
My philosophy of care & therapeutic approach
somatic therapy & nervous system support
I love this work.
At the time of my worst mental health, I needed an approach that didn't try to categorize or fix me.
I needed a way of seeing myself that delved deep to the root cause of my feelings and made sense of the chaos.
I became passionate about this beautiful, fascinating, & intricate world of somatic therapy.
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We aren't truly taught to care for ourselves on a deeper emotional level, and many of us don't have the tools to self-regulate and process our feelings about the world when we most need it.
These skills of self-regulation and stress-release translate into our daily life, into the workplace, and into our closest relationships & families.
I’m here to help you feel more at home in your body, and to connect deeply to what truly matters to you.
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We each have an innate capacity to be deeply connected to our own inner experience. Embodiment, vision, metaphor, symbolism, and relationality—with our bodies, our communities, our ancestors, and the earth—have been central to Indigenous worldviews long before modern ‘somatics.’ I continue to learn from incredible teachers who guide us toward true transformation, relationality and depth.
Though it is gaining popularity, somatic therapy is not solely an additional skill in Western psychotherapist's toolkit - it is a totally different paradigm of healing, one that takes us deep into who we are and the tapestry of our patterning. One where we're not looking to fix or change ourselves, but create more space to feel and respond. It's not easy, and it's not a quick fix.
I am a cis-gendered, heterosexual woman of white-european descent. My ancestors are Irish, French, English, and German, but I spent my childhood in the cold prairie winters of Alberta (Treaty 6 territory). There are many things that I don't know, but I am committed to learning ways of being that consider our future on this planet with one another, and unlearning ways of being that keep us sick, disconnected, and stuck in dominance and extraction from ourselves, one another and the earth.
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I have some lived experience and/or education in the following areas, all of which which influence my worldview. I hope sharing this creates some safety for you if you'd like to talk about these things (please note, I do not offer specialized 'therapies' on these topics):
Frontline disaster response
Harm reduction / impact of toxic drug crisis
Psychedelics & plant medicine
Polyamory & 'alternative' relational structures.
Kink.
Queer/Trans/LBGTQIA+ (affirming).
Mad studies & personal lived experience of mental illness.
If you’d like to explore whether we’re a good fit, I invite you to book a free consult with me. I work with people on a long-term basis, and am honoured to be part of your journey.


BA, RTC, & Relational Somatic Therapist
I'm Andree Patenaude
& clinical somatic educator in training!
Training
& Qualifications
Somatic Dreaming Facilitator
Clinical Somatic Educator in Training (2.5 year program) - Homebody Healing (ISMETA)
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) - Orca Institute
Relational Somatic Therapist - Opening to Grace Relational Somatic Therapy
Bachelor of Arts in Human Geography w/ a focus on community resilience, systems change & anti-oppression
15+ years in community work, mental health & outreach with folks from many walks of life.
Former frontline harm reduction worker, crisis response worker & program manager
Compassion & Vulnerability Wisdom Cycle - DIMA Mystery School 2022
Cellular Transformation - Workshops & Trainings with Jennifer Millar 2017 - ongoing
San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training 2022
Mental Health First Aid 2019
Motivational Interviewing 2017
Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention 2018
"Andree’s energy is calm and encouraging.
She is very understanding. For someone who is uncomfortable being vulnerable in front of others, I feel very safe with her. She creates a warm, comforting environment where all feelings and thoughts are allowed to be felt and heard. Andree is a wonderful listener and a caring person. Like a warm fire to sit beside on a cold night, she has been comforting and supportive through my recovery journey."
client experience
Questions? Send me a message.
Request a consult here and I will respond to your message within a day or so.
In our consult, we will talk about what you're experiencing and answer any questions you may have.
There is no pressure to commit, just a conversation to see if we're a good fit.
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