Choosing the right person to accompany us in a personal development process is not always easy, let’s face it. It’s a strange relationship, requiring you to be vulnerable – quite quickly – with someone you don’t know. Just the fact that you’re looking at your options right now is an important first step that requires courage, so I’d like to meet you halfway and take the time to introduce myself briefly. That way, you’ll have some idea of what to expect if you want us to work together.

When I think of the families I’ve had the chance to help, one thing becomes clear to me: every family is different. All children are as “normal” as they come, teenagers are fascinating in their uniqueness, and above all, there’s no such thing as a “perfect” parent. My role is to understand your unique ecosystem and established dynamics, to pinpoint your strengths and difficulties, and to support you. At your own speed. Think of it this way: you’re behind the wheel of your own car and I’ve got the GPS. Are you wearing your seatbelt? Good, let’s get started.

I provide psychotherapy services for children and adolescents experiencing a wide range of socio-emotional and relational difficulties: emotional regulation (anxiety, depression), oppositional behaviors, family conflicts, major life transitions, recent or complex traumas. Furthermore, I support parents who wish to enhance their parenting skills, harmonize their co-parenting relationship, or who are looking for psychosocial support. My therapeutic approach is collaborative and integrative, combining the foundations of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), attachment-based therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and the family systemic approach. Whenever possible and depending on the needs, I generally find it preferable to work with the parent-child dyad or with the family unit.

At your first appointment, I’ll meet with you and your family to discuss your concerns and needs. Together, we’ll target the goals you want to achieve, based on your resources and the time you can invest in therapy. Each family member will be given a time and space to name their expectations in the services. We will then make an intervention plan, which will serve as a guide for the therapeutic follow-up until the objectives are reached.

I also provide a variety of psychological assessments (psychoeducationals, psychodiagnostics and for autism spectrum disorders). What are those? Well, depending on the facing difficulties, the evaluation will paint a picture of the child’s or adolescent’s cognitive, socio-emotional, behavioral, academic and/or developmental strengths and challenges. Appropriate diagnoses (if applicable) are then given, and recommendations are issued to optimize functioning in the various spheres of life.

Before entering private practice, I developed and applied my expertise working in a variety of clinical settings, including the Centre de services psychologiques de l’Université du Québec en Outaouais (CSPUQO), the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSO – Équipe santé mentale jeunesse) and more recently the Centre d’appui et de prévention (Le CAP). I have mainly practiced in multidisciplinary settings, outpatient clinics and day treatment programs with young people presenting complex mental health challenges. Between September 2020 and July 2023, I was Director of Youth and Family Mental Health Services at Le CAP. While in this position, I participated in many different regional projects and advisory committees to increase accessibility to mental health services for families in Ottawa and Ontario, including co-chairing the steering committee for 1appel1click.ca during its launch and implementation.

I hold a B.A. in psychology with a minor in social work from the University of Ottawa, and a Psy.D. in clinical psychology from the Université du Québec en Outaouais. My research focused on the impact of the quality of parent-child relationships on the development of psychological distress, and on the intergenerational transmission of parenting practices. I also have always maintain a keen interest in the impact of chronic stress and adverse experiences (e.g., trauma, abandonment, neglect) on child development, as well as in the use of the parent-child relationship as a therapeutic tool to promote or restore children’s mental health and well-being.

I am currently registered with the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario and the Ordre des psychologues du Québec. I am also a member of the Canadian Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to working together!