*THIS IS NOT A CRISIS SERVICE*
If you or someone you love is struggling right now, help is available;
Canada: Call or text 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline - Available 24/7
U.S.: Call or text 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Available 24/7
Elsewhere: Visit your local health services or find international helplines at your country’s crisis support network.
Where We Started
Owl’s Nest Foundation began with a belief that should not be controversial: people deserve access to mental health support, regardless of their ability to pay.
Our founder has spent much of her professional life working alongside people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, as a nurse, mental health professional, therapist, educator, and advocate. Working directly within healthcare and mental health systems has provided a firsthand view of both the incredible care that people can receive and the significant gaps that remain.
She has seen people wait months for support.
She has seen people unable to access counselling because they could not afford it.
She has seen people living in communities where appropriate services simply weren't available.
She has seen people fall between systems because their needs did not fit neatly into one program, one diagnosis, or one eligibility requirement.
She has personally experienced these things herself.
And she has seen how difficult it can be to ask for help in the first place.
These experiences stayed with her.
So she decided to build something.
Owl’s Nest Foundation was founded as a way to turn that belief into action: to create another door into mental health support for people who might otherwise be left waiting, priced out, or without somewhere to turn.
Our founder continues to volunteer her time to lead and operate the foundation because she genuinely believes that mental health care should be more accessible.
There is no personal profit motive behind creating a service that is free to clients.
There is simply a commitment to the work.
She contributes her professional experience, leadership, clinical knowledge, administrative time, and countless hours behind the scenes because she believes that access to support should not be determined by someone's bank account.
And she is not alone.
Owl’s Nest exists because a growing community of volunteers has chosen to contribute their time and skills to the same purpose.
Counsellors volunteer their clinical time.
Students contribute their time while developing their professional skills under appropriate supervision.
Administrative and outreach volunteers help keep the organization moving.
Together, they make it possible for Owl’s Nest to offer something that many people are told they cannot have without paying for it:
someone to talk to.
We have seen the gaps. We are trying to help close them.
We don't believe Owl’s Nest can fix Canada's mental health system, and we don't pretend that one nonprofit can solve every barrier to care.
But we can do something.
We can provide a safe place to begin.
We can make counselling more accessible.
We can listen.
We can connect people with additional resources when our services aren't enough.
And we can keep asking an important question: What could mental health care look like if accessibility was treated as a responsibility rather than an afterthought?
That question is at the heart of Owl’s Nest.
Our story started with one person who saw the gaps firsthand and decided not to simply accept them.
It continues with every volunteer who chooses to give their time.
And ultimately, it is about every person who reaches out and trusts us enough to say: “I need someone to talk to.”
That is why we're here.
Our Mission
Our mission is to reduce barriers to mental health support by providing free, accessible, and compassionate counselling to people across Canada.
We aim to create a space where people can show up exactly as they are, without judgment, without having to prove that they are “unwell enough,” and without financial barriers determining whether they receive support.
Our services are designed to complement, not replace, the broader healthcare and mental health system.
Why "Owl's Nest"?
A nest represents safety, shelter, belonging, and a place to rest.
An owl represents wisdom, observation, and the ability to see what may not be immediately visible.
Together, the name reflects what we hope to offer:
A safe place to land while you find your way forward.
Our Counsellors
Our volunteer counselling team includes qualified and supervised counsellors at different stages of their professional journeys.
Some of our volunteers are experienced clinicians. Others are graduate-level counselling students who have completed all of their coursework and are now completing supervised clinical training as part of their pathway toward professional registration. Students do not practise independently. Every student counsellor works under the direction and supervision of qualified & licensed clinical supervisors with a minimum of 5 years experience, and their work is subject to the requirements of their educational program and applicable professional standards. Every student has mandatory ongoing 1:1 clinical supervision with a qualified counselling supervisor.
We believe transparency about who provides care is essential to building trust.
Before beginning counselling, clients are informed about their counsellor's professional status and the nature of the service they will receive.
What You Can Expect From Us
We will be transparent about:
-
Who your counsellor is and their professional or student status
-
Whether they are working under clinical supervision
-
What type of counselling we provide
-
The limits of our service
-
Confidentiality and its legal and ethical limits
-
How clinical concerns are escalated when necessary
-
When another service may be more appropriate
-
What information is collected and why
-
What you can expect from the counselling relationship
We will never tell you that “free” means you should expect less.