Dr. Natasha Ballen
Dr. Natasha Ballen is a Clinical and Health Psychologist with over 20 years of experience providing psychological and consultative services to adults and couples. Dr. Ballen’s approach to client care encompasses an integrative, compassionate- and value-minded focus to understand clients’ identities through their diverse life experiences. She seeks to help clients increase their understanding of how early attachment and developmental processes influence psychological development so they can develop greater emotional resilience. Dr. Ballen incorporates evidence-based therapies that support resilient thinking, self-awareness, positive social affiliations, and practices that support healthy behaviours that build and promote mental, physical, and emotional recovery. She provides a supportive and empathic environment in guiding clients in the pursuit of meaningful goals that accentuate their strengths and values.
Dr. Ballen provides both in-person and virtual therapy. She has limited availability in her clinical practice; however, you may request to work with one of her supervisees/consultees.
About Natasha
Dr. Ballen’s practice is in Clinical and Health Psychology. She is also pursuing a competency in Rehabilitation Psychology. She provides treatment, assessment, and diagnostic services to adult populations (age 18-65) and couples.
Dr. Ballen’s primary area of interest and experience is in the treatment and assessment of women’s reproductive and mental health concerns, particularly in service to psychological issues related to pregnancy and the peripartum period. Between 2009 to 2013, Dr. Ballen worked as a clinical psychologist in the Perinatal Mental Health Program at the Ottawa Hospital, where she provided individual and group therapy, as well as assessment services to clients during their pregnancy and postpartum. Areas of focus include mood and anxiety disorders, OCD, “baby blues”, adaptation and adjustment to motherhood/parenting, parent-infant attachment difficulties, as well as birth trauma. She also works with clients experiencing infertility and loss/grief, as well as couples who are coping with a new baby and the challenges faced in the relationship during this major life transition.
TOH Perinatal Mental Health Program: https://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/en/clinical-services/deptpgrmcs/departments/mental-health/our-services/perinatal-mental-health-program/
As a Health Psychologist, Dr. Ballen also provides treatment and assessment to clients experiencing illness and health concerns. She seeks to help clients understand the biological, social, and psychological factors that influence health and illness. She supports clients in the adaptation to and/or recovery from illness and learning ways and strategies to implement healthy behaviours that promote physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.
Dr. Ballen is also a clinical provider for the Ontario Medical Association Physician Health Program and the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine Wellness Program. She provides treatment and assessment to faculty members, physicians, residents, and medical students who are experiencing personal, psychological, and/or mental health difficulties, including occupational stress and burnout, trauma (including vicarious or secondary trauma), and workplace stress management. Please visit the OMA https://php.oma.org/ and the Faculty Wellness Program https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-medicine/faculty-affairs/faculty-wellness-program/about-us for further information and to inquire about seeking support.
In her general practice, Dr. Ballen works within the following areas of focus:
- Mood Disorders (Depression, Bipolar Disorder)
- Anxiety and Related Disorders (Generalized Anxiety, OCD)
- Trauma/PTSD
- Developmental and Attachment Trauma
- Grief/Loss
- Life Transitions
- Marital, Interpersonal & Relationship Stress
Dr. Ballen’s approach to therapy is integrative and eclectic. She draws from evidence-based therapeutic models to tailor treatment to her client’s needs:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Schema Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Emotion-Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT-C) https://iceeft.com/what-is-eft/
- Gottman Method for couples https://www.gottman.com/about/the-gottman-method/
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy (ITP)
Doctoral Research Scholarship, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), September 2022;
Clinical Training Experiences:
Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre Pre-Doctoral Residency Program 2006 -2007;
ROH Anxiety & Mood Disorders Program
Brockville Mental Health Centre: Outpatient and Inpatient Mental Health Programs
Brockville Forensic Treatment Unit
The Ottawa General Hospital 2008-2009;
https://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/en/clinical-services/deptpgrmcs/departments/mental-health/
Psychologist in Supervised Practice, Outpatient Mental Health Program
Ottawa Couple & Family Institute 2008 – 2009;
Psychologist in Supervised Practice
Montreal General Hospital, Psychology Residency Program, 2001-2002;
https://www.mcgill.ca/psychiatry/clinical-care/muhc
Outpatient Mental Health Program
University of Alberta, Department of Psychiatry 1999;
https://www.ualberta.ca/psychiatry/index.html
Group Therapist, Department of Outpatient Psychiatry, Day Treatment Program
Additional Training & Certification:
Group Psychotherapy Training Program 1998 – 2000
Edmonton & Calgary chapters of the GPTP
Level 1 & Level 2
Montreal Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Mentorship Group, 2021-2022
Watch, Wait, and Wonder, Introductory 2-Day Workshop, 2003;
https://watchwaitandwonder.com/introductory-workshop/
University of Western Ontario, Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) Training 2003
Certification in the administration & coding of the AAI
Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification (AMBIANCE) Training, 2004
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Level 1 Training 2016-2017;
https://sensorimotorpsychotherapy.org/
Certification in Level 1 Training
Dr. Ballen is committed to continuing education and professional development and participates in workshops and webinars in her area of practice and interest.
Clinical & Health Psychologist, Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, 2010 to present;
Executive Director of Training and Supervision, Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, 2022 to present
Clinical Professor, University of Ottawa, Centre for Psychological Services and Research, 2018 to present;
https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-social-sciences/centre-psychological-services-research
Clinical Supervisor, University of Ottawa, Centre for Psychological Services and Research, 2015-2018
Clinical Psychologist, The Ottawa General Hospital, Outpatient Mental Health Program, 2009-2013;
https://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/en/clinical-services/deptpgrmcs/departments/mental-health/
Psychometrist, The Ottawa General Hospital, Outpatient Mental Health Program, 2008-2009
Clinical Psychologist, The Ottawa Couple and Family Institute, 2009-2015,
Relevant Presentations to Professional or Scientific Groups:
Presentation to the Multiple Birth Families Association of Ottawa, 2021. Birth Trauma, Psychological Impact and Recovery.
Workshop on Emotional Regulation in Transitional Aged Youth, Royal Ottawa Hospital, January & March 2017
Psychological & Mental Health Implications of Abortion. Medical Students for Choice Canadian Symposium on Family Planning, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, January 2019
Speaker, Father’s in Law II – Taking Action on Equality. Ontario Bar Association Women Lawyers Forum Program, March 2019
Other Professional Activities
The College of Psychologists of Ontario, Reviewer for the Peer Assisted Review Process
Ottawa Perinatal Journal Club
Peer review, The Stafford Interview: A comprehensive interview for mother-infant psychiatry, Ian Brockington, 2019;
https://ianbrockington.wordpress.com/stafford-interview/
OICBT & ROH Substance Abuse & Concurrent Disorders Program (SUCD) Program Evaluation Committee, 2015