About me

Hi, I’m Jacquie Potvin-Boucher — proudly Red River Métis from Alberta originally and an Autistic ADHDer. I live a simple, grounded life surrounded by nature, creativity, and the people I love. I’m a mom to two incredible teenage boys and share my life with my wonderful partner and his son.

I began my career in the mental health field through research, writing, and program development, where I authored guides and journal articles on youth mental health literacy, including resources supporting Indigenous youth. Those experiences shaped how I see healing — as something connected to identity, culture, and the stories we carry.

I have also been a professional artist for the past 16 years, creating pieces that reflect land, emotion, and quiet moments of meaning. Art has always been a powerful part of my own healing, a way to express and process experiences that don’t always fit easily into words. You can find my artwork at www.jacquiepotvin.com

The teaching of braiding sweetgrass influences much of how I work. I see creativity, mental health, and lived experience as three strands woven together — each supporting and strengthening the other. Artmaking, reflection, and connection to the natural world often blend naturally into the healing process.

In my spare time, you can usually find me painting in my little studio, walking the forest trails near the ocean, tending to my home, or spending quiet evenings with my family and our animals. These simple moments keep me grounded and are where I feel most like myself.

My Therapeutic Approach

As a Licensed Counselling Therapist (Candidate) in Nova Scotia, I bring both my Indigenous and Autistic identity into my work through a Two-Eyed Seeing approach — blending the strengths of Western psychology with Indigenous traditional knowledge, symbolism, and story.

A meaningful part of how I practice is reflected through the animal teachings present in my logo much like the medicine wheel, each animal represents a quality that guides the healing process:

Deer — curiosity, gentleness, and the soft exploration of your inner world
Mouse — the small, often hidden anxieties we carry that deserve to be seen
Bear — grounding, strength, and the creation of safety and boundaries
Owl — clarity, insight, and the ability to see beneath the surface
Butterfly — transformation, growth, and becoming who you truly are

These teachings form a symbolic circle that aligns with the Medicine-Wheel-inspired roots of my work.
They guide the therapeutic journey from noticing → understanding → grounding → insight → transformation — the process of coming home to yourself.

Who I Work With

I specialize in supporting Autistic individuals, particularly those diagnosed later in life who are navigating:

burnout & chronic exhaustion
masking & survival-mode living
identity questions
the journey toward self-acceptance and authenticity

I also work with teens experiencing anxiety, depression, and navigating their unique neurodiversity — often using expressive arts, values work, and acceptance and commitment therapy.

Beyond neurodiversity, I support individuals from all walks of life who may be navigating:

Grief & Loss
Anxiety & Depression
Relationship Issues
Trauma & Life Transitions

How I Work

My approach is holistic, trauma-informed, and strength-based, always tailored to your lived experience and what your nervous system needs in the moment. I draw from a range of therapeutic modalities, including:

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Narrative Therapy
Cognitive-Based Strategies
Expressive Arts
Indigenous sacred teachings and grounding practices

Through a gentle, honouring, culturally rooted lens, we work together to understand your story and help you reconnect with your true, authentic self — not who you’ve been told to be.

Accessibility & Options

I offer virtual therapy across Nova Scotia, as well as walk-and-talk sessions in nature from HRM to the Eastern Shore. I currently do not have an in person option but hope to soon.

Direct billing to Blue Cross is available, and flexible scheduling is offered to meet you where you are.