Soul Space Ottawa

06/01/2026

From CBC to CP24 to Today's Farmer, striking members of OPSEU/SEFPO are making waves in the media this week as a province-wide strike expands.

Workers are taking a historic stand – not just for themselves, but for the people they support and the future of services that communities rely on.

They are telling their stories and shining a light on the realities of underfunding: people falling through the cracks and families struggling to access support, while workers are pushed into poverty.

Take action at worthfightingfor.ca and join a picket line near you!

05/23/2026

Truly an honour to host this incredible team of nurses! Grateful for all of you. ❤️

Many thanks as well to the team at Earthen vessels - grateful for our collaboration to care for caregivers. 🙏🏽

05/21/2026

We're so grateful for these caring men who have served and continue to serve our community over many years. Soul Space volunteers Craig (retired social worker) and Bobby J (peer supporter who never tires) joined Ottawa Inner City Health 's fearless Chad to drop off some treats to workers affected by the recent defunding of supervised consumption sites.

Chad holds a special place in our 💞 at Soul Space, as he attended one of our first retreats in 2020. After all these years, he's been a strong steady force at Inner City, supporting clients and staff at Trailer 2.0., setting an example of balancing community and self-care, while also encouraging his team to engage in collective care with Soul Space.

The defunding and closures of supervised consumption sites are devastating news to the teams at Inner City, their clients, and to our community. But in partnership with their leadership team, we are holding space for workers to experience collective care - being seen and heard by a community of their peers that care deeply about their wellbeing.

We hope that we can continue to hold and share the hope that they have held for so many community members over the years. 🙏

In spirit and solidarity 💜 Thank you for all that you do.

05/14/2026

This may look like nap time, but it was so much more than that! We are honoured to have shared time and space with incredible caregivers from Centretown CHC | CSC du Centre-ville as they engaged in collective care with us at Misiwe Ni Relations Healing Lodge last week.

During their day retreat, we offered these healthcare and community workers a moment to pause, connect with themselves, each other, nature and their own sense of spirit to ensure that their cups are refilled before returning to their important work in the community.

We are grateful for their trust in us, as well as our team members, Lynn who offered a session on mindful self-compassion and grief around the campfire, Jenny Šâwanohk who offered an energy healing session, Bobby Jamison and Nicole Corinne for their peer support. It was not lost on us that our volunteer team that day was comprised of a retired family physician, a nurse, two community workers and a social worker. Truly collective care. 💖

05/14/2026

Love this! We are grateful to these dedicated souls who keep showing up with care and love for our community.

04/30/2026

There is so much going on right now with the closure of harm reduction sites in Ottawa and beyond. This political move affects so many people in our community, including many dedicated frontline workers at Sandy Hill CHC / CSC Côte-de-sable and Ottawa Inner City Health who meet people where they are at to provide compassionate care.

Amidst this political landscape and battle, we know that these compassionate souls will continue to do the caring work that they have always done - in the light and in the darkness. Though it may not always feel like it, there are so many folks in our community who are truly and deeply grateful for the care that you provide, and we invite you to share your expressions of gratitude for these workers in the comments below.

Our hope is that we can offer a bit of respite along the journey, including the fight to continue to offer evidence-based care. Yesterday, that included sharing some smile cookies with workers at Sandy Hill CHC / CSC Côte-de-sable. We are grateful to the leadership at Sandy Hill and at Ottawa Inner City Health for collaborating with us to offer collective care circles for workers to connect and receive support during this difficult transition.

04/30/2026

Have you ever rested near a tree with nowhere else to be? No agenda, no effort?

You know that being outdoors among the trees feels great, but you struggle to make time in your life for it. This is for you.

A sit spot is a place outdoors where you return regularly, simply to sit and be. A Sit Spot practice builds a habit of nature connection. A connection that offers scientifically-proven benefits for your nervous system and overall health.

We’ll help you build the habit into your life: with a place, a regular time, and a circle of kindred spirits. No cost. No experience needed.
Join our six-week pilot program, hosted by certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guides.
When: Sundays: May 3-June 7, from 9 to 10 am
Where: Dominion Arboretum, off Prince of Wales Drive

04/27/2026

Sharing in support of OTR4MentalHealth 💜

In Memory of Aric, Madeleine and all those who we have lost to the mental health and toxic drug crisis

02/12/2026

It's been a long winter, and the need for community support is greater than we've ever known. We are so grateful, however, to have been gifted a Gratitude Sound Bath 🔔 by Ottawa Community Energy Healing for frontline workers and community members, as we came together for a restorative afternoon of connection.

We can't wait to do this again, as we know there were many of you who wanted to participate but couldn't.

With warm grateful hearts, we thank those of you on the frontlines, meeting community members with compassion and love ❤️❤️❤️

02/05/2026

SHARING from Amanda Rocheleau, MSW, RSW Compassion Fatigue Therapy:
_______________
Hello Helpers,

I am writing to share an opportunity for accessible counselling support within my practice.

From February to the end of March, we are offering free virtual counselling for adults (18+) residing in Ontario, provided by Susan Taylor, an Advanced Year Master of Social Work intern completing her final practicum in advanced clinical practice under my clinical supervision.

Susan brings over 25 years of experience working in women’s mental health, trauma counselling, and gender-based violence services across community, shelter, crisis, and primary care settings in Ontario. She currently works as a Mental Health Counsellor within a Family Health Team and has extensive experience supporting women navigating stress, grief and loss, relationship strain, anxiety, and major life transitions.

Susan’s approach is calm, relational, and practical, and is grounded in trauma-informed, feminist, anti-oppressive, and attachment-oriented practice. She is available Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays from 9:30am to 4pm for secure virtual sessions.

This free counselling option may be a meaningful fit for individuals who are feeling overwhelmed, emotionally depleted, or simply in need of supportive space during this season.

To inquire about this service, interested individuals can complete a brief intake form, and we will follow up regarding availability and next steps.

Please feel free to share this opportunity with friends, family members, or colleagues in Ontario who may benefit from accessible mental health support at this time.

Susan is an MSW intern offering trauma-informed, caregiver-focused counselling for women in Ontario, with support for burnout, grief, relationship stress, and life transitions.