By Andrew Hopkins thekirklandlaker
KIRKLAND LAKE, ON – A new psychotherapy clinic has opened in Kirkland Lake.
Psychotherapist (qualifying) Nicole Renaud has launched The Therapy Hub just last year.
She said her journey into mental health began with her passion for working with children and families, which she nurtured through her studies in Early Childhood Education and Child and Family Studies.
“However, in my work in child care and early learning settings over the last 8 years, I started to notice a significant gap,” Renaud explained. “While there was a focus on educational and social development, I believe that mental health and emotional support for children needed additional attention.”
She said she wanted to bridge this gap, which led her to pursue a Master’s in Counselling Psychology.
“I wanted to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide support to children and families in a therapeutic context,” Renaud expressed, “where mental health and emotional connection could be prioritized and fostered.”
Renaud said she returned to Kirkland Lake in 2020 and decided that this was the place for her to be, as opposed to a larger city.
“Smaller towns like Kirkland Lake face significant barriers to accessing mental health services, so starting my private practice here in Kirkland Lake and specializing in child and family therapy is a way to improve accessibility to mental health services and give back to the community,” Renaud explained.
Renaud said she offers individual therapy for children 2 years and up, adolescents, and adults. Areas of specialization include parenting, communication, relationship and family issues, trauma, anxiety, and depression. Family therapy will be added to the services in the upcoming months.
“My services are primarily designed to support individual children and adults, but I believe emotional and psychological well-being at any age is beneficial,” Renaud explained. “With my background in child development and psychology, I’m especially passionate about working with children and families. I support managing emotions, building resilience, and navigating life transitions. For family work, my approach aims to build connections, improve communication, and foster healthy family dynamics.”
She added that ultimately, anyone looking to understand themselves better, navigate emotional challenges, or improve their relationships can benefit from psychotherapy, and she is here to support them on that journey.
Renaud said that when doing therapy, she takes a collaborative approach.
“The therapeutic relationship is at the forefront of my work. It is so important to me to create a warm and safe space for individuals to share their stories and work through their healing journeys,” Renaud expressed. “My work is integrative, utilizing therapeutic approaches that work best with the client’s individual needs, so I might use an internal family systems approach, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, trauma-informed approaches, and mindfulness-based approaches.”
Renaud said her biggest challenge so far in developing the practice has been putting all the pieces together as a sole proprietor to ensure the community receives the best treatment outcomes.
“Not having a physical location is a barrier, but outdoor and virtual services allow for increased accessibility to a wide range of individuals,” she added.
She said she currently offers in-person outdoor sessions for local residents, and to make services more accessible, she offers virtual appointments to individuals across Ontario.
“I currently run the clinic primarily virtually, but one unique thing about the service I offer is outdoor sessions for local residents in the Kirkland Lake area,” Renaud said. “I believe that being on the land helps to build resiliency and fosters a sense of belonging and connection.”
Renaud explained that she works full-time at Keepers of the Circle as an Indigenous Family Mentor and Early Years Practitioner, providing programs and activities for children and families, while also working part-time at three local clinics providing psychotherapy to a variety of individuals, including children, families, and couples.
Looking into the future, Renaud hopes to expand The Therapy Hub to offer in-person sessions and have a primary focus on child and family therapy.
“In the upcoming months, I plan to introduce family therapy to the business’ services. My ultimate goal is to obtain Child Play Therapy certification and become a certified play therapist,” Renaud expressed.
For more information, The Therapy Hub is on Facebook and Instagram and also has an online booking site at https://thetherapyhub.janeapp.com/. Individuals can also call 705-707-8440 to inquire about services and resources. A website is in development and will be launched at a later date.