Find your way back to each other, and to yourself
I'm Melissa Saumur, a Registered Social Worker and psychotherapist. I help couples break painful patterns, and I help adults heal from trauma, anxiety and big life changes. Sessions are online, in English or French, for people across Ontario and Alberta.
- Registered in Ontario and Alberta
- Over 20 years of experience
- EFT trained through ICEEFT
- Covered by most extended health plans
Where would you like to start?
Most people come to me for one of two reasons: their relationship feels stuck, or they are carrying more than they can hold on their own.
Couples therapy
The same argument, then the same silence. Emotionally Focused Therapy helps you see the pattern and build a bond that feels safe again.
Explore couples therapy
Individual therapy
For trauma, anxiety, low mood and the weight of big changes. Practical skills, at a pace that feels safe.
Explore individual therapy
When you keep having the same fight
Most couples who come to me are not really fighting about the dishes or the in-laws. They are caught in a cycle. One partner reaches out, louder and louder, to be heard. The other pulls back to keep the peace. Each move makes sense on its own, and together they leave both people feeling alone.
In Emotionally Focused Therapy we slow that cycle down, name it together, and find what each of you needs underneath it. The cycle becomes the problem, not your partner.
A social worker first
Before private practice, I spent more than twenty years in women's shelters, child protection, schools and family court assessments. That work taught me how stress moves through a family, and how much people can heal when they feel safe and understood.
Today I see adults and couples online. I am the Owner and Clinical Director of Canada Therapy & Wellness, and I also see clients through the Ottawa Couple and Family Institute.
How it works
A free 15-minute call
Ask your questions and see if we are a good fit. There is no pressure to continue.
Your first session
We talk about what brought you here and what you want to change, then build a plan together. Sessions are 50 minutes.
Ongoing sessions
By secure video from home, in English or French. You receive a receipt after each session for your insurer.
Individual sessions are $175 for 50 minutes, and most extended health plans cover a Registered Social Worker. Fees and insurance
Common questions
Is therapy with you covered by insurance?
Most extended health plans cover services by a Registered Social Worker (RSW). You receive a receipt after each session to submit to your insurer. Check how much your plan covers each year, and whether couples sessions are claimed under one partner. See fees and insurance.
Do you offer in-person sessions?
No. All sessions are online by secure video. Many people find it easier to open up from home, and there is no travel time. See how online therapy works.
Can I have therapy in French?
Yes. I am fluently bilingual and offer every service in English or French. Couples are welcome to switch between languages if that feels more natural.
Can a Registered Social Worker provide psychotherapy?
Yes. In Ontario, Registered Social Workers are one of the professions authorized to practise psychotherapy. I am registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and with the Alberta College of Social Workers, and I am trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy through ICEEFT.
Reaching out is often the hardest step
Book a free 15-minute call to ask your questions and see if we are a good fit, with no pressure to continue.