As therapists, our role is to facilitate the healing journey, and as every other human being, we also have our own issues, wounds and obstacles on this journey. We each have our blind spots, our places where transference and counter-transference meet and, at times, get stuck and interfere with accompanying and helping bring light and clarity to those who come to us for guidance. At times, the vicarious trauma, the sense of being overwhelmed and helplessness that can come with our profession, especially when working with children, and the life long effects of interpersonal trauma, affects us and if not dealt with, lead us to ill health and eventual burn out. As well, Life also happens to therapists and sometimes we need support to help us meet the challenges in our own personal life.

This is why I believe that, as therapists, we also need to be on our own healing journey.

Our self-knowledge and self-care is essential to our well being, to our personal and professional growth.

I have been providing therapy for therapists and other helping professionals for the last 25 years and therefore have guided many on their healing journey.

We have used both traditional person-centered verbal psychotherapy as well as symbolic expression and exploration through the use of visualization, metaphors and a variety of media ( primarily art and sand play), all from a Holistic Expressive Therapy, An Integrative Approach to Helping Maltreated Children perspective. All have been guided to get to know, unravel and process the issues that had so far pushed them from behind. They have been encouraged and mentored to implement their discoveries into their daily life and develop a self-care practise that incorporates what brings them joy and pleasure.

This process can take place face to face and/or long distance.

Therapy, as any journey is ongoing, and is most effective when it takes place on a regularly basis, whether weekly or bi-weekly, at first, then on a less frequent basis, and eventually, as the need presents itself.

For those who live far away, and come from different parts of Canada or the United States, therapy can also take place in form of a Healing Retreat , followed up with regular phone sessions.

More information on session rates

If you are a therapist or helping professional interested in therapy, please contact Marie-José .

For more information on other forms of retreats, please visit:

Personal and Professional Development Retreats

Imagery and Self-Care, A Learning Healing Retreat for Adult and Child Therapists

Consultation and Self-Care Annual Retreat