‘It\u2019s about making sure people know they can share their story differently \u2014 that there\u2019s more than one way to be heard’<\/p>\n
Rooted is all about the people and the places that make us proud to call our community home.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
For North Bay psychotherapist Jo\u00eblle Myre, art isn\u2019t just a hobby \u2014 it\u2019s a language. At her practice, Envision Psychotherapy, Myre uses visual arts to help clients work through their mental health challenges in ways that words alone can\u2019t always reach.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to show people that it can be explored through different mediums. It\u2019s not just your voice,\u201d she says. \u201cThey can share their story in a different way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her approach grew out of her own experience as a visual artist. Myre earned her undergraduate degree in fine arts with an early dream of becoming an art therapist. That goal took shape in her second year of university after taking a psychology course that \u201cjust clicked.\u201d She began a deep dive into her own mental health, creating art that reflected her emotions and struggles, and realized she wanted to guide others through a similar process.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been doing art related to how I\u2019m feeling, or exploring deep concepts I was struggling with,\u201d Myre says. \u201cEventually, I wanted to teach people how to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her path wasn\u2019t straightforward. She initially pursued a master\u2019s program in Vancouver, but family circumstances \u2014 and the illness of her grandfather \u2014 brought her back to Ontario. After taking time to regroup, she enrolled in Yorkville University\u2019s Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new skills she gained have now merged with her long-standing love of the arts.<\/p>\n
These days, Myre works with painting, drawing, and hopes to explore sculpture when she has more space. Within Envision Psychotherapy, Myre offers individual psychotherapy services where she helps her clients find their voices, through those various mediums. She\u2019s also started a community art group to encourage creative expression beyond the therapy room.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a practicing artist. I paint and draw at home all the time,\u201d she says. \u201cI haven\u2019t been in an art gallery since before COVID, but I\u2019m getting back into that now, which has been really great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before turning her focus to psychotherapy, Myre\u2019s art was displayed in multiple galleries. She once had a personal goal of exhibiting at least once a year, but her priorities have shifted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not so much rewarding about having other people see it,\u201d she explains. \u201cNow, it\u2019s about making sure people know they can share their story differently \u2014 that there\u2019s more than one way to be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Originally from the outskirts of Sudbury, Myre first came to North Bay for the Art Program at Nipissing University and decided to stay in the Gateway City. \u201cI\u2019m more of a small-town, country girl,\u201d she says. \u201cNorth Bay felt like home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Building a psychotherapy practice in a smaller community comes with both challenges and advantages. Myre\u2019s bilingualism and local connections have helped her establish trust, even as she continues to grow her client base.<\/p>\n
When clients come to see Joelle Myre, their starting point can vary widely. Some arrive with a favourite medium already in mind\u2014pencil crayons, markers, or sketching\u2014while others feel uncertain, hesitant to even explore. In those cases, she\u2019ll guide them through different techniques, almost like an assessment of skills and preferences, before settling on an approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more free-flowing than people might think,\u201d Myre explained. \u201cI\u2019m there to guide them, give them the tools, and then help them notice things in their work\u2014like symbolism\u2014that can lead to meaningful conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her first sessions are never about \u201cdiving deep\u201d right away. Instead, she focuses on making the space comfortable, starting with small icebreakers and letting clients get to know her and the studio. \u201cYou can\u2019t just expect someone to walk in and throw all their emotions out there on day one,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a slow build.\u201d<\/p>\n
While she works with a range of issues\u2014grief, anxiety, depression, trauma\u2014she\u2019s found that not every client comes in during a crisis. Some simply want what she calls \u201cmaintenance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s when someone comes in maybe once a month, just to talk,\u201d Myre said. \u201cThey might not need to make big changes, but they value having that space\u2014a place where someone is giving them 100% of their attention. I\u2019m not a friend, I\u2019m not a family member, I\u2019m just there to listen and help them reflect. That\u2019s pretty special.\u201d<\/p>\n
She admits that while the stigma around mental health still exists, the conversation is more open now than it used to be. \u201cWe live in such a fast-paced society, and people feel like they have to keep up,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes they burn out before they realize they need to slow down. I think more people are learning that you don\u2019t have to wait until you\u2019re in that place to ask for help.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked what advice she would give to someone considering a career in therapy, Myre stressed the importance of self-awareness.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf someone\u2019s looking to start becoming a therapist, I think they need to have an understanding of who they are as an individual because you\u2019ll be tested along the way,\u201d she said. \u201cYou\u2019ll provide better help and service if you have a good understanding of who you are as a person. It didn\u2019t come to me easy\u2014this has been one heck of a journey\u2014but you\u2019re a better therapist if you know who you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
She noted that the profession is not one-size-fits-all. \u201cPeople don\u2019t want that generic mold,\u201d she said. \u201cYou\u2019re choosing a life where you\u2019re very much your own boss, and you need something to stand on at the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Myre, following her instincts has been the guiding force. \u201cWhen I ignore that gut feeling, things don\u2019t go so well. When I follow it, I know I\u2019m doing what\u2019s right for me,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you have something pulling you toward the mental health field, explore what that means to you. It\u2019s really rewarding work, and that calling is worth listening to.\u201d<\/p>\n