Who Are We?
Psychiatric Survivors of Ottawa (PSO) is a community of peers using our lived experiences with the mental health system to support one another in moving towards our full potential. With its roots in the self-help philosophy, PSO provides an effective alternative and supplement to traditional mental health programs. We offer a safe and non-judgmental environment for consumer/survivors to get together, support each other, and build upon our skills.

PSO is a non-profit member-driven organization founded in 1991 by a handful of consumer/survivors of the mental health system. PSO has grown into a dynamic group of over 400 consumer/survivors from all walks of life. Membership is free to psychiatric survivors.

Vision Statement:
To be innovative leaders in the promotion of health and wellness in our communities where people with lived experiences are supported and celebrated.
Value Statements:
Hope: We believe in the power of hope, that there is hope for everyone and that recovery cannot occur without hope. We encourage hope and focus on people’s strengths, skills and abilities.

Peer Driven: We are dedicated to ensuring that lived experiences are the driving force in the design and delivery of the mental health system.

Self Determination: We believe in the right of the person to make their own life decisions and determine their own destiny.

Respect: We value diversity and unique contributions, fostering a trusting, open and inclusive approach to everything we do.

Integrity: We believe in being: ethical, honest and inspiring confidence by saying what we mean, matching our behaviours to our words and taking responsibility for our actions, with transparency.

What Does PSO Offer?
Drop-in & Resource Centre
PSO members are welcome to gather in our comfortable drop-in centre, where we exchange ideas and information, and enjoy each others company over a cup of tea or coffee.
  • Office resources available to members include computers with internet and e-mail access, a photocopier (5 cents per copy), a fax machine and a lending library.
  • Community information boards are available for browsing.
  • The Community Resource Guide, produced by PSO, is available free of charge to members. 
  • PSO staff offer information and referrals to members and the public over the telephone; please call during our office hours, which are Tuesday to Friday, 12:00 to 4:00p.m.
Peer Support & Community Transitions
Peer support encourages us to help ourselves. PSO runs a number of self help groups through out the week. The groups can have a specific topic for discussion or can be an open group where members can talk about what concerns them. While all groups have a facilitator they are generally self managed.

Current groups include:
  • Alternate Realities
  • Christian Wholeness
  • Community Transitions
  • De-cluttering
  • Family Support
  • Living with Voices
  • Men’s
  • Peer Recovery
  • Peer Support
  • Women’s
Education & Self Help
Self determination means we are in control of our own life; we make our own decisions and have the right to make bad ones as much as we have the right to make good ones.

PSO's education programs are tools we can use to prepare us to make those decisions. They are focused on recovery, wellness and moving forward in our lives. Each is peer facilitated in small group settings where our collective experience offer insight and reflection for each other.

Programs include:
  • WRAP
  • Family WRAP
  • Pathways
  • PeerFit
  • Mindfulness
  • Gaining Autonomy with my Medication