Dr. Sarah Bellefontaine is a clinical, health, and counselling psychologist and Free Mind Psychology's Clinic Director. She works primarily from a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) perspective, including training in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). She often integrates tools from Emotion-Focused, Dialectical Behavior, and Interpersonal Therapies to complement her work. She offers evidence-based services to individual, adult (18+) clients in the areas of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, interpersonal difficulties, grief and loss, and adjustment to significant life changes.

Dr. Bellefontaine is particularly interested in working with individuals with chronic health conditions, or who are adjusting to health-related difficulties. She has experience working with individuals with a number of health concerns including, but not limited to cancer, viral hepatitis, HIV, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and post-concussive syndrome. She enjoys helping her clients find meaning in their lives and transition from simply surviving to living.

Dr. Bellefontaine's special interest is in working with persons who are experiencing difficulties in the pregnancy and postpartum periods, and throughout the transition to parenthood (including, but not limited to perinatal depression, perinatal anxiety, pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and birth trauma).

Dr. Bellefontaine has worked providing assessments and psychotherapy to individuals experiencing a variety of challenges, including a wide range of mood, anxiety, and health issues. She has experience working in multiple clinic and hospital settings including several private practice settings, a Family Health Team, the Montfort Hospital (Clinical Health Psychology Service and Mental Health Services), the Ottawa Hospital (Infectious Diseases and Viral Hepatitis Programs), and the Royal Ottawa Hospital (Mood Disorders Program).

How she can help in your wellness journey

Dr. Bellefontaine and her team have experience supporting people on their journeys with both maintaining wellness and re-establishing wellbeing. Their team supports children, youth, adults, couples, and families - challenging them and helping them to live rather than simply survive.

Dr. Bellefontaine's team is very attuned to cultural and religious identity and how this can interact with our wellbeing. They support new immigrants, as well as people going through other significant life transitions (e.g., transition to parenthood), relationship struggles, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Services: 

• Psychotherapy
• Psychological assessments
• Counselling

Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Services offered online/virtual and in person.

Wellness dimensions

• Mental
• Emotional
• Spiritual
• Occupational