic integration
For those interested in exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness, I offer support with Active Breathwork, drawing on my training and experience (Holotropic, Conscious Connected) to hold space for integrating these experiences as part of therapeutic work.
I also offer psychedelic integration coaching for adults exploring the use of psilocybin or MDMA for psycho-spiritual growth, through training with TheraPsil, a leading Canadian organization supporting access to psychedelic-assisted therapy. This work focuses on integration and meaning-making — it does not involve the use, administration, or sourcing of any substances.
Education and relevant trainings
PhD Candidate, Counselling, Psychotherapy, and Spirituality, Saint Paul University, 2021-2026 Thesis: Exploring Somatic Experiences of Individuals with PTSD in MDMA-Assisted Therapy. MA, Counselling, Psychotherapy, and Spirituality, Saint Paul University, 2018-2021 Thesis: Interoceptive Awareness and Emotion Regulation Among Individuals with Depression and Anxiety in Emotionally-Focused Individual Therapy. Graduate Diploma, National Centre for Dance Therapy at Les Grands Ballets, 2014-2016 MJ (ABD), Journalism, Carleton University, 2007-2008 MA, Political Economy, Carleton University, 2003-2006 Thesis: Beyond Gender: Women in the Cultural Economy of Electronic Music. BA (Honours), International Relations, University of Windsor, 1998-2003 Relevant Trainings Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Complex Trauma and Dissociation Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma (Level 1) Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Developmental Injury (Level 2) EMDR Basic Training (in progress, completion expected August 2026) Navigating Safe Touch in Therapeutic Spaces TheraPsil, Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy TheraPsil, MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Grof Legacy Training (Holotropic Breathwork; Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy training) Psychedelics and Somatics, Embody Lab Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Focusing (Gendlin) Integrated Treatment for Concurrent Disorders, Canadian Mental Health Association Motivational Interviewing Level 1, Canadian Mental Health Association SMART Recovery and Family & Friends Facilitator Training ASIST suicide intervention / prevention Pranayama training, "Unlock the Breath, The Road to Bliss" (ongoing) Yin yoga teacher training