Heather Saumer

Hi, I’m Heather, a second-career Registered Psychotherapist after a career as a performing musician, community organizer/facilitator, and music teacher. I’ve been working creatively with children, youth, adults and seniors in various roles for over 20 years, and started my psychotherapy practice in 2021.

Through my work, I have had the privilege of serving people working in the arts, Indigenous and new immigrant populations, elders, caregivers, incarcerated youth, individuals facing complex emotional and mental health challenges, spiritual questioning, challenges with meditation, and challenges with learning. I have worked in public schools, communities, long-term care, religious, and studio/residential settings with individuals, families and groups.

Through my diverse life experiences, I’ve witnessed and gained skills to navigate the complexities of being human. I’ve been described as warm and easy to talk to; I can connect with curiosity and flexibility, calling on gentleness, directness, or humour as needed. My skills as an improviser also come into play when the ups and downs of life arise!

My approach is primarily based in Gestalt, which is somatic and embodiment-centred, relational, and psychodynamic, with supplemental trainings in other somatic and nervous system approaches. When working with people, I pull from different therapeutic modalities and diverse life experiences (such as arts-based or somatic inquiry, mindfulness, parts work, attachment theory, narrative), depending on what kind of support a person or relationship requires.

When working together, building a trusting, respectful, and collaborative relationship is foundational. I am creative and adaptable in my approach, attuning to the unique therapeutic style required by each individual person; I aim to understand what you as a client (or clients) might be experiencing, so that we can determine what kind of supports might be useful in moving toward your therapeutic goals. I help people move through places of stuckness, help with building awareness, methods of coping with stress and trauma, resilience, empowerment, and authentic expression.