Samantha Dupre

Each of us has two (or more) sides

My name, Samantha, means “the listener,” so perhaps it’s no surprise that I think therapists should be professional listeners.  Good counsel comes from listening.  You’re already the expert in your life.  My role is to listen to your unique story, and help you uncover the wisdom you already carry within.

To survive we need a hard shell, but we can’t be all shell, or we lose connection to our soft side — the part that allows us to connect deeply with ourselves and others.  Often our true selves are hard to access – for us and for those around us – because we develop defenses as we experience life’s challenges. I aim to help you figure out where you benefit from more resilience and where you benefit from more of your soft side.

I believe that safe and caring relationships are essential to growth. These may include relationships with other people, but also with animals, nature, and the land. If spending time outdoors, connecting with pets, or finding meaning in gardening or hiking feels like an important part of who you are, we may be a good fit.

As a woman with mixed European and Mi’kmaq indigenous heritage, I have adopted the Mi’kmaq concept of two-eyed seeing. From one eye, I see the importance of understanding ourselves from an intuitive place and connecting with our cultural and/or spiritual beliefs. I see equally well from the other eye and recognize the importance of understanding ourselves from a western-scientific psychological and evidenced based lens. My approach aims to balance and integrate these two perspectives.  I use an eclectic approach drawing from a range of therapeutic modalities including humanistic approaches, narrative therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and solution focused therapy. I use an anti-oppressive, holistic and trauma and somatic informed lens.

About me

 I embarked on this career change journey after more than a decade working as a public servant in environmental protection. For the last seven years, I worked for the City of Guelph building relationships with diverse community members to build and maintain community gardens and restore natural spaces. This left me imbued with a sense of hope about the power of community, and the power of nature for healing and resiliency but also with a greater understanding of the needs for support in our community.

By the way, speaking of nature, I offer walk-and-talk therapy, also known as nature therapy, in which we walk outdoors while discussing what’s on your mind.

Life has also thrown several curve balls my way personally as I’ve gained lived experience with anxiety and depression, parenting, and supporting loved ones with serious mental illness. I wouldn’t be where I am today without therapeutic support that helped me to navigate these challenges, and this is where I draw my motivation to help others navigate similar challenges. I maintain balance in my life through engagement in diverse activities including reading, dancing, gardening, hiking, cooking and crafts.

As a mom to two kids, a lifelong dancer, and animal lover, I know first-hand how important embodied experiences and nature connections are for healthy development and resiliency. I am also interested in integrating these experiences into our therapy work, so please ask me if you’re curious and we can explore them together.