Meet Brian Powell, MSW, RSW
EMDR Therapist in Ottawa and available online worldwide.
The voice of pain says, “This is all there is.” Healing says, “There’s something more waiting for you.”
Trauma shows up in fragmented images, sensations in the body, and reactions that feel out of our control. That’s why talk therapy alone often falls short. Insight doesn’t reach the parts of you that need healing. To actually heal, we have to work where the trauma lives—beneath language, toward the nervous system, and in the body itself.
This is the work we’ll do together.
Get To Know Me
How I Work
Healing trauma is my expertise and deepest passion.
Your feeling a sense of traction and personal transformation matters here. We go after what’s stuck—memories, images, nervous system responses, self-beliefs—and clear it out so you can continue your momentum toward a freer, more fulfilling, and less disorienting type of life.
My work is mainly rooted in EMDR and trauma resolution, but I integrate methods from CBT, DBT, psychodynamic theory, narrative work, and coaching — improvisationally, based on what you actually need in the moment. Because your history is uniquely your own, therapy shouldn’t feel scripted or generic. It should feel like it was built around your specific needs, your nervous system, and the way your story lives in your body. The work we do together is always tailored — responsive to who you are, where you’ve been, and what you're ready to shift.
It may feel like your suffering could never be relieved, but I’m here to tell you: that doesn’t mean healing isn’t possible. I believe (and have seen time and time again) that true healing doesn’t require years of therapy—it requires precision, honesty, and a therapist who knows how to help your system finally let go of the hurt.
I’ve worn a lot of hats over the years. I’ve shown up in courtrooms, boardrooms, shelters, jails, and classrooms—and I’m just as comfortable in those spaces as I am across from you on the couch, coffee in hand, doing the real work. However we meet, you get someone who’s fully present, deeply attuned, and able to hold whatever comes into the room.
What sets my work apart
We work deep & fast
Most of my clients begin EMDR in the first session. I’ve found there’s no reason for drawn-out prep or needless waiting.
No need for censoring
I’ve heard it all and want you to know you don’t have to fit a certain mold to be here. You can’t scare me, overwhelm me, or break me. This is the place where we look at the reality of what happened and what you really feel.
This isn’t talk therapy
If you want someone to nod and ask, “How does that make you feel?”—that’s not me! Healing trauma at its root requires a much more targeted approach.
I tell you the truth
You don’t need sugarcoating—you need something real. I offer honest guidance and a truly safe place to unravel what’s been holding you back.
My Background
For decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of crisis and healing—supporting people in homes, child protection, psychiatric wards, prisons, the Olympic field, sound stages, and executive suites alike. I bring all of that experience to the room, and I don’t shy away from what’s hard.
Everyone deserves a space where they’re not judged or pathologized, but where they’re actually met, just as they are. Utilizing a strong therapeutic relationship—especially one that’s built on safety and honesty—is a key catalyst for healing. I offer that to you. I create a sustained environment of care and rapport, and you can’t fake that.
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Master of Social Work (MSW), Smith College, Massachusetts
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), University of British Columbia
Registered Social Worker (RSW), Ontario College of Social Workers — #859267
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EMDR Basic Training, The Trauma Institute (Florence, MA)
Progressive Counting Certificate, The Trauma Institute
Certificate in Mediation & Third Party Intervention, The Justice Institute of BC
Certificate of Counselling Science, Counsellor Training Institute of Canada
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Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers — #859267
Ontario Association of Social Workers — #27829
Ontario Business Registry — #48617748
It’s time to do things differently.
Sessions available in Ottawa and online worldwide.