Senior Psychotherapist, Psychotherapy and Mental Health Services, Student Wellness
University of Ottawa
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Posting Reason:
Replacement of a temporary positionJob Type:
EmployeeAnticipated Duration in Months (for contracts and temporary assignments):
12Job Family:
Student Health and Wellness# of Open Positions:
1Faculty/Service - Department:
Psychotherapy and Mental Health Services I Clinical CoordinatorCampus:
Main CampusUnion Affiliation:
SSUODate Posted (YYYY/MM/DD):
2026/02/12Applications must be received BEFORE (YYYY/MM/DD):
2026/02/23Hours per week:
35Salary Grade:
SSUO Grade 11Salary Range:
$90,987.00 - $114,932.00About Student Affairs:Student Affairs is at the very heart of the student experience at the University of Ottawa. We recruit the very best future students, support them throughout their university years and leave them well-prepared for fulfilling careers and future studies. Our team of more than 600 dedicated staff provides the services that keep students happy, well and thriving as they pursue their ambitions. We help them apply and enroll for courses, we oversee 11 residences and an award-winning Dining Hall, we organize fun events, we provide extensive recreation program opportunities and varsity sports activities, we run an innovative career development and experiential learning program and much more!
There’s nothing more rewarding than helping future generations reach their full potential at a world-class university. With our wide variety of career opportunities and professional development pathways, we’re sure that you’ll enjoy the experience as much as our students do.
Position purpose :
Reporting to the Manager, Psychotherapy and Mental Health Services, the incumbent will provide specialized, evidence-based psychotherapy to students experiencing eating disorders, disordered eating, and related concerns. This role requires advanced clinical expertise in the assessment, treatment, and ongoing management of eating disorders across the diagnostic spectrum, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and other specified feeding and eating disorders. The incumbent will support students in developing sustainable, recovery-oriented skills related to nourishment, body image, emotional regulation, and self-compassion, while promoting overall mental health and academic functioning.
The incumbent will provide individual treatment to students in need and design and facilitate therapeutic groups for students with eating disorders. They will play a key role in building campus capacity by providing training and consultation to psychotherapists, other healthcare providers, faculty, and staff, including campus partners such as the University’s Dietitian. In alignment with a Stepped-Care model, the incumbent will lead health promotion and prevention initiatives aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of eating disorders across campus, with a focus on early identification and reducing barriers to care.
The role involves close collaboration with internal and external partners, including community-based services and supports, to ensure coordinated and appropriate care for students. The incumbent will also contribute to ongoing reporting on clinical activities and outcomes, in accordance with established reporting structures for all services provided, to support service evaluation and continuous improvement.
We want students to engage with a clinician who brings substantial experience and confidence in eating disorder treatment, and who understands the medical, psychological and social complexities of these conditions. This position is dedicated to supporting students impacted by eating disorders, including those navigating intersecting identities, trauma histories, and systemic barriers to care. We are seeking candidates with demonstrated expertise, specialized training, and significant clinical experience in eating disorder assessment and treatment, who can provide inclusive, trauma-informed, and recovery-focused psychotherapy within a post-secondary setting.
In this role, your responsibilities will include:
Individual Counselling : In alignment with the recommended service‑delivery model and using a student‑centered, strengths‑based approach, meet individually with students to assess their emotional, psychological, and relational development, and then develop and implement short‑term therapeutic interventions that support their well‑being. Intervene with students experiencing psychological or emotional difficulties and manage crisis situations, including suicidal crises, in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (or equivalent), to ensure the safety of all parties involved. When necessary, refer students to more specialized or longer‑term services within the University or in the community so they can access mental‑health care that meets their needs.
Group Counselling : Design and facilitate group counselling sessions and psychoeducational workshops to reach as many students as possible and to foster peer support networks and social integration, thereby increasing their resilience throughout their studies.
Consulting Expertise : Act as a subject‑matter expert for the university community regarding student mental health and well‑being, in order to promote awareness and understanding of student needs and the various personal situations students may experience.
Team Supervision : Provide supervision to a team of professionals delivering clinical services and mental‑health crisis management. Advise team members on best practices and appropriate actions when dealing with complex or high‑risk cases involving safety concerns (risk of harm to self or others). Consult with the supervisor or manager for any critical incident requiring higher‑level intervention.
Project Management : Supervise a team of professionals working on a variety of projects related to mental‑health and wellness service delivery. Support team members in project planning and management, as well as in work methods and processes. Ensure the delivery and accountability of assigned projects.
File Management : Prepare and maintain detailed records for each student seen, ensuring the ability to trace the sequence and nature of professional services provided. Ensure effective management of these records to preserve confidentiality in accordance with University regulations and the guidelines of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
Supervision of Others : Depending on the incumbent’s area of expertise and level of experience, supervise the work of counselling interns and provide feedback to ensure they meet student needs effectively and adhere to professional ethical standards. When required, train and supervise students hired through the Work‑Study Program, such as Peer Counsellors, and ensure their work meets established standards and guidelines.
What you will bring
Graduate degree in counselling, psychology, or another related discipline.
Applied training in suicide intervention techniques (ASIST) or equivalent training.
Knowledge of mental‑health issues in a post‑secondary environment.
Ability to provide various psychotherapy modalities based on evidence‑based practices.
Full membership with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
At least five (5) years of experience in a similar role.
Clear criminal record.
Bilingualism – French and English (oral and written). Must be able to provide therapeutic services in both official languages
Knowledge and experience in using and interpreting the most recent psychometric instruments.
Eligibility for professional liability insurance as an independent practitioner.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and client‑service skills.
Awareness of issues related to confidentiality, informed consent, accessibility, and diversity.
Experience developing and facilitating psychoeducational workshops.
Knowledge and experience with computer systems and software such as Windows, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, Internet, and email.
Ability to work evenings and weekends when required.
Key Competencies at uOttawa:
Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa:
Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.
The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact hrtalentmanagement@uottawa.ca to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.
If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.
Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.