Meet rachelle viau, M.Ed., Registered Psychotherapist (she/her) in Ottawa, Ontario
Rediscover who you already are.
Life can be hard. Whether it is life transitions, stressors, illness, or any perceived limitation, we all struggle, experience pain, sorrow, and discomfort.
Other times, we can suffer when we get too caught up in the rat race. Yet, there is more to life than performance, perfection, comparisons, or acquisitions.
the question is: how do we support ourselves during difficult times?
More importantly, what type of relationship would we like to have with ourselves, others, and the world on the winding path of life?
Perhaps how we react, respond, experience, and show up in the world – with ourselves and others – is what matters most.
I believe psychotherapy connects us with our strengths, values, and compassion we need to live a more fulfilling, meaningful, and authentic life, despite obstacles we all encounter.
It helps guide us toward approaching life with an Open Heart.
My intention
I aspire to truly welcome, hold space, and support you to reconnect to your own heart.
My hope is that while working together, you feel heard, seen and safe to show up in your full humanity.
how I work:
My work is collaborative and depth oriented in nature. It is exploratory rather than agenda focused.
First, we identify what you most want for yourself - this will be our guide session to session.
From there, we explore barriers currently getting in the way of what you are most wanting. At some point, these barriers may have been strategies developed to survive certain hardships. As such, I hold what is discovered with openness, respect, and compassion. I foster curiosity towards how you relate to yourself, others and the world, and bring awareness to your strategies to gain a better understanding of what purpose they may have served.
This exploration is not meant to eradicate your strategies, but rather to bring awareness, respect and a deep understanding toward them - to gain clarity on what they are communicating to us. As awareness and compassion grow, you can show up less from your default mode of operating.
This is when you can begin to accept yourself rather than reject yourself, and become an active participants in your own life as you develop the freedom of choice.
Overtime, you can develop a greater capacity to show up for yourself in meaningful ways. Ultimately, you can live an authentic and openhearted life where you can experience a deep and genuine connection to yourself and others.
My guiding principles
Curiosity
With genuine interest, I will bring curiosity to your inner world. I will not assume I know what you are experiencing, what hurt lives in your heart, or what wisdom lies just beneath the surface.
Respect
Engaging in therapy and allowing oneself to be truly seen takes courage. I have the utmost respect toward those I am privileged to work with. I aspire to have deep, genuine and compassionate connections with those I cross paths with.
Trust
I do not take the stance of the “expert”. Instead, I see myself as a fellow traveler on your journey to inner growth. I trust that given the right environment, you have the capacity to heal, and the wisdom to make choices that are aligned with your values.
Safety
When working with clients, I do not have a predetermined agenda. I hold what is shared as sacred and will not go on an “archeological dig” into your past. You set your intention for yourself, and this will direct our sessions. I will not push you to go where you are not ready to. Instead, we will go at your own pace.
Training & Education
Master of Education, Counselling Psychology - University of Ottawa
Bachelor of Psychology - University of Ottawa
Social Services Worker Diploma - Algonquin College
Level 3 NARM Master Therapist Training - NARM Institute
Level 2 NARM Therapist Training - NARM Institute
PACT Level 1 - Currently completing
Emotion Focused Therapy for Complex Relational Trauma
Grief Literacy Level 1 and Level 2