Marie-Claude Roy
Registered nurse PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Master’s Degree in Mental Health with a focus on integrated palliative care
About Me
My practice
I am a Registered Nurse and Psychotherapist, with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Science and a Master’s degree in Mental Health with a focus on Integrated Palliative Care.
I have been a member of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ) since 2004 and have held a psychotherapist permit issued by the Ordre des psychologues du Québec (OPQ) since 2026. I have over 20 years of experience working with people living with chronic, serious, or complex health conditions.
My approach
The person is at the heart of my practice. I give particular attention to each individual’s unique experience, personal history, values, and the challenges they are facing. Sessions take place in a welcoming, warm, and non-judgmental environment, where active listening, empathy, and collaboration are central to the therapeutic process.
My psychotherapeutic approach is primarily grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and incorporates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, and mindfulness. These approaches are tailored to each person’s individual needs and therapeutic goals.
My practice is also guided by a biopsychosocial perspective and inspired by the principles of integrated palliative care, which considers the person as a whole. Particular attention is given to quality of life and to the psychological, social, and existential dimensions that may be affected by illness, including adapting to change, finding meaning, and maintaining hope.
My clientele
I offer psychotherapy services to adults aged 18 and over who are seeking support with psychological, emotional, or relational difficulties.
My practice is particularly suited to individuals who:
- are living with a chronic, serious, degenerative, or incurable illness;
- are facing psychological challenges related to a diagnosis or their experience of illness;
- are experiencing anxiety, low mood, adjustment difficulties, grief, or a life transition;
- are navigating questions related to quality of life, meaning, hope, or uncertainty;
- are providing care and support as a caregiver to someone living with an illness.
I also provide psychotherapy to individuals experiencing a variety of mental health challenges, even when these are not related to a physical health condition.
Sessions are available in person or via telepractice, in French or English.
My services
• What is psychotherapy ?
Psychotherapy is a psychological treatment aimed at fostering meaningful changes in the way you think, feel, respond, or relate to others.
It can help you better understand what may be contributing to your distress or to recurring difficulties in your life, develop new ways of coping, and gradually change patterns that may be affecting your well-being or quality of life.
Psychotherapy therefore goes beyond support or advice for navigating everyday challenges. It provides an opportunity to explore your psychological functioning, emotions, thoughts, behaviours, and relationships more deeply, with the goal of creating meaningful and lasting change.
The therapeutic process is tailored to your needs, goals, and individual circumstances, within a collaborative, compassionate, and respectful environment that honours your own pace.
• Integrated palliative care
Living with a serious, chronic, degenerative, or incurable illness does not necessarily mean living in distress. Even when illness disrupts one’s sense of stability, brings losses, or creates uncertainty, it is still possible to maintain quality of life, a sense of meaning, hope, and meaningful connections.
Integrated palliative care encourages addressing these dimensions without waiting until the end of life. It can be introduced early in the course of an illness, alongside treatments aimed at managing or treating the condition. This approach makes space for a sometimes complex reality: hoping for improvement or recovery while learning to live with uncertainty and with what cannot be controlled.
This perspective deeply influences my psychotherapeutic practice. I support each person as a whole, considering not only their psychological well-being, but also their experience of illness, relationships, values, and the existential questions that may arise along the way.
My approach recognizes that even during life’s most difficult periods, there can be opportunities for adaptation, connection, meaning, and personal growth.
