Dr. Joe Flanders
Dr. Joe Flanders
Founder & Psychologist
Refuge was founded by Dr. Joe Flanders, following his own journey through the wilderness. Joe is a psychologist, in practice since 2009, with expertise in Internal Family Systems therapy, mindfulness and psychedelics.
From the Blog
Karine St-Jean, Ph. D.
Karine St-Jean, Ph. D.
Founding Member & Psychologist
Karine is a psychologist and member of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec since 2004. She holds a PhD in psychology from the Université du Québec à Montréal.
Karine is passionate about creating spaces where genuine human connection fosters growth and healing. She believes that meaningful change happens when we feel truly seen and supported — when we’re met with authenticity, empathy, and presence. Her approach helps people reconnect with their own strengths and inner resources so they can meet life’s challenges with greater clarity and ease.
Her presence is grounded in kindness and curiosity. She offers a compassionate space where each person can feel deeply understood. From that foundation, her work goes beyond symptom relief — she gently supports clients in recognizing the patterns that keep them stuck and in exploring new, more flexible, and fulfilling ways of relating to themselves, to others, and to life’s unfolding challenges.
Karine approaches her work with humility, openness, and deep respect. She considers it a privilege to walk alongside each person as they navigate their path toward greater well-being.
APPROACH
Karine’s therapeutic style is rooted in humanistic psychology and integrates experiential and evidence-based modalities. She is trained in Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She has also received extensive training in psychedelic-assisted therapy, including psychedelic harm reduction and integration.
She works with adults experiencing anxiety (including eco-anxiety), mood challenges, grief, life transitions, chronic illness, and professional or existential concerns. For eligible clients, she may integrate the use of psychedelic substances to support and enhance ongoing psychotherapy, always in compliance with legal guidelines. Drawing on her entrepreneurial experience, she also offers professional coaching.
Karine provides individual therapy in French and English, primarily online.
She looks forward to meeting you !
*Currently not taking any new clients for standard psychotherapy*
From the Blog
Andrea Reyes
Andrea Reyes
Founding Member & Psychologist
Training, Experience & Specialties
Andrea is a registered psychologist with the Ordre des Psychologues du Québec. She holds a
Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology and a Master’s degree in Psychiatry from McGill University. She has trained and worked in different settings including hospital outpatient clinics, E.R. Psychiatry, university counselling centers and private practice.
She offers individual therapy as well as couple therapy and provides services in English, French and Spanish. She is also currently offering Ketamine-Assisted Therapy for clients presenting with treatment-resistant depression and trauma symptoms as well as Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy through Health Canada’s Special Access Program.
Andrea completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Sex and Couple Therapy Service and in the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Unit of the MUHC. At these services, she received specialized training in couple therapy, in treating sexual dysfunction, anxiety disorders and trauma. She has also completed over a 100-hours of training in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. She has worked with individuals from diverse backgrounds and presenting with a wide range of difficulties but specializes in anxiety, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, trauma, couple difficulties and issues surrounding female sexuality.
APPROACH
My approach is primarily client-centered, meaning the client is treated as the expert of their own experience and I a guide meant to provide support and direction during the therapy process. When working with you, my first priority is to foster a supportive and warm environment that can help you feel at ease. We will then work collaboratively to build a treatment plan that suits your specific needs, preferences and that is also strongly grounded on evidence. In doing so, I also take into account cultural and other lifestyle differences. Rather than managing symptoms, I strive to accompany you in making integral changes that address the root-cause of your difficulties.
My approach will often be emotion-focused, process-oriented and trauma-informed. An approach that encourages the demonstrated benefit of being present-focused, body-aware and aligned with one’s values. I thus draw from experiential approaches, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral therapy and Somatic Approaches. In working with couples, I have received training in evidence-based approaches including Emotion-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for couples and mindfulness-based interventions, particularly for couples struggling with sexual difficulties.
So, what can you expect from a typical therapy session with me? Our work on a typical session will focus on helping you gain further insight regarding your experiences and recurrent patterns while providing you with practical strategies to help you respond differently to your lived experiences.
Jean-François Jodouin
Jean-François Jodouin
Member & Psychologist
Jean-François is a clinical psychologist who believes that our minds, hearts, and bodies should not be considered separately in therapy. Consistent with this, he focuses professionally and personally on how we can best be in relationship with others, with ourselves, and with our bodies.
In therapy, he often integrates breathwork and other body-centered practices, grounding his methods in trauma-informed care. For Jean-François, the well-considered and well-supported use of psychedelics can be a powerful means of deepening these processes.
Holding a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and another in cognitive science, Jean-François has trained across various related disciplines, including psychotherapy, coaching, massotherapy, and yoga, in different parts of the world such as Canada, Europe, and the USA. He is a registered member of the Ordre des Psychologues du Québec (OPQ) and of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (STARR) and the Canadian Society for Pelvic Medicine (CSPM).
Jean-François offers psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and groups, and continues to supervise, teach and consult internationally, mainly for non-profit organizations.
Mischa Davison
Mischa Davison
Psychologist
Mischa is a Masters-level Clinical Psychologist with over 17 years of experience as a therapist and psychologist.. She has advanced training in Internal Family Systems (IFS Level Two) and Somatic Experiencing, with a primary focus on IFS. She provides individual therapy via video with adult clients.
Mischa’s practice is LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity-positive. She believes in creating a safe and nonjudgmental space where vulnerability can be witnessed and supported to release what is no longer needed or helpful, and to make room for what feels more essential and alive. She brings her love of metaphor and myths to her work, providing further experiential opportunities for the playful reworking of rigid or stuck patterns.
More recently, Mischa has received training in the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy to further enhance and support standard psychotherapy. She is available online for preparation/integration sessions for psychedelic experiences or for in-person support during medicine sessions, based on case-by-case clinical consideration as well as current legal and ethical guidelines.
Mischa works with clients who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or low mood, sexuality and gender-related issues, relational difficulties, creative blocks, significant life transitions such as the aging process, and larger psycho-spiritual or existential concerns.
Mischa’s approach summed up by Aesop himself:
The North Wind and the Sun:
One day, the North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was stronger. They decided to test their strength by seeing who could strip a traveller along the road of his overcoat. The North Wind blew with great fury but the man simply held his coat closer. Then the sun shone down with his natural warmth and the man began to feel relaxed, safe and warm. He took off his overcoat and lay down under the shade of a tree. (Aesop)
In a similar way, gentleness and compassionate warmth create the best environment for healing and, ultimately, for growth and change.
Mischa looks forward to joining you on your journey of healing and discovery.
*Note: Mischa is currently not accepting new clients for standard psychotherapy.*
Andrew Rose
Andrew Rose
Psychedelic Integration Coach, Mindfulness Teacher
Andrew Rose is a psychedelic educator, harm reduction and integration coach, and certified mindfulness teacher. He has been working with psychedelics, meditation, and contemplative practice for over 20 years and has been educating clinicians, therapists and the general public about psychedelics and their therapeutic applications since 2017.
Andrew is also the co-director of Plant Parenthood, a community organization supporting parents and families who are interested the intersection of intentional psychedelic use, parenting, and family life. He has played a strategic leadership role with a number of prominent organizations in the psychedelic sector since 2019, including Numinus, Fluence and the Psychedelic Safety Institute.
Andrew has been practicing meditation since 2002, having studied mainly in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition before becoming interested in the clinical applications of mindfulness. He is certified in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction by the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in 2019 and also completed MAPS’s MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD training program in 2021.
Andrew in equally inspired by evidence-based and esoteric practices for healing and connection. He continues to draw inspiration from various Buddhist lineages—including Tibetan, Theravada and contemporary pragmatic dharma—as well as Internal Family Systems, attachment theory and mythopoetics.
Andrew is passionate about furthering our collective understanding of what wellbeing really means, and how it can be effectively and sustainably practiced, communicated, and scaled for the benefit of all beings.
Naomi Boulet
Naomi Boulet
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner | Relationship & Intimacy Coach
Naomi Boulet is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and a certified relationship and intimacy coach working with individuals and couples. Since 2019, she has supported clients in healing trauma, regulating their nervous system, and cultivating deeper, more fulfilling relationships—with themselves, with others, and with life. Whether you are caught in cycles of intense emotions, navigating challenging relational dynamics, or feeling the exhaustion of a nervous system stuck in a state of vigilance, you may find that intellectual insight alone hasn’t shifted how you truly feel. You are likely seeking a transformation that goes beyond understanding—one that allows you to resolve past experiences at the nervous system level and feel grounded, connected, and truly at home within yourself.
Naomi offers a warm, non-judgmental space where she acts as an ally and guide, supporting clients in reconnecting with their unique essence beneath the layers of conditioning and survival responses. At the heart of her work is the belief that the body holds an innate intelligence for healing, and that with the right support, even deeply rooted patterns can shift. Her sessions are intentionally longer (75–90 minutes), allowing the spaciousness needed for deep exploration and meaningful integration. Her approach integrates Somatic Experiencing and relational coaching, and is grounded in neuroscience while also honouring the soulful—sometimes almost mystical—realm of deep embodied healing. This work is further informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS), attachment theory, the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy, mindfulness practices, and her 15 years of experience in massage therapy and
bodywork.
Naomi specializes in working with developmental and sexual trauma, relationship issues, intimacy, and life or relationship transitions. She also supports individuals and couples exploring ethical non-monogamy and other forms of unconventional relationships. She welcomes adults and couples from diverse backgrounds, including queer and LGBTQ+ clients.
Naomi offers sessions in both French and English, available online and in person. To learn more, visit Naomi’s website (https://www.naomiboulet.com)
Mona Palotai
Mona Palotai
Sexologist and psychotherapist
You may be coming to therapy because you feel stuck in recurring relational patterns, or because certain past experiences continue to influence your reactions, your relationships, or your sexuality. You may feel a need to free yourself from what is holding you back, to process losses, and to integrate painful experiences. Or simply a desire to better understand yourself. You may be seeking greater self-compassion, a deeper sense of alignment with who you truly are, and more authenticity in your relationships.
I am a sexologist and psychotherapist, holding a master’s degree in clinical sexology from UQAM. I am a member of the Ordre professionnel des sexologues du Québec (OPSQ) and hold a psychotherapy permit issued by the Ordre des psychologues du Québec (OPQ). I work with relational and sexual difficulties, problematic sexual behaviors, trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions.
I offer a warm space where all emotions are welcome. I bring a sensitive and attuned perspective to what arises—a mirror that helps you see yourself more clearly. At times, I may be gently challenging when it supports your growth, always with respect and care. I believe that change takes root in a safe relationship where you can be fully yourself and where we can learn together to tolerate difficult emotions. The dynamics that emerge between us become entry points for understanding and transforming those that show up elsewhere in your life.
My approach is relational and grounded in humanistic and psychodynamic traditions. It also integrates elements of somatic therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and mindfulness. I place great importance on your whole experience—bodily sensations, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors—believing that their integration allows for deep transformation.
If it is part of your path, I also offer support for the preparation and integration of psychedelic experiences, within a thoughtful, legal, and ethical framework grounded in harm reduction.
I work with adults in individual psychotherapy, in French, both in person and online, on Thursdays and Fridays.
If something in these words resonates with you, I invite you to reach out to explore the possibility of working together.
Lolita Frésard
Lolita Frésard
Sexologist / Psychotherapist
Lolita Frésard is a sexologist and psychotherapist in private practice in Montréal, Québec. She is a member of the Ordre professionnel du Québec and holds a psychotherapy permit. She is also a PhD candidate in Sexology at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), with a concentration in Feminist Studies. Grounded in an intersectional feminist approach, her trajectory is atypical, multifaceted, and singular, bringing together clinical practice, scientific rigor, and artistic creation.
Lolita works with a diverse clientele, including queer and polyamorous communities, and supports individuals navigating power dynamics, experiences of trauma, and situations of sexual violence.
Before pursuing university training in sexology, she worked for several years in the performing arts in Switzerland as an actor, playwright, and director, developing projects focused on desire and intimate lived experiences. She has also contributed to public education and knowledge mobilization initiatives. Committed to the social impact of research, she is involved in the supervision and clinical training of future practitioners as a clinical mentor.
Since May 2025, she has been training in psychedelic-assisted therapies to enrich and further develop her clinical practice. Her academic journey has been supported by several excellence scholarships, including the Claire-McNicoll scholarship (2021), an excellence scholarship for research on poverty (2021), the Corbeil-Preda scholarship in Sexology (2022), a CREMIS excellence scholarship (February 2025), and the FRQSC doctoral training scholarship.
Estelle Arcand
Estelle Arcand
Psychoeducator and Psychotherapist
I have been working in the helping professions for over fifteen years. Holding a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychoeducation from the Université de Montréal, as well as a graduate certificate in participatory practice in psychosocial intervention from the Université de Sherbrooke, I have been practicing as a psychoeducator since 2019. I also completed training in psychotherapy in 2024 to broaden my clinical intervention perspectives.
My career has led me to work alongside children, adolescents, adults, families, and teams in multidisciplinary clinical settings, schools, social pediatrics, geriatrics, addiction, problem gambling, and university teaching. This diversity of experience informs a clinical practice that is rigorous, attuned, and adapted to each person’s reality.
I view psychotherapy as a privileged space for self-exploration, where the permissions we grant ourselves can be transformed within the context of a secure relationship. My approach is integrative, humanistic, and strengths-based. It draws on third-wave cognitive-behavioral approaches — including ACT, mindfulness, self-compassion, and somatic approaches — while also incorporating tools from IFS, as well as psychodynamic and systemic perspectives.
Within the context of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, I offer harm reduction-based support, centered on preparation and integration of experiences, within a safe, ethical, and legal framework. I work with clients aged 18 and older navigating relational, emotional, or developmental challenges, life transitions, trauma, addiction, or difficulties with self-assertion. Depending on individual needs, I also offer psychoeducation, parental guidance, ecotherapy, and the use of artistic mediums as therapeutic tools.
Appointments are available via teleconsultation Monday through Thursday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and in person on Fridays as needed.
