Donate

Our team

Administrative team

Christine

General Manager & Privacy Officer

Bio
Hélène Latrille, 
Dipl. Psy, MSc Crim. Directrice des Services cliniques – Psychothérapeute – Psychologue

Hélène

Deputy General Manager – Clinical psychologist

Bio
Portrait de Karine Cloutier souriant à la caméra

Karine

Director of Communications and Philanthropy

Bio
Fanny Dallaire Adjointe à la Direction générale

Fanny

Executive Assistant to the General Manager – Coordinator of Administration, Human Resources and Finance​

Bio
Jeanne This, M.A. Coordonnatrice des opérations 
du CIViS

Jeanne

CIViS Operations Coordinator
Bio

Cloé

Planning, Programming and Research Officer

Bio

Lucía

Communications and Philanthropy Coordinator

Bio

Clinical team

Audrée-Jade Carignan Coordonnatrice des interventions – CAVAC

Audrée-Jade

Intervention Coordinator – CAVAC

Bio

Rébecca

Criminologist & Intervention coordinator – CAVAC

Bio

Brenda

Intervention Coordinator – CAVAC

Bio

Mélina

Criminologist – Psychosocial Counsellor and Assistant Director of Clinical Services
Bio
Marie-Christine Beaulieu, Ph.D. Psychothérapeute – Psychologue

Marie-Christine

Clinical psychologist – Clinical supervisor

Bio
Sarah-Anne Garceau Aparicio, M.A. Psychothérapeute – Sexologue clinicienne

Sarah-Anne

Clinical Sexologist — Psychotherapist

Bio
Annie Valois Intervenante psychosociale

Annie

Sexologist – Psychosocial Counsellor

Bio
Bio
Lise Desjardins, M.A. Psychothérapeute – Sexologue clinicienne

Lise

Clinical sexologist – Psychotherapist  –
Clinical supervisor

Bio
Bio
Portait de Emmanuelle Despaties Nguyen souriant à la caméra

Emmanuelle

Clinical Sexologist — Psychotherapist

Bio
Bio
Maxim Jodoin souriant à la caméra

Maxim

Clinical Sexologist — Psychotherapist

Bio
Bio

Annie

Psychoeducator – Psychosocial Counsellor

Bio
Bio
Eliza Rodrigue, membre de l'équipe clinique chez La Traversée

Eliza

Clinical Sexologist – Psychotherapist – Clinical supervisor

Bio
Bio

Mariane

Social Worker, Psychotherapist

Bio
Bio

Mathilde

Clinical psychologist

Bio

Olivier

Social Worker, Couple and Family Therapist and Psychotherapist

Bio

Guillaume

Clinical psychologist

Bio

Would you like to get involved in supporting victims of sexual violence by joining the La Traversée team?

I want to get involved
Read the news

Board of Directors

A key decision-making body, the Board of Directors provides the diverse expertise and strategic vision that guide the organization’s direction.

Isabelle Mathieu, President

Senior Director, Strategic Development, Renaud-Bray – President, Pierre Belvédère et Cadres Verbec

Hélène Bisson, Vice-President

Director of Communications, Barreau of Quebec

Michèle Laframboise, Treasurer

Partner, Normandin Beaudry Assets Management

Sophie Arpin, Secretary

Litigation Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Annie Fournier, Secretary

General Manager, Boscoville

Christian Duceppe, Board Member

General Manager and Chief Investment Officer, Public Markets, Desjardins Global Asset Management

Frédérique Earls-Bélanger, Board Member

Lawyer, Santé Québec Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal Universitaire

Julie Grenier, Board Member

Human Resources Manager, HydroSolution

Pierre Morin, Board Member

Senior Manager, Capital Markets, Desjardins Securities Inc.

Julien This, Board Member

Service Manager, Business Development, Société du parc Jean-Drapeau

Eve Verschelden, Board Member

Vice-President, General Manager of Biron Medical Laboratory, Pathology and Biron Genetics

Apply to the Board of Directors!

Contact us

Christine

General Manager & Privacy Officer

Christine Vilcocq holds a Master’s degree in Communications and is a gerontologist specializing in the care of vulnerable elders. At La Traversée, Christine applies the three fundamental professional credos that guide her day-to-day work.

Innovation: Christine is driven by the need to generate and develop innovative projects, concepts, and ideas. Her visionary leadership and open-mindedness create an environment conducive to the emergence of bold, innovative solutions.

Team: Christine understands that the success of every project depends on its team, and she places the utmost importance on fostering a strong team culture rooted in trust, respect, and collaboration.

Research: Christine is convinced that continuous validation and improvement through research and training are crucial for ensuring a project’s excellence and sustainability. By relying on evidence-based data and solid expertise, La Traversée assures its clients of the highest service quality standards and continuous improvement.

“Impose your luck, embrace your happiness and go toward your risks: by looking at you, they’ll get used to it.” René Char

Hélène

Deputy General Manager - Clinical psychologist

Hélène obtained her degree as a clinical psychologist in 2014 from the École de Psychologues Praticiens in Paris. Specializing in the field of justice, she subsequently completed a master’s degree in criminology at the Université de Montréal and became a member of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec in 2018.

Hélène joined the La Traversée team in 2021 and has since provided psychotherapy services to adult victims of sexual violence, using an integrative approach. Since February 2023, she has also served as Director of Clinical Services, overseeing the work of psychotherapists and psychosocial workers, and leading the management, coordination and organization of all of the organization’s clinical activities. She ensures that clinical practices at La Traversée uphold the organization’s values as well as the ethical and professional standards inherent to the profession, while actively contributing to the development of long-term strategies aimed at improving the quality of care and optimizing the effectiveness of services offered to victims of sexual violence.

Drawing on this background and her clinical and organizational expertise, Hélène was appointed Deputy General Manager of La Traversée in July 2026. In this new role, she brings her in-depth knowledge of clinical issues and her strategic vision to support the Executive Director and contribute to the overall development of the organization.

“The greatest glory is not never falling, but rising every time you fall.” – Nelson Mandela

Karine

Director of Communications and Philanthropy

A graduate of HEC Montréal in human resources and business management, Karine has spent over 30 years working in non profit organizations, driven by a desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Having worked with a multitude of organizations, both in Quebec and abroad, she has acquired solid expertise in philanthropy and communications. Her experience at CRIPCAS, Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les problématiques conjugales et les agressions sexuelles, has had a profound impact on her, making her acutely aware of the issues surrounding the trauma of sexual violence.

Touched by the resilience of victims of sexual violence, she is committed to mobilizing the resources needed to promote their recovery and reconstruction.

As La Traversée’s new Director of Communications and Philanthropy, Karine is also determined to implement innovative communications strategies to raise public awareness of the cause, and to develop a network of committed donors, volunteers and partners.

“By shining our light, we give others the opportunity to do the same. – Nelson Mandela

Fanny

Executive Assistant to the General Manager – Coordinator of Administration, Human Resources and Finance

Fanny brings extensive experience as an executive assistant, having spent a significant portion of her career in educational settings. She exhibits professional agility and responsiveness daily, ensuring effective coordination.

Her unwavering commitment and enthusiasm shine through as she meets challenges and supports general management in achieving its objectives. A proactive team member, Fanny consistently leverages her skills and experience to further the organization’s success.
“They didn’t know it was impossible, so they did it.” – Mark Twain

Jeanne

CIViS Operations Coordinator

Jeanne completed a bachelor’s degree and a research-intervention master’s in sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

La Traversée, a founding member of the Centre de services intégrés en violence sexuelle (CIViS), coordinates and hosts this initiative from its facilities in Saint-Lambert, Montérégie. In this service integration project, Jeanne oversees the planning, coordination, and deployment of CIViS. She also documents process and tool development to promote best practices in supporting victims of sexual abuse. Finally, leveraging her broad-based expertise, she also takes on the responsibility for Research and Knowledge Transfer across all projects undertaken by La Traversée.

“To exist is to dare to throw oneself into the world.” – Simone de Beauvoir

Cloé

Planning, Programming and Research Officer

Cloé holds a Ph.D. in Sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Her dissertation focused on the experience of sexual fantasies in connection with childhood sexual abuse, as well as on the processes through which imagination can help individuals move through and transform trauma.
 
During her studies, she worked as a research coordinator for the Trauma Research and Intervention Unit (TRACE) and Couple Studies, as well as for the Virtual Reality, Sexotechnological Tools and Sexual Health Research Laboratory (EROSS). Throughout her academic career, she has coordinated several research projects, including studies on sexual assault experienced by men and the use of virtual reality as an intervention tool in the treatment of sexual aversion.
 
Drawing on her expertise in sexology, research methodology, and project coordination, Cloé joined La Traversée as Planning, Programming and Research Officer. She contributes to the development and implementation of the organization’s research initiatives, ensuring that scientific rigor translates into meaningful and tangible outcomes for the individuals we serve.
“The only thing that never ages is intellectual curiosity.” — Oscar Wilde

Lucía

Communications and Philanthropy Coordinator

With a bachelor’s degree in History and French and Hispanic literature, as well as a graduate diploma in journalism, Lucía has always been deeply curious about others. Driven by a social commitment that dates back to her teenage years, in 2025 she began a Master’s degree at the University of Montreal, where she is exploring communication issues between philanthropic actors in Quebec and the organisations they support.

Her experiences as a volunteer and employee at various foundations and non-profit organisations convinced her to pursue a career at the intersection of communications and philanthropy, where she can shine a light on human generosity.

At La Traversée, Lucía works within the communications and philanthropy team alongside the director, helping to develop innovative strategies that enable the organisation to continually push the boundaries of what is possible in its support for victims of sexual violence.

‘‘Alone we go faster, together we go further’’ – African proverb

Audrée-Jade

Intervention Coordinator

Audrée-Jade completed a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in research-intervention in sexology at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

She is employed by CAVAC (the Center for Assistance to Victims of Criminal Acts), one of the founding organizations of the Centre de services intégrés en violence sexuelle (CIViS), alongside La Traversée and the Longueuil Agglomeration Police Service (SPAL).

As part of this service integration project, Audrée-Jade is responsible for coordinating interventions to facilitate access to services and a simplified, harmonious trajectory for victims of sexual violence. She assesses the impact and needs of users, develops a personalized service pathway and coordinates it throughout the client’s journey within the services.

“Resilience is the art of navigating torrents.” – Boris Cyrulnik

Rébecca

Criminologist & Intervention Coordinator - CAVAC

Rébecca holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the Université de Montréal and is a member of the Ordre professionnel des criminologues du Québec (OPCQ).

She works at CAVAC Montérégie (Centre d’aide aux victimes d’actes criminels), one of the partners of the CIViS project (Centre intégré de services en violence sexuelle), an innovative initiative bringing together CAVAC, La Traversée and the Service de police de l’agglomération de Longueuil (SPAL) to provide more integrated support to victims of sexual violence.

As part of this project, Rébecca coordinates interventions to facilitate access to services and support a smooth, personalized care pathway tailored to each person’s needs.

She conducts impact and needs assessments, develops personalized service pathways, and ensures continuity of support throughout the journey of the people she accompanies.

“Those who don’t believe in the impossible are asked not to discourage those who are doing it.” — Mike Horn

Brenda

Intervention Coordinator - CAVAC

Brenda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology from the University of Montreal, earned in 2019, and is a member of the Ordre professionnel des criminologues du Québec. She is employed by CAVAC (the Center for Assistance to Victims of Criminal Acts), one of the founding organizations of the Centre de services intégrés en violence sexuelle (CIViS), alongside La Traversée and the Longueuil Agglomeration Police Service (SPAL).
 
As part of this service integration project, she works at La Traversée’s offices and coordinates interventions with her colleague Audrée-Jade to facilitate access to services for victims of sexual violence and their families. She conducts an initial assessment with each individual before proposing a personalized service trajectory based on the assessed needs.
 
Throughout this trajectory, Brenda remains available to support those she accompanies and ensures they receive all the help they need.

“To be empathetic is to walk with another person, to meet that person where he or she is.” Brené Brown

Mélina

Criminologist – Psychosocial Counsellor and Assistant Director of Clinical Services

Mélina holds a double bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Psychology from the Université de Montréal. As part of her academic journey, she contributed to university research on sexual offending, deepening her understanding of the complex dynamics surrounding sexual violence. A member of the Ordre professionnel des criminologues du Québec, she has over five years of clinical experience working with justice-involved individuals who have committed sexual offences.
 
Driven by a genuine calling for helping others, Mélina is committed to offering victims of sexual violence—and their loved ones—a safe, non-judgmental space. Her approach is rooted in empathy, respect, and active listening, allowing each person to open up in their own time and at their own pace.
 
Her unique path, combining clinical rigour with a deep understanding of social and legal realities, strengthens La Traversée’s mission. She contributes by placing the well-being of victims at the heart of every intervention.

“The power of life is so strong that, like a massive torrent, it re-emerges in other forms after the crash.” – Boris Cyrulnik

Marie-Christine

Clinical psychologist - Clinical supervisor

Marie-Christine completed a PhD in clinical psychology research and intervention at the Université de Montréal and began her practice at La Traversée in 2015. Her doctoral thesis, specializing in children and teenagers, examined the relationship between the behavioural characteristics of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and various parental factors. The quality of this thesis was recognized by the Université de Montréal’s psychology department, which selected it for the 2015 Canadian Association for Graduate Studies’ Distinguished Dissertation Award.

Clinically, Marie-Christine has trained in a psychodynamic approach within child psychiatry and pediatric clinics at university hospitals. As part of her practice at La Traversée, she completed advanced training in cognitive-behavioural therapy focusing on trauma resolution and has taken various courses in trauma intervention. She also provides clinical supervision to psychosocial practitioners and psychotherapists, a service now available at La Traversée.

In addition to her work at La Traversée, Marie-Christine is a lecturer at the Université de Montréal.

“Peace lies within each of us.” Dalai Lama

Sarah-Anne

Clinical Sexologist — Psychotherapist

Sarah-Anne is a psychotherapist and a member of the Ordre des sexologues du Québec. Her work is guided by the conviction that everyone has a right to sexual, relational, and overall well-being, respecting their physical and psychological integrity. While she primarily employs humanistic-existential and cognitive-behavioural approaches, she also adopts an integrative approach tailored to each client’s needs. Her professional interests focus on issues of sexual violence, self-esteem, sexual health, intimacy, attachment, and relationships. She is also sensitive to the experiences of individuals from LGBTQIA+ communities.

Her view of sexuality embraces its diversity, seeing it as a realm of infinite possibilities: self-discovery, authenticity with others, exploration, and the experience of pleasure. For Sarah-Anne, establishing a strong working alliance with her clients is essential, creating a space filled with empathy, kindness, authenticity, and respect.
“We have been thrown into circumstances of life over which we have no control, and, nevertheless, in which we can grasp possibilities of life, a potential freedom that our emotional situation can offer us.” Martin Heidegger

Annie

Sexologist - Psychosocial Counsellor

Annie has a bachelor’s degree in sexology and over 20 years of experience in the community, working with women’s groups and young people. She has worked as a social worker at a Sexual Assault Help Centre and subsequently at a women’s centre. She was also a project officer for the Table de concertation des groupes de femmes de la Montérégie and a trainer in several Longueuil high schools. In 2023, she proudly joined La Traversée as a psychosocial counsellor, offering group and individual psychosocial support.
“Every success begins with the willingness to try.” John F. Kennedy

Lise

Clinical sexologist - Psychotherapist - Clinical supervisor

A clinical sexologist and psychotherapist, Lise worked in private practice for over 24 years with adult clients, both individually and as couples. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in clinical sexology, as well as a certificate of basic training in EMDR. She is licensed as a clinical sexologist and as a psychotherapist, and is a member of the Ordre professionnel des sexologues du Québec and of EMDR Canada.

While maintaining a highly diversified practice, Lise has taken a particular interest in trauma treatment in recent years. She now wishes to work more specifically with victims of sexual violence, offering them tailored support in a caring, constructive setting that respects each person’s pace. She is also happy to work within an organization that offers services at no cost to people from a wide range of social and financial backgrounds.

Beyond her work at La Traversée, Lise pursues other professional activities. She has developed expertise in the Sexocorporal approach, which she has been teaching to other health professionals for over 20 years. She also offers clinical supervision to psychosocial workers and psychotherapists, a service now available at La Traversée.

She encourages the development of a positive vision of sexuality and offers comprehensive, whole-person care (cognitions, emotions and sensations) that takes the body into account in its entirety.

“Resilience is what forged my personality. It’s not the degrees, it’s not the schools I went to, it’s not the titles, it’s my ability to pick myself up again and again and be a human who connects to her story.” Michelle Obama

Emmanuelle

Clinical sexologist - Psychotherapist

Emmanuelle has been a clinical sexologist and psychotherapist at La Traversée since 2021. Passionate about human relationships and mental health, she naturally gravitated towards this field.

Trained mainly in the cognitive-behavioral and systemic-interactional approaches, her practice is integrative and adapts to each person’s unique needs.

With many years’ experience, Emmanuelle works with people of all ages and genders who have experienced sexual assault. She is particularly interested in the impact of these traumas on sexuality, emotional management and interpersonal relationships. She also addresses other issues such as cultural issues within couples and intergenerational trauma.

It’s important to her that her practice reflects certain values she holds dear, such as respect, accessibility, inclusion and non-judgment. She wishes to emphasize the uniqueness of each individual and to take intersectionality into account in her understanding of things.

It is with an attitude imbued with empathy, warmth and humility that she accompanies the people who seek her psychotherapeutic services.

“The meaning we give to things changes the way we experience them” – Boris Cyrulnik

Maxim

Clinical Sexologist — Psychotherapist

A clinical sexologist and psychotherapist since 2019, Maxim joined the La Traversée team in 2024. He supports adults and adolescents, providing a safe space to explore the various aspects of their lives.
 
With a diverse range of experience gained in private practice and within the healthcare network, Maxim has developed expertise working with a variety of clients. Before his graduate studies, he collaborated on research into sexual violence at the University of Montreal and the Centre Marie-Vincent. He also gained valuable experience working in a crisis centre in the Laurentians, supporting individuals facing acute difficulties.
 
Maxim has a strong interest in the psychodynamic-psychoanalytic approach, particularly the self psychology founded by Heinz Kohut, drawn to its great sensitivity.

For him, psychotherapy is a unique and safe place where individuals can explore different parts of themselves and their experiences, sometimes venturing into more winding or unknown areas that we don’t explore in other contexts. He believes that the symptoms that burden a person carry within themselves a meaning that the work of psychotherapy gradually allows us to discover and understand.
 
For Maxim, this process is a sustained collaboration aimed at clarifying the sources of suffering, allowing the individual to gradually let go of it.

« Man can no more survive psychologically in a psychological milieu that does not respond empathically to him, than he can survive physically in an atmosphere that contains no oxygen. » Heinz Kohut

Annie

Psychoeducator - Psychosocial Counsellor

Annie holds a master’s degree in psychoeducation and is a member of the Ordre des psychoéducateurs et psychoéducatrices du Québec.
 
Throughout her professional journey, she has supported children, adolescents, and adults facing various adaptation challenges in both institutional and community settings. In 2025, she joined the team at La Traversée, driven by the desire to provide compassionate and empathetic support to individuals who have experienced sexual violence.
 
Passionate about human adaptation, Annie prioritizes a strength-based approach that focuses on the adaptive capacities of the individuals she supports, fostering their path toward healing and empowerment.

As a psychosocial practitioner, she is committed to offering personalized, compassionate, and needs-based support to individuals who have experienced sexual violence, as well as their loved ones. She also contributes to creating a safe and inclusive environment where everyone can progress at their own pace toward well-being.
“Supporting someone means believing in their ability to transform, even when they doubt themselves.” – Gilles Gendreau

Eliza

Clinical Sexologist — Psychotherapist - Clinical Supervisor

Eliza holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in clinical sexology from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). She is a member of the Ordre professionnel des sexologues du Québec (OPSQ) and is licensed as a psychotherapist.

Since the beginning of her career in 2012, Eliza has worked with people who have experienced all forms of violence, including sexual violence. She has practised in a variety of settings (shelters, CAVAC, the health and social services network), supporting clients with diverse needs, of all ages and genders.

Her practice, rooted in a cognitive-behavioural orientation, draws on a range of theoretical models, with a particular emphasis on attachment theory. Her therapeutic ease allows her to move fluidly between approaches, adapting to each person’s specific needs and unique situation.

Eliza has also developed extensive expertise in post-traumatic stress, particularly developmental trauma (complex trauma) and its impacts on individual and relational development. In her sessions, she supports clients in exploring and understanding the effects of the trauma they have experienced, while respecting each person’s pace. She guides them with care toward post-traumatic growth. She also offers clinical supervision to psychosocial workers and psychotherapists, a service now available at La Traversée.

For Eliza, the therapeutic space is above all a safe place where each person can settle in, feel, and be fully welcomed.

“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.” – Naeem Callaway

Mariane

Social Worker, Psychotherapist

Originally trained in political science, Mariane worked for several years as a community intervention worker and in shelter settings in the Montréal area. Guided by a deep commitment to supporting others, she later pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at the Université de Montréal and practiced as a social worker, member of the OTSTCFQ, within the public health care system.
 
After completing her Master’s degree in Social Work, she began the process toward obtaining her psychotherapist license. Mariane also holds a graduate diploma in mindfulness-based approaches in helping relationships from UQAM.
 
In psychotherapy, her practice integrates humanistic, systemic, and cognitive-behavioural perspectives. She also uses EMDR to support individuals who have experienced trauma, offering care grounded in presence, sensitivity, and deep respect for each person’s pace.
“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” — Maya Angelou

Mathilde

Clinical Psychologist

Mathilde is a clinical psychologist and member of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec. Originally trained in psychology in France, she went on to complete a master’s degree in sexology and a doctorate in psychology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Her academic path developed around interpersonal traumas experienced in childhood and their impacts in adulthood, which shapes her clinical approach.
 
Mathilde brings diverse clinical experience gained in private practice and within the public health network, working with individuals and couples. She joined the La Traversée team in 2026, where she provides psychotherapy services to adults of all genders who have experienced sexual violence.
Her clinical approach is integrative, grounded in a humanistic perspective and informed by cognitive-behavioural and psychodynamic therapies. She draws on an understanding of developmental and relational dynamics to offer support tailored to each person’s specific needs. Mathilde places great importance on building a secure and authentic therapeutic relationship.
 
She strives to create a clinical space characterized by gentleness, non-judgment, and humility — where each person can, at their own pace, explore their experience. Her approach aims to welcome the whole person while offering a space to gently explore areas of vulnerability.
“There is no resilience without love. We never rise alone.” — Boris Cyrulnik

Olivier

Social Worker, Couple and Family Therapist and Psychotherapist

Olivier is a social worker, couple and family therapist, and psychotherapist. He is a member of the Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec. He holds a certificate in victimology and a bachelor’s degree in social work from the Université de Montréal, as well as a master’s degree in couple and family therapy from McGill University. He has developed his clinical practice within a range of community organizations and several psychiatric settings.
 
At La Traversée, Olivier offers psychotherapy services to adults, adolescents, and children who have experienced sexual violence. He favors an integrative approach and tailors his work to the needs, goals, and pace of each person he works with.
 
Attuned to the ways lived experience shapes our connection to ourselves and to others, he approaches therapy as a space for transforming relational patterns and rebuilding a sense of secure connection. He creates a warm and collaborative therapeutic space, where resilience and lasting well-being take shape over the course of the work together.

Guillaume

Clinical psychologist

Guillaume is a clinical psychologist and member of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec. He obtained his doctorate in clinical psychology (Ph.D.) from the Université de Montréal in 2023, with research focused on body image and eating disorders. After working with a diverse clientele in both private practice and academic settings, he joined La Traversée in 2026 to provide psychotherapy to adults and adolescents who are victims of sexual violence.

In his practice, Guillaume champions collaboration, humility, sensitivity, compassion, and authenticity, with the goal of nurturing and embracing both strength and vulnerability. He works from a humanistic, intersubjective approach, while integrating elements from other therapeutic orientations in order to adapt to the needs and means of each individual. Guillaume places emphasis on welcoming, exploring, and integrating the many facets of a person’s lived experience, with the aim of helping them develop new points of reference and reconnect with their intrinsic capacities for attachment and self-determination. He brings a patient yet active presence, grounded in a holistic and dynamic understanding of the person.

“To establish a relationship with others, one must first establish a relationship with oneself.” – Irvin D. Yalom

Mélina

Criminologist – Psychosocial Counsellor and Assistant Director of Clinical Services

Mélina holds a double bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Psychology from the Université de Montréal. As part of her academic journey, she contributed to university research on sexual offending, deepening her understanding of the complex dynamics surrounding sexual violence. A member of the Ordre professionnel des criminologues du Québec, she has over five years of clinical experience working with justice-involved individuals who have committed sexual offences.
 
Driven by a genuine calling for helping others, Mélina is committed to offering victims of sexual violence—and their loved ones—a safe, non-judgmental space. Her approach is rooted in empathy, respect, and active listening, allowing each person to open up in their own time and at their own pace.
 
Her unique path, combining clinical rigour with a deep understanding of social and legal realities, strengthens La Traversée’s mission. She contributes by placing the well-being of victims at the heart of every intervention.

“The power of life is so strong that, like a massive torrent, it re-emerges in other forms after the crash.” – Boris Cyrulnik