therapist jobs in Ottawa, ON

Job Summary

We are seeking two compassionate and dedicated Behaviour Therapists to join our multidisciplinary team. In this role, you will work alongside children and their families to provide individualized, neuro-affirming support rooted in each child’s unique strengths, needs, communication style, and goals.

Our approach is child-centred, collaborative, and focused on building meaningful skills while respecting autonomy, connection, and individual differences. The ideal candidate values relationship-based support, understands behaviour as a form of communication, and is passionate about creating environments where children feel safe, understood, and supported.

This role offers the opportunity to work within a collaborative team of professionals who value curiosity, connection, and meeting each child exactly where they are.

Duties

• Provide individualized, neuro-affirming support based on each child’s strengths, needs, communication style, sensory profile, and goals.
• Build trusting relationships with children and support emotional regulation, communication, social connection, independence, and meaningful skill development.
• Recognize behaviour as communication and work to understand the underlying need, emotion, sensory experience, or environmental factor contributing to a child’s response.
• Support children during moments of distress, dysregulation, or escalation using calm, respectful, trauma-informed de-escalation approaches that prioritize safety, dignity, and connection.
• Take a leadership role during complex behavioural situations, helping the team respond consistently, confidently, and in a way that respects the child’s autonomy and individual needs.
• Collaborate with educators, therapists, families, caregivers, and other professionals to create consistent and supportive approaches across environments.
• Provide guidance, coaching, and practical support to team members in understanding behaviour, preventing escalation, supporting regulation, and responding to challenging situations.
• Identify environmental, sensory, communication, and relational factors that may be impacting a child and work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to adjust supports.
• Maintain clear and timely documentation, including session notes, observations, strategies, and relevant updates, in accordance with Second Nature policies.
• Assist with medication administration as prescribed and authorized, following all Second Nature policies and safety procedures.
• Contribute to a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where children feel understood, respected, and accepted for who they are.

Qualifications

• Minimum of one year of hands-on experience working with children in an educational, clinical, therapeutic, or related setting.
• Demonstrated experience supporting children who present with complex or challenging behaviours is required. Candidates must feel confident responding to dysregulation, escalation, and high-support situations in a calm, safe, and respectful manner.
• Strong understanding of neuro-affirming, trauma-informed, and child-centred approaches to supporting behaviour and emotional regulation.
• Experience with de-escalation, co-regulation, crisis prevention, and proactive support strategies.
• Ability to remain calm, confident, and solution-focused during challenging or unexpected situations.
• A proactive and driven approach to your work. You are expected to identify needs, take initiative, problem-solve, and contribute to solutions rather than wait for direction.
• Strong leadership skills and the confidence to provide guidance and support to team members during complex behavioural situations.
• Highly accountable and reliable, with a strong commitment to following through on responsibilities, documentation, communication, and team expectations.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively alongside children, families, educators, therapists, and other professionals.
• A genuine commitment to respecting each child’s autonomy, communication style, sensory needs, strengths, and individual differences.
• Knowledge of individualized education, child development, mental health, or multidisciplinary therapeutic practices is considered an asset.
• Training or certification in crisis prevention, de-escalation, behaviour support, or related areas is considered an asset.

We are currently hiring for opportunities at both our Kemptville and Nepean locations and are looking for passionate professionals who want to grow with Second Nature and make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families.

Pay: $21.00-$25.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Dental care
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• On-site parking
• Vision care

Application question(s):

• Are you willing to work in both our Nepean and Kemptville location?
• Is there an age group that you are not comfortable working with?
• Briefly describe your approach when supporting neurodivergent children.
• What interests you most about Second Nature?

Experience:

• Behaviour management: 1 year (required)

Work Location: In person