Narrative Therapists in Ottawa, ON

I work from an approach grounded in self-compassion and the understanding that difficult times are not a sign of personal failure. I believe that healing requires unlearning the parts of ourselves and our experiences that keep us burdened in favour of kinder ways of being.

Life is challenging and sometimes all of the ups and downs can feel really overwhelming. I offer a supportive, non-judgemental, client centred approach to therapy. Stress, anxiety and depression can creep up in all types of life circumstances. I work with adolescents, adults, couples and families. My practice also specializes in parenting, pre-natal & postpartum support and helping navigate difficult life challenges and transitions.

Your experience of life is unique to you. Whatever your situation, my goal is to hear you and understand your experience from your perspective. I aim to create a safe place and a strong alliance so we can understand where you are now, define your goals, and how we can achieve them. With a focus on developing a confident, positive mindset, we will connect your triggers, emotions, and actions, make corrective experiences, and align your actions with your values and needs so you can thrive in your life. I primarily work with individuals and couples.

Life is complex and navigating the challenges of anxiety, depression, or relationship issues can add to this complexity. Your journey is uniquely yours, and I am here to support you with respect, sensitivity, and a commitment to fostering positive change. I am currently welcoming new clients (youth and adults) with no to little wait time.

Have you noticed changes in your mood and energy levels? Are you finding yourself struggling to maintain connections in your relationships? Sometimes life can become overwhelming, whether that’s because of our emotions, thoughts, behaviours, difficulties within our relationships or traumatic life events. Whichever the reason, we can unpack it one step at a time. Together, we will build a comfortable, non-judgmental environment where you can feel safe and supported as you navigate challenging circumstances.

Life can feel heavy and distressing at times. Whether or not this is your first time seeking therapy, I know how difficult and scary it can be to reach out for support. I strive to create a safe space where you feel comfortable, respected, and can express yourself without judgement. I have supported individuals navigating a range of concerns including anxiety, grief, life transitions, identity, procrastination, and relationships.

Welcome. My name is Mélanie Martel. To most, I’m Mel. I am a registered social worker, psychotherapist offering an integrative, trauma-informed, body and attachment-centric approach to therapy. My style can generally be described as relaxed, fluid and intuitive. I have the privilege of walking alongside individuals, youth and adults alike. I draw from attachment theory, dyadic developmental psychotherapy, dialectical behavioural therapy and narrative therapy. I whole-heartedly aim to establish a collaborative, compassionate, inclusive and non-judgemental environment.

As humans, growth is our birthright. It guides our everyday choices and interactions and ultimately leads us to live in ways that feel peaceful, free, and aligned with our values. But it's really hard to grow when we're overwhelmed or in "survival mode." If you're tired of just going through the motions - feeling empty, numb, disconnected, or out of control - I would be honoured to partner with you on your journey back to yourself, whether that includes working through things that happened in the past or exploring the path forward.

I currently provide individual counselling by secure online video or by phone. I work primarily with adults to manage and process a variety of concerns. I use a client-centred, trauma-informed approach with a focus on existing strengths to collaborate with people on their path forward. I strive to help my clients view their situation with self-compassion, connect to their resiliency, and enhance their coping skills. I work with the understanding that individual issues arise in the context of greater social structures such as family, the workplace, intimate relationships, and society in general.

Now accepting new clients. When we experience chronic and severe life stressors, it is not uncommon for our lives to unravel. Sometimes we find ourselves struggling with everyday tasks, becoming easily overwhelmed or feeling disconnected from our life, goals and loved ones. Together we can find healthy perceptions of yourself and strengthen that feeling of connection.

Welcoming New Clients. Are you feeling overwhelmed and looking for a counselor who has compassion without judgement? I counsel from a strengths-based framework, working with clients to embrace coping strategies to achieve their goals in health and happiness. My approach to psychotherapy is rooted in narrative therapy, family systems and vicarious trauma/compassion fatigue. I believe that people who access counselling are at a place in their lives where they have identified wanting to be in control of their future selves. I'm looking forward to hearing from you so that we can start down that road together.

Taking the first step towards reaching out to a therapist can feel very overwhelming, so congratulations for taking that step today! The reasons for connecting with a therapist are varied and unique to the individual, as such my practice is to work to fully understand the concerns you are navigating, as you see them. In unpacking the concerns and the subsequent impact, we can work together to explore different ways of responding to the issues you're facing, be it a change of circumstance, or a change in how you feel about the circumstance. Together we can work towards creating a life that is more rich and meaningful on your terms.

Just existing in today's world can feel overwhelming on top of whatever unique stressors you may be facing. While it might be tempting to downplay your challenges as insignificant or "not that bad", everyone deserves a space to be seen and understood. As a therapist, my job is not to to analyze, diagnose, or pathologize you. Instead, I approach our sessions with genuine curiosity, aiming to understand the meaning you attach to your experiences and ask questions that may help to shift your outlook on the challenges you’re facing.

I work in a warm, gentle and collaborative relationship with you to foster your healing processes and growth. I have been a Psychotherapist for 10 years, working with issues stemming from trauma, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, grief, loss, or role transitions. Many clients use psychotherapy as a safe container to understand themselves better and consider our work an integral part of their self-care practice. Many of my clients' goals are to learn to have more compassionate, aware and accepting relationships with themselves and to deepen their ability to connect with others in meaningful and more satisfying ways.

I strive to support clients in meeting their goals, building upon their coping skills, and processing their trauma in a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space. Through trauma-informed, person-centered practice, our sessions would put you in the driver’s seat of your own journey to healing and growth. My integrative framework is adapted to suit the needs and presenting issues of each client I meet with, in order to support you with an approach that works best for you and your specific goals, presenting issues, and needs. It is important to me that you feel supported in a way that is significant to you.

Currently waitlisting clients! I aim to honour the experience of all of my clients and believe that starts with making a genuine connection from the first session. I offer psychotherapy services to adult and teen individuals and couples struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma/PTSD, addiction, grief and loss, life transitions, interpersonal relationships, and relationship conflict. I am also an LGBTQ2S+ positive, ENM-affirming, and kink-friendly therapist.

Have you worked hard to change the way you think and yet struggle to change the way you feel? I may be able to help you. I am an RP in fully independent practice, and I believe that holistic, meaningful and lasting change can occur when we weave our body and our mind's voices and experiences into the narrative of who we are and who we aspire to be. If you have ever listened to your "gut" instinct, soothed yourself using breath or felt the urge to move to a favourite song, you have experienced the benefit of the mind-body connection! Together, we will deepen this connection therapeutically to encourage relief, change and growth.

Together we will explore the issues you are facing and develop a plan to support you in achieving your goals – whether you are dealing with significant emotional distress, experiencing challenges in your relationships, or seeking to better understand yourself and your experiences. I am particularly passionate about treating complex & childhood trauma, relationship issues & patterns, family dynamics, self-esteem & self-compassion, self-development & growth, and social justice. I also work with depression, anxiety, stress & burnout, emotional regulation, establishing healthy boundaries, and grief.

Making the decision to begin counseling requires both courage and commitment. You have already made the first step on this journey by starting your search. I am an experienced psychotherapist, and certified Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) provider confident in offering in-person and online counselling services in English, French, Serbian, Bosnian, and Croatian. I work with youth (16+) and adults in all stages of life. I strive to help my clients achieve their goals, gain a different perspective, and learn new skills and effective ways of dealing with challenges.