Connected Counselling Services

07/18/2025

We are incredibly proud to sponsor this year's Multicultural Festival! Head on down to the waterfront/amphitheatre tonight from 4-8 PM or tomorrow 12-8 PM to check out some great food, dance, cultural booths and more!

We sincerely thank our generous Festival sponsors. This event would not be possible without your support!

07/08/2025

We’re so excited to welcome Erin Rickli, MSW, RSW, back from maternity leave! She’s now accepting new and returning clients- if you’ve been waiting to connect (or reconnect!) with Erin, now’s your chance!

Erin brings warmth, realness, and a non-judgmental approach to therapy—meeting clients wherever they’re at, whether that means big emotions, tough questions, or a little dark humour.

Book through the link in bio or at https://connectedcounsellingservices.janeapp.com/locations/virtual-team/book #/staff_member/27

Welcome back, Erin!

06/28/2025

Hey friends, Adrienne here! June has been a busy month, including last Thursday evening when fellow psychotherapist Terri Ann Brazeau & I had the honour of attending Fellowes HS graduation ceremony. We presented the Skip Ross Memorial Bursary—an annual initiative we created & proudly sponsor as part of Connected Counselling Services’s committment to ongoing reparations and relationship-building with First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and other Indigenous communities.

This award is given in memory of Skip Ross (Running River Man), a deeply respected Algonquin Elder who generously shared his teachings with local students through drumming, ceremony, and cultural connection. It is awarded to a graduating student who identifies as Indigenous and who has demonstrated resilience and/or personal growth, with plans to pursue post-secondary education or enter the workforce.

We were so pleased to present this year’s award to Amilia Wawatie, who will be continuing their education in the field of medical aesthetics.

Congratulations to all the grads—and wishing you all the best in your future endeavours Amilia! 💛 Thank you also to Trevor Pearce for assisting us in developing this award, for the work you do in the community, and for being an all-around swell human being! 🧡

06/27/2025

This past Saturday, we set up our very first ever community event display at the marina in Pembroke for National Indigenous Peoples Day. It was such a lovely day—great conversations, kind people, and some meaningful ceremony, education and music. I had a “super bubble” station set up for kids, and I think I may have had more fun than they did with it! thank you Family and Children's Services of Renfrew County for organizing the Day!

Can’t wait to do it again at the next event—the Pembroke Multicultural Festival, which we’re proud to be sponsoring this year. It’s happening July 18 & 19 down at the waterfront, organized by the Pembroke Public Library. Hope to see some familiar faces (and meet some new ones) there! Come and blow giant bubbles with us, and learn about our services!

06/16/2025

Adrienne here, happy Monday everyone!

Did you know—you don’t have to talk through every detail to heal from trauma?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that helps the brain safely process distressing memories so your body can finally exhale and let down. It’s one of the most effective, research-backed approaches to trauma recovery. Best of all - it works without needing to rehash everything out loud - although if talking’s your jam, you can incorporate that into EMDR too!

From childhood experiences to medical trauma and everything in between—if something’s still rattling around in your nervous system, EMDR can help.

Want to know how it works—and if it might be right for you?
I wrote a whole blog post about it; check it out here:
🔗 https://connectedcounsellingservices.com/what-is-emdr-therapy-and-how-can-it-help-with-trauma-recovery/

Reach out today to get started with one of our many EMDR therapists: phone/text at 613 585-3834 or email at connectedcounsellingservices@proton.me

06/12/2025

Adrienne here, and Happy Pride everyone!!

Did you know Connected Counselling Services is a queer-owned psychotherapy clinic? Probably not — and that’s okay. I’m a straight-passing cis woman, which means a lot of people assume I’m straight.

But nope :)
I proudly live in the “+” of 2SLGBTQIA+ as a pansexual/androsexual person. I’m a little fluid :)

So when I hear people say things like, “Why are there so many letters?”
I can’t help but think the opposite — why stop at 10 letters, digits and symbols?
Why do we feel the need to limit ourselves at all?

To me, those letters aren’t confusing — they’re beautiful.
Love is more like a bowl of alphabet soup than a spelling bee.
Every letter is someone’s truth. Every identity is love in REAL LIFE.

And that’s worth celebrating — fully, loudly, and without apology ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🩷🤍🩶🖤

06/09/2025

If you’ve ever emailed, called, or visited Connected Counselling Services, you’ve probably crossed paths with Abby McInnes. She’s been our main Administrative Assistant and Clinic Coordinator—offering calm & competent support to clients and team members alike. We love Abby!

That’s why it’s extra special - & why we are so excited to now welcome Abby into her new role as a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) at our Pembroke & Petawawa locations. She brings a thoughtful, grounded presence to her work with teens and adults, supporting clients in exploring challenges, building insight, and reconnecting with themselves in meaningful ways.

Abby is slowly transitioning out of her admin role as she builds her caseload, so you might still catch her at the front desk from time to time. We’re so lucky to have her on both sides of the work. 💛

Book in with Abby here:

https://connectedcounsellingservices.janeapp.com/locations/pembroke-location/book #/staff_member/23

05/31/2025

Meet our brand new Administrative Assistant and Clinic Coordinator Alora! She’ll often be the first friendly face you’ll see when you walk through our doors, welcoming every client with kindness and care. With a Bachelors of Science in Biology and a genuine passion for helping others, Alora brings both thoughtfulness and organization to everything she does. Her attention to detail and warm, approachable nature help create a space where everyone feels comfortable and supported.

Outside the clinic, Alora loves spending time in nature, relaxing at the cottage, and cuddling up with her dog, cat, and pet tortoise! She speaks a bit of French and is currently learning Spanish, inspired by her Colombian partner.

Please join us in welcoming Alora!

05/06/2025

Adrienne here! Guess what? Our website got a makeover—and as JVN from Q***r Eye would say: honey, it was time.

Like any good Q***r Eye glow-up, we kept what makes us us and added a fresh, thoughtful design that better reflects who we are today. Colour, inclusivity, and high-level design come together in this new version of our online home, and we hope you’ll take a look around and feel right at home.

And I’m also here to publicly promise: blog posts are coming. I’m committing to about one per month—so stay tuned, and feel free to hold me accountable- or let me know what topics you’d like covered. The first one’s all about what it really means to offer neurodivergent-affirming therapy.

Come check it out and let us know what you think in the comments below 👇 - and please, share far and wide to spread the word!

05/05/2025

Our team of psychotherapists just keeps growing, and we couldn’t be more grateful 🥹 Join me in welcoming Samantha MacFarlane to the team!

Sam is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with a calm, grounded presence and a deeply thoughtful, integrative approach. With over 14 years of experience supporting individuals and families through complex challenges, Sam brings warmth and expertise to her work and is a great fit for those looking to work on burnout, anxiety, chronic stress, or chronic illness and pain.

Sam is now welcoming new clients—in person on Mondays and virtually on Tuesdays.
To book, give us a call at 613 585-3834- our lovely clinic coordinators will be happy to help! Or head over to our Jane page to book online: https://connectedcounsellingservices.janeapp.com/locations/pembroke-location/book #/staff_member/35

04/23/2025

Today is Administrative Professionals Day, and we’re celebrating the heart of our team, our Administrative Assistant and Clinic Coordinator Abby McInnes. We’re so grateful to have such an incredible admin!

Thank you, Abby, for helping us stay organized and on track every day. Your kindness, reliability, loyalty and sense of humour make such a difference—our team (and our clients!) are lucky to have you!

03/31/2025

March Mugshots - A Connected Counselling Compendium of CCS Therapists and Their Favourite Mugs! 🍵☕️

Therapist Name: Amanda
Charge: Chronic neglect of hot beverages

A busy mom of three and an ADHDer, Amanda has a long-standing rap sheet: for forgetting perfectly good cups of coffee all over the house. Bathrooms, living rooms- THERAPY ROOMS- you name it, she’s left a lukewarm mug there- and likely, if there is a microwave, her Joe has been warmed up inside it!

After repeated offenses, she’s finally serving her sentence: exclusive use of insulated mugs.

Her insulated mug of choice? This stylin Anupaya-branded one, made by two of her yoga mentors Pete and Shan who now run Anupaya Cabin Co. Unlike her relationship with hot bevvies, the mug is dependable, and it keeps her coffee warm no matter how many times she walks away from it mid-sip.