In-Person in Ottawa, ON K1R 7P6
Online in
Ontario
I came to psychotherapy after spending many years building a successful business, which gave me a deep appreciation for the pressures, transitions, and questions people face as they try to build meaningful lives. My path back to this work was driven by a genuine interest in helping people understand themselves more deeply and make real changes where they feel stuck. I have a particular appreciation for those who are in the earlier stages of building their lives and figuring out who they want to become. I believe therapy should be both supportive, honest, and a place where you feel understood, but also encouraged to grow in ways that move your life forward.
Client Focus
Session Format: Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult, Senior, Young Adult
Demographic Expertise: LGBTQ+, Men, Military / Veterans, Women clients.
Treatment Approach
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, while committing to actions that reflect their values. It blends mindfulness with practical behavior strategies.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Focuses on strengthening emotional bonds in couples or families. It helps people identify negative cycles and create more secure connections.
- Existential / Humanistic Therapy Encourages people to explore meaning, freedom, and authenticity in their lives. It focuses on personal growth and living in alignment with one’s values.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) A structured therapy that uses guided eye movements to help process traumatic memories. It is widely recognized for treating PTSD and trauma-related conditions.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) Helps clients heal by working with different ‘parts’ of themselves, like inner critics or wounded children. It fosters harmony within the self.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Combines mindfulness practices with CBT to prevent depression relapse. It helps people notice thoughts without judgment and respond more calmly.
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) A collaborative, client-centered approach that strengthens motivation for change. It is especially effective for addictions and health behaviors.
- Narrative Therapy Encourages people to view problems as separate from themselves and reframe their life story. It helps build resilience and self-identity.
- Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) Emphasizes empathy, unconditional positive regard, and authenticity. It provides a safe space for self-discovery and growth.
- Psychoanalytic Therapy Based on Freud’s theories, it explores unconscious conflicts and past experiences. It seeks to bring hidden issues into awareness.
Education & Credentials
Elias Papadolias
- Male
- License # 17479
- Licensed in Ontario
- Practicing Since 2023
Education: I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Toronto, where I graduated with distinction. I later completed a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, graduating with honours. My academic training provided a strong foundation in psychological theory
Finances
Fees
- Average Session Fee 170.00
- Affordable sliding scale therapy: apply if you may be eligible.
- I understand that financial circumstances can sometimes make accessing therapy difficult. For this reason, I reserve a limited number of sliding scale spaces for clients who may benefit from reduced fees. These spots are offered on a case-by-case basis depending on availability, with the goal of making support more accessible while maintaining a sustainable practice.
- Accepts Insurance
Elias Papadolias Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available In-Person in Ottawa, ON K1R 7P6
- Available Online for residents of Ontario
- Online Therapy Details: Jane App
My practice focuses on helping people understand themselves more clearly while making meaningful changes in their lives. Many people come to therapy feeling stuck in patterns that no longer serve them, struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, or significant life transitions. Therapy provides an opportunity to step back from those patterns, examine them more closely, and begin developing new ways of thinking, feeling, and responding.
My work integrates insight-oriented approaches with practical, evidence-based interventions. I draw from Psychodynamic and Existential therapy to help clients understand how past experiences, relationships, and unconscious patterns shape their current lives. These approaches allow us to explore deeper questions about identity, meaning, responsibility, and the direction one wants their life to take. At the same time, I incorporate structured and research-supported therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which provide practical tools for managing difficult thoughts, regulating emotions, and building healthier behavioral patterns.
I am also EMDR certified and use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing when appropriate to help clients process traumatic experiences and reduce distress that remains connected to past events. In addition, I am certified in the Flash Technique, an EMDR-informed approach designed to gently and effectively address complex trauma while minimizing emotional overwhelm during the process. I am also trained in Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), which emphasizes deep emotional processing and helps clients work through attachment patterns, unresolved emotional injuries, and longstanding relational dynamics.
Because of this integrative approach, therapy may involve exploring past experiences and emotional themes while also focusing on present challenges and future direction. My goal is not simply to help clients feel better in the moment, but to help them develop greater insight, emotional flexibility, and the ability to navigate life’s difficulties with more clarity and confidence.
I work with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma (including complex trauma), burnout and moral injury, relationship and attachment difficulties, emotional dysregulation such as anger or panic, grief and loss, existential concerns about meaning and life direction, and LGBTQ+ issues including identity development and minority stress. Many of my clients are thoughtful, capable people who outwardly function well but feel internally conflicted, overwhelmed, or uncertain about the path they are on.
My aim is to create a therapeutic environment that is both supportive and honest. Clients often benefit from having a space where they can speak openly about their lives without judgment, while also being challenged to think differently about the patterns that may be holding them back. Therapy is ultimately a collaborative process where insight and action work together to produce meaningful and lasting change.