Our mission: improve & enhance lives through mental health care services for all.
07/23/2025
Your child isn’t broken. And they don’t need to be “fixed.”
They need someone who sees beyond the behaviours. Someone who understands the overwhelm, the big feelings, the missed social cues—and wants to help them build real connection.
Mary gets it.
She’s one of our incredible therapists who works with kids with ADHD—and she’s passionate about helping them feel understood, included, and confident in who they are.
Mary is accepting new clients.
07/21/2025
What people see with ADHD:
Fidgeting. Being hyper. A scattered brain.
What they don’t see:
Mood swings, anxiety, depression, overwhelm, exhaustion, emotional dysregulation, analysis paralysis, and trying 10x harder just to keep up.
ADHD is so much more than what shows on the surface.
And therapy shouldn’t be about making you “fit in” — it should be about helping you function as yourself.
At LGA, we offer neurodiversity-affirming therapy for adults, teens, kids, and caregivers. You don’t need a diagnosis to get support. If this iceberg feels like your brain… we’re here for that.
📍In-person in Fredericton & Saint John
💻 Virtual sessions available across New Brunswick
🧠 Take our quiz to get matched with a therapist: https://www.lauragatien.com/therapist-quiz
07/18/2025
We’re excited to welcome two new therapists to the team – one in Fredericton and one in Saint John – and both are now accepting new clients 👇
✨ Maeve McFadden, LCT-C (Fredericton & virtual)
Gentle, insightful, and trauma-informed, Maeve brings over a decade of experience in mental health. She blends EMDR, CBT, and EFT to help clients move through what’s holding them back and reconnect with their strengths. Maeve works with youth (16+), adults, and couples.
✨ Molly O’Brien, LCT-C (Saint John & virtual)
Compassionate, real, and collaborative, Molly supports teens, adults, and couples through anxiety, self-esteem, body image, trauma, and relationship challenges. Her style is grounded, strengths-based, and inclusive.
Whether you're navigating something tough or just ready to grow – they’re here to help.
📍In-person in Fredericton & Saint John
💻 Virtual sessions available across NB
Both are accepting new clients – book now at lauragatien.com.
07/16/2025
We think we have time.
But in the therapy room, I’ve learned that the heartbreak isn’t just in the loss. It’s in the unfinished business.
The apology unsent. The repair unmade. The grace never extended.
This blog is a quiet nudge to anyone waiting for the “right moment” to say the thing, reach out, soften, forgive.
If life gave you a second chance today — what would you do with it?
No one really prepares you for how lonely this feels.
Even if you were the one who initiated the separation…
Even if it “needed to happen”…
Even if you’re trying to stay strong for your kids…
…you might still feel like your whole world is falling apart.
It’s the quiet moments that hit the hardest.
The empty space on the couch.
The way the house feels different.
The guilt.
The grief over what was supposed to be.
The anger you didn’t think you had in you.
And on top of it all—you're expected to keep functioning. To figure out legal paperwork. To co-parent. To explain things to people who don’t get it. To somehow “bounce back.”
You don’t have to do this alone.
We offer counselling for people navigating divorce and separation because this isn’t just a break-up. It’s a breaking open. And you deserve support that helps you rebuild—emotionally, mentally, and practically.
I, Laura, was invited to speak about s*xuality at the 91st Annual Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association conference and honestly, it was incredible.
Talking about s*x to a room full of 100+ people at a union event might sound intimidating… and it was. But it was also brave, open, and so needed. The room was engaged, curious, and willing to have the kinds of conversations that often get avoided.
Sexuality is part of mental health. And when we create safe spaces to talk about it, without shame, stigma, or outdated ideas, healing happens.
Thank you to the CPAA for inviting me. Thank you to everyone who came, asked questions, and shared openly. Let’s keep talking. Let’s keep learning. Let’s keep making space for the whole human experience.
If you want to bring this kind of honest, stigma-free conversation to your workplace or event, reach out. I’d love to speak with your team.
Smart. Kind. Humble. And quietly crushing it. Scroll to see why we’re lucky to have her.
07/07/2025
When life feels out of control, it’s not just the stress that gets to you.
It’s the voice in your head that says,
“You should be handling this better.”
“Everyone else seems fine.”
“Why can’t I just get it together?”
That inner pressure can be louder than anything outside of you.
But here’s the truth:
If you’re overwhelmed, it doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It means you're carrying more than one nervous system can manage alone.
This post isn’t just about tips.
It’s about permission–to slow down, to ask for help, to stop blaming yourself.
And when you’re ready, we’re here to walk with you.
07/02/2025
There's a trend that people, especially young people, are using AI (often ChatGPT or SnapChat) for therapy. While AI tools might offer a sense of instant relief or support, they aren’t a replacement for a real, human connection. They weren’t designed to be therapists, and they can’t offer the depth, safety or personal care that real support provides.
Mental health support can be expensive, hard to navigate and frustrating, so when AI is ready to respond without judgment, it’s easy to lean on. But there are risks using these tools as a substitute for human care.
AI may seem harmless (or even helpful), these platforms can easily become a go-to for emotional support. Asking AI for help with stress or venting about social struggles—but these moments call for real, empathetic, informed support. I'm concerned people are turning to AI instead of a trusted adult or mental health professional. I can’t overstate this enough: open, ongoing conversations between parents and kids are critical.
If a young person is using AI tools to talk about their feelings, that’s a sign. Not necessarily a problem, but a need for connection, understanding, and a safe place to express what they’re going through.
Rather than panic or shut these tools down, ask questions like:
1. “What do you talk to AI about?”
2. “Do you feel like it helped—or didn’t help?”
3. “If something really tough came up, who would you talk to?”
These platforms don’t know your history, emotions or the complexity of your life. They can’t pick up on red flags or follow up to check in. And they can’t create the safety or alliance that real counselling is built on.
Relying on AI might delay someone from seeking the professional support they need.
At Laura Gatien & Associates, we take a different approach. Our team listens. We problem-solve. And we work together to find a path forward, whether that’s accessing a therapist through our practice or connecting you with our nonprofit, Just Us; We all Struggle Inc.
We’re not anti-tech. We believe AI tools can offer short-term comfort or help kids put words to their feelings. But they’re not therapy. And they shouldn't replace real human connection.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Laura Gatien & Associates Counselling Services:
Laura Gatien is a registered social worker and clinical therapist in private practice in Saint John, New Brunswick. In 2018, Laura took a leap of faith and walked away from the security of a government job to become a solopreneur and she has since grown her mental health practice to a team of 11 clinicians. Laura is also a mom to 3 littles and loves to raise awareness around motherhood and mental health. She and her team are extremely passionate about reducing the stigma that accompanies mental health, through teaching and modelling that mental health affects everyone. It is necessary to seek help for mental health challenges just as you would physical health.
The team at Laura Gatien & Associates practices with a real and genuine approach in their work. They model vulnerability and challenge traditional approaches to mental health therapy to remove barriers to seeking treatment. Laura and her team have been recognized for offering a free drop-in counselling program for the community as well as a low-cost counselling program with the clinic interns and herself. Laura Gatien & Associates is becoming known as a center of excellence for training top talent in the field and providing an exceptional experience to learn and grow as a social worker & therapist.
