Laurelle St Jean, Registered Psychologist
Laurelle is a registered psychologist in Alberta and the director of Mendable Psychology. She works with individual adults to treat trauma, anxiety, women’s health, and relationship dynamics.
I help people cope with the everyday and exceptional challenges of life, experience less suffering, and engage more fully with the present moment.
I believe that therapy provides a unique relationship which gives you the opportunity to freely explore the thoughts and feelings you carry, particularly those that may no longer serve you.
My role is to help guide you towards your innate strengths, self-compassion and intuitive trust in yourself; it is under these conditions that clients are able to challenge themselves to venture beyond their comfort zone and evolve in meaningful ways.
While I work with a variety of concerns as a counselling psychologist, I am especially passionate about empowering women to manage anxiety, stress and burnout, heal from loss and traumatic experiences, and set boundaries in relationships, in both their personal and professional lives.
I appreciate and work frequently with others in helping professions including frontline healthcare providers, first responders, and other mental health professionals in the field.
Areas of Focus
- Trauma and PTSD
- Anxiety
- Attachment
- Family dynamics
- Stress and burnout
- Frontline healthcare
- Grief and loss
- Young adults
- Women’s health and wellness
My Approach
- Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy
- EMDR
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Questions and Answers
Q: What is your favourite therapy approach to use with clients?
A: I would have to say both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and EMDR. I love that ACT has a distinct focus on client values, this makes it truly a client-centred approach and it is non-pathologizing, meaning it is not about “fixing” what is perceived to be wrong with a client, rather it looks at what purpose thoughts and behaviours serve and if they are working for the client in their current daily life. EMDR is a trauma therapy that I love using with clients who have experienced trauma, in my experience it helps to really quickly get to the heart of the issue.
Q: What piece of advice would you give to people who are considering therapy?
A: Therapy has the potential to be life changing for clients; it is key that you have a good working relationship with your therapist. The relationship on its own is one of the factors that is consistently shown to make therapy effective, regardless of approach. Choose a therapist that you feel you can connect and develop trust with. If it turns out to not be the fit you are looking for, you can discuss this with your therapist directly or consider trying a different provider.
Q: Have you ever attended therapy yourself?
A: Absolutely. We all go through rough patches and therapy is a great way to work through stuck thoughts and feelings. I believe all therapists should have some experience being a client and many do.
Q: Tell us an interesting fact about you?
A: I love animals. I have two dogs and one cat, all rescues. Even though most people think of dogs as emotional support animals, I would argue that cats can be just as attuned to our emotions.
Professional Affiliations
College of Alberta Psychologists (Regulated Member)
Psychologists’ Association of Alberta (Full Member)
American Psychological Association (Associate Member)
EMDR Canada (Professional Member)
International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (Member)
Areas of Specialized Training
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Immersion training; ACT for Grief; ACT for Trauma
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Trained Clinician
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Externship; Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFiT)
Occupational Awareness Training for Trauma Exposed Professionals (Wounded Warriors Canada)
Prolonged Grief Disorder Treatment (Columbia University Centre for Prolonged Grief)
Sexual violence (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, and childhood abuse)
