Maybe you’ve been carrying something quietly for months, a marriage that feels distant, a child who’s struggling and can’t say why, or a version of anxiety that’s outgrown your usual coping methods. It takes courage just to admit something needs to change, let alone to pick up the phone and say it out loud to a stranger. We know that, and we’ve built our practice around making that first step as gentle as possible.
You won’t be asked to figure out on your own which of our therapists is right for you, or to navigate insurance paperwork alone, or to sit with your questions unanswered while you wait for a callback. From the moment you reach out, our Client Care Team is your one point of contact, listening to what’s going on, answering the practical questions, and thoughtfully matching you with a therapist based on genuine fit, not just whoever happens to be free. You’ll stay supported by that same familiar, caring voice through booking and beyond, so you never feel like you’re just a number moving through a system.
This is a practice built on that philosophy from the ground up. Mary Joan Brinson opened her private practice in the heart of Belleville back in 2006, and what’s now The Relationship Centre grew out of her simple belief that getting help should be easy, not one more hard thing standing between you and a better way to live. Below is a closer look at what we offer at our Belleville location, the therapists who see clients there, and what those first steps actually look like.
Belleville Therapy- How It All Began
As The Relationship Centre has grown, so has our ability to support more individuals, couples, children, and families across the region. What began in Belleville has expanded to include a second location in Kingston, allowing us to reach more people while continuing to provide the personalized, compassionate care we’re known for.
Our Belleville office at 393 Sidney Street remains at the heart of our practice, supported by an experienced team, strong local partnerships, and a dedicated Client Care team that helps match each person with the therapist who best fits their needs.
We’re also proud to support clients throughout the surrounding communities, including Trenton, Stirling, Tweed, Napanee, Picton, Deseronto, Madoc, Frankford, Quinte West, Prince Edward County, Brighton, and Marmora. For those who prefer the convenience of meeting from home, we also offer secure virtual therapy to clients across Ontario. We’ve also opened up a second location in Kingston Ontario.
Therapy Services in Belleville: What We Help With
No two people come to therapy for the same reason, which is why we offer a range of specialized therapy services for individuals, couples, children, families, and professionals. Our therapists use evidence-based approaches tailored to your goals, helping you find support that fits your unique situation.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy provides a confidential space to explore anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, grief, trauma, life transitions, self-esteem, or the feeling that you’ve lost touch with yourself. Sessions are personalized to your goals and move at a pace that feels right for you.
Learn more
Couples Therapy
Couples therapy isn’t just for relationships in crisis. Whether you’re preparing for marriage, rebuilding trust after betrayal, navigating parenting, improving communication, or feeling stuck in the same recurring arguments, our therapists help couples strengthen their connection. Many of our clinicians draw on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), an evidence-based approach that explores the attachment needs beneath conflict.
Learn more
Family Therapy
When one family member is struggling, the entire family often feels the impact. Family therapy helps improve communication, strengthen relationships, navigate conflict, and create healthier patterns together rather than placing blame on one individual.
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Child Therapy
Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling. Instead, emotions often show up through behaviour, anxiety, emotional outbursts, or changes at school and home. Our child therapists use play-based, creative, and developmentally appropriate approaches to help children build confidence, express emotions, and develop healthy coping skills while partnering closely with parents throughout the process.
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Teen Therapy
The teenage years can bring unique challenges, including anxiety, depression, stress, identity exploration, school pressures, friendships, family conflict, and major life transitions. Teen therapy provides a supportive, judgment-free space where adolescents can strengthen coping skills and navigate this stage of life with greater confidence.
Perinatal Mental Health Support
Pregnancy, postpartum, fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, and the transition into parenthood can bring unexpected emotional and mental health challenges. Our therapists provide compassionate support for parents at every stage of the perinatal journey.
First Responders Therapy
Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, correctional workers, dispatchers, healthcare professionals, and other first responders face unique pressures that can take a toll over time. Our therapists understand the realities of these demanding roles and provide confidential support for trauma, chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, PTSD, moral injury, relationship challenges, and the emotional impact of serving others.
CBT-I Therapy for Insomnia
Sleep difficulties can affect every part of your life, from your mood and relationships to your work and physical health. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an evidence-based treatment that helps address the underlying thoughts and behaviours contributing to chronic sleep problems without relying solely on medication.
Executive Leadership Coaching
Strong leadership starts with self-awareness. Executive Leadership Coaching supports leaders, business owners, managers, and professionals who want to strengthen communication, navigate workplace challenges, build more resilient teams, and lead with confidence and clarity. Coaching is tailored to your goals and professional development.
The Belleville Team
Every therapist below sees clients in person at our Sidney Street office (some also split time with our Kingston location), and all offer virtual sessions too.
Mary Joan Brinson- Founder
Mary Joan founded The Relationship Centre over 30 years ago and still sees clients, primarily couples and pregnant or postpartum women navigating a harder road than they expected. Her approach centres on emotional safety first, connection second.
“ We know how hard it is to ask for help. It takes courage to contact someone you’ve never met and share that you’re struggling. But we encourage you to take that first step. Because we know what’s waiting for you on the other side: a better way to live.”
Read Mary Joan’s full bio
Alexander Orr
Alexander sees individuals and couples, with particular experience supporting clients exploring sexuality, gender identity, or neurodivergence alongside anxiety, trauma, and relationship struggles. He splits his time between our Belleville and Kingston offices.
Read Alexander’s full bio
Daniel Forsythe
Daniel works with individuals, couples, and teens, with particular experience supporting neurodivergent clients and their families navigating ADHD. He’s known for treating people as whole humans rather than diagnoses.
Holly Knowles
Holly works with adult individuals and couples navigating relationship strain, depression, anxiety, stress, infidelity, and low self-esteem, drawing on more than 20 years in public service alongside training in EFT, ACT, and mindfulness. She also sees clients at our Kingston office.
Jean Terhaar
A former registered nurse of 25 years, Jean now offers individual and couples therapy through an attachment-based, relational lens, supporting adults through anxiety, stress, depression, trauma, grief, and burnout. She also sees clients in Kingston.
Read Jean’s full bio
Kathleen O’Connor
With over 25 years across health, child welfare, and crisis settings, Kathleen brings a steady, strengths-based presence to individual therapy, particularly around trauma, grief, and major life transitions.
Read Kathleen’s full bio
Lydia Kellar
Lydia specializes in child, teen, and family therapy, drawing on her background as a Registered Early Childhood Educator and her own lived experience as a neurodivergent child. Much of her work involves coaching parents directly.
Read Lydia’s full bio
Paula Leite
Paula works with individuals, teens, and children through a trauma-informed, EFT-based lens, and also offers therapy in Brazilian Portuguese. Her sessions balance emotional depth with genuine warmth.
Read Paula’s full bio
Tara Gingrich
Tara has 20 years of experience supporting individuals and teens through anxiety, grief, identity questions, and perinatal transitions, using CBT, DBT, and mindfulness-based approaches.
Read Tara’s full bio
Monica Melanson– Virtual Only
Monica works with individuals, couples, and families on anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and relationship stress, using EFT, CBT, and EMDR.
Read Monica’s full bio
MaryClair Walker– Virtual Only
MaryClair works with individuals and couples navigating relationship pain, stuck patterns, anxiety, and low self-esteem, drawing on attachment-based, trauma-informed, and EFT approaches.
Read MaryClair’s full bio
Emma Elliot
Emma works with adults and couples navigating stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions, drawing on EFT, IFS, ACT, and a trauma-informed lens.
Sydney Matson
Sydney works with individuals, couples, families, and teens, with a particular heart for youth, drawing on Emotionally Focused Therapy and a trauma-informed approach.
Alysha Cooper
Alysha is a psychotherapist intern who works with youth and adults, creating a warm, non-judgmental space to navigate life transitions, emotional stress, and self-discovery at a pace that feels right for you.
Andrew Garnet– Virtual Only
Andrew works with individuals and couples, using a trauma-informed approach to help clients navigate life transitions, strengthen relationships, and heal from the impact of past experiences.
Allyson Coogan– Virtual Only
Allyson works with individuals, couples, and families, using evidence-based trauma therapies to foster healing, strengthen relationships, and help clients reconnect with themselves and those they love.
Emma Dunkley- Client Care Coordinator
Emma is based in our Belleville office and is usually the first person you’ll talk to. She’ll ask what’s bringing you in, walk you through insurance and direct billing if that applies, and match you with a therapist based on your actual situation.
Read Emma’s full bio
Courtney Kelso
Courtney is the Practice Manager at The Relationship Centre, dedicated to creating a warm, welcoming experience and helping every client feel supported from their very first interaction.
Ready When You Are
If you’re looking for individual, couples, family, or child therapy in Belleville, reach out for a free consultation with our client care team. There’s no pressure and no commitment, just a chance to ask questions and see if we’re the right fit before you decide anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes The Relationship Centre different from other therapy practices?
Our concierge-style client care. You’re never left to sort through therapist bios and insurance questions alone, our Client Care Concierge handles that matching and logistics personally.
What is EFT, and why do you use it so much?
Emotionally Focused Therapy is an evidence-based approach built on the idea that most of our distress, whether it’s anxiety, conflict with a partner, or feeling stuck, traces back to unmet needs for safety and connection. Instead of just managing symptoms, EFT works to regulate emotion first and build safety, then helps you understand the patterns driving your reactions so change actually lasts.
What towns near Belleville do you serve?
Beyond Belleville itself, we regularly see clients from Trenton, Stirling, Tweed, Napanee, Picton, Deseronto, Madoc, Frankford, Quinte West, Prince Edward County, Brighton, and Marmora either in person or virtually.
What’s your Belleville office actually like?
It’s designed to feel calming rather than clinical, a warm reception area and softly lit therapy rooms meant to help you feel grounded the moment you walk in, not like you’re sitting in a waiting room. We built it as a space to exhale in, not just pass through.
How is The Relationship Centre’s history connected to Belleville specifically?
This is where it all began. Mary Joan Brinson opened her private practice here in 2006, and The Relationship Centre grew out of that original office in 2018. Kingston came later, in 2025, so Belleville isn’t a satellite location, it’s the origin of everything the practice has become.
Do all your therapists use the same approach, or does it vary person to person?
It varies. While EFT runs through most of our team’s training, individual therapists also draw on CBT, DBT, EMDR, Internal Family Systems, trauma-informed care, and other approaches depending on what you’re working through. Part of what the Client Care Concierge does is help match you not just to an available therapist, but to someone whose specific style and training fit what you need.
What if I’m not sure therapy is even the right step for me?
That uncertainty is normal, and it’s exactly what the free consultation is for. You’re not committing to anything by having that first conversation, it’s a chance to ask questions, describe what’s going on, and see whether this feels like the right fit before you decide.
Can I switch therapists if it doesn’t feel like the right match?
Yes. Fit matters more than sticking it out, and our Client Care Concierge would rather help you find someone who feels right than have you push through a mismatch. Just let your care coordinator know and they’ll help you find a better fit.
Is everything I share in therapy confidential?
Yes, with the standard legal exceptions around safety (such as risk of harm to yourself or others). Your therapist will walk you through confidentiality and its limits in your first session so you know exactly what to expect.
Book a free 20-minute consultation to explore your options, meet with a member of our team, and take the first step toward feeling more supported.
Feeling Better Starts Here
Find compassionate in-person therapy in Belleville and Kingston, and virtual therapy across Ontario. We’re here to help you, your partner, or your family heal, grow, and reconnect.
