Understanding your situation
The first session is a chance to take the time to understand what brings you to consult.
You will be able to explain your situation, your concerns, what you have already tried and the changes you would like to see.
Social work · Saint‑HyacintheIndividuals, couples and families
Social work in Saint-Hyacinthe
Professional support to help you find solutions suited to your reality
Some situations can become difficult to manage on your own: family tensions, separation, relationship difficulties, exhaustion, major changes, parenting challenges, neurodiversity or concerns about a loved one.
Meeting with a social worker helps you step back, better understand what is at play in your situation and, above all, identify concrete ways to move forward.
At the Clinique IPS du Palais in Saint-Hyacinthe, Élise supports you with a human, confidential and solution-oriented approach, taking into account your personal, family, work and social reality.
The role
What is a social worker?
A social worker looks at the person as a whole and at how their personal, family, relational, work and social situation influences their daily life.
She seeks to understand not only the difficulty encountered, but also the interactions between the person and their environment.
The goal is not to impose a solution on you, but to help you find the ones that fit your reality.
Her role may include:
- better understanding your situation;
- identifying the factors contributing to the difficulties you are experiencing;
- recognizing your strengths and resources;
- clarifying your needs and priorities;
- setting realistic goals with you;
- developing strategies you can apply in your daily life;
- supporting you during periods of transition or change.
Our approach
A systemic, solution-focused approach
Élise’s approach is, among other things, systemic and solution-focused.
Understanding the person within their environment
The systemic approach holds that a difficulty cannot always be understood in isolation.
A person lives within different systems:
- their family;
- their relationship as a couple;
- their workplace;
- their school environment;
- their relationships;
- their social network;
- their life context.
The interactions between these different elements can influence what the person is experiencing.
The intervention therefore makes it possible to look at the situation as a whole rather than focusing solely on one symptom or one specific difficulty.
Focusing on what can change
The solution-focused approach also seeks to identify:
- what is already working;
- the person’s strengths;
- the resources available;
- the exceptions to the difficulties;
- the changes they want;
- the small steps that can lead to concrete improvement.
Rather than remaining focused solely on the problem, the work aims to determine what can be put in place now to move forward.
This approach makes it possible to build realistic, gradual goals adapted to each person.
Why consult
Why consult a social worker?
There is no need to wait until a situation becomes unbearable before asking for help.
A consultation may be appropriate when a difficulty begins to affect your well-being, your relationships, your family, your work or your daily functioning.
Personal difficulties and periods of transition
You may consult, for example, when you are going through:
a period of stress or overload;
adjustment difficulties;
a separation or a breakup;
grief or a significant loss;
a major change in your life;
relationship difficulties;
recurring conflicts;
a period of questioning;
difficulty setting or maintaining certain boundaries;
a feeling of isolation;
a personal situation that has become difficult to manage;
an imbalance between personal, family and professional life.
Sometimes, the need is simply to be able to step back with a professional and think differently about a situation.
Couple
Couples and relationships
Relationships can go through periods when communication becomes more difficult or when each person’s needs seem harder to reconcile.
A social worker can support individuals or couples who wish to better understand their relationship dynamics and identify concrete ways to improve how they function.
The systemic approach makes it possible, among other things, to observe the interactions and dynamics that have become established in the relationship in order to determine possible changes.
Sessions may, for example, address:
- communication difficulties;
- recurring conflicts;
- differences in needs or expectations;
- periods of transition;
- changes in the relationship;
- separation;
- co-parenting;
- family organization;
- the impact of a personal situation on the couple.
Families
Children, adolescents and families
Difficulties experienced by a child, an adolescent or a parent can affect the whole family.
The social worker can support families to better understand what is happening and find suitable strategies.
Depending on the situation, sessions may take place with the child, the adolescent, the parents or several family members.
Support may, for example, involve:
- parent-child relationships;
- family difficulties;
- adjustment difficulties;
- major changes in the family;
- parental separation;
- co-parenting;
- family conflicts;
- certain difficulties encountered at school;
- social relationships;
- concerns about a child’s behaviour or functioning;
- supporting parents in their parenting role;
- the impact on others of a situation experienced by one family member.
Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity
Understanding a different way of functioning rather than trying to normalize it
Neurodiversity recognizes that people can think, learn, feel, communicate and interact with their environment in different ways.
These differences can have an impact on:
- relationships;
- family life;
- studies;
- work;
- organizing daily life;
- communication;
- managing expectations;
- independence;
- adapting to certain environments.
Élise has particular experience supporting neurodivergent people and their loved ones.
Support can, for example, help to:
- better understand one’s own way of functioning;
- identify one’s strengths and challenges;
- better recognize one’s needs;
- develop strategies adapted to daily life;
- work on certain relationship difficulties;
- improve communication with loved ones;
- adapt the environment when possible;
- support the parents of a neurodivergent child;
- support the couple or the family;
- better cope with certain transitions;
- develop strategies for organizing daily life;
- support school, social or professional adjustment;
- support loved ones in their understanding of neurodiversity.
The goal is not to change the person, but to help them better understand how they function and find strategies compatible with their reality.
Social work support does not replace a diagnostic assessment when a formal diagnosis is sought.
Parenting
Parenting and family support
Being a parent sometimes brings situations in which it becomes difficult to know how to respond.
The systemic approach makes it possible, among other things, to observe the interactions between the different family members and to reflect on changes that could improve family functioning.
It is not about looking for a perfect way to be a parent, but about determining what can really work for your family.
Sessions can help to:
- better understand certain reactions or behaviours;
- improve family communication;
- set clearer boundaries;
- support a child during a period of change;
- better manage conflicts;
- adapt certain parenting interventions;
- understand a child’s particular needs;
- support the parents of a neurodivergent child;
- restore a better family balance.
Professional life
Work, job stress and work-life balance
Professional difficulties can have a significant impact on personal and family life.
Conversely, certain personal difficulties can also affect functioning at work.
Support aims to better understand the situation and to identify strategies to improve day-to-day functioning and balance.
A social worker can, for example, support people who are experiencing:
- work-related stress;
- difficulties adjusting at work;
- overload;
- relationship difficulties in their work environment;
- major professional changes;
- difficulty balancing the different areas of their life;
- a return-to-work period;
- a personal situation affecting their job.
Employee Assistance Program
Employee Assistance Program — EAP
A professional support service for your employees
The Clinique IPS du Palais can also offer social work services as part of employee assistance programs (EAPs) or agreements with organizations.
Consultations allow employees to quickly obtain professional support during personal, family, relationship or professional difficulties that may affect their well-being or functioning.
For employees
Reasons for consultation may include:
- personal or work stress;
- family difficulties;
- relationship conflicts;
- separation;
- grief;
- adjustment difficulties;
- parenting;
- neurodiversity;
- work-life balance;
- a period of transition;
- a personal situation affecting work.
The intervention is confidential and focused on the person’s needs.
For businesses
Depending on the organization’s needs, different forms of collaboration may be considered:
- access to social work consultations;
- rapid referral of employees;
- corporate agreements;
- blocks of consultations;
- occasional support;
- collaboration with an existing employee assistance program.
The goal is to offer employees simple, quick access to a professional resource when a personal or social situation requires support.
Incapacity
Psychosocial assessment of incapacity
Some situations require a formal psychosocial assessment when a person may no longer be able to make certain decisions alone or to adequately take care of themselves or their affairs.
This assessment takes into account the person’s functioning, autonomy, environment, family and social network, as well as their needs.
It is part of a regulated process that may also include a medical assessment and certain legal steps, depending on the situation.
A psychosocial assessment may be required, for example, in certain processes related to:
- the homologation of a protection mandate;
- the institution of tutorship;
- certain representation processes;
- a reassessment of the situation.
Do you need to begin a process concerning a loved one’s incapacity?
Contact us to confirm the services required and the necessary documents.
How it works
How does a consultation work?
Looking at the situation as a whole
In a systemic approach, different aspects of your environment may be explored when relevant:
- relationships;
- family;
- romantic relationship;
- work;
- school;
- responsibilities;
- social environment;
- available resources.
The goal is to better understand what is currently influencing your situation.
Identifying your strengths and resources
The solution-focused approach pays particular attention to what is already working.
Certain resources or abilities are sometimes present without the person being fully aware of them.
They can become important foundations for what comes next.
Setting your goals
Together with the social worker, you determine the changes you wish to see.
The goals are concrete, realistic and adapted to your reality.
Finding practical avenues
Sessions then make it possible to develop strategies and try out different ways of approaching the situation.
Depending on your needs, a few sessions may be enough or more regular support may be offered.
Individualized support
An approach centred on your reality
Each person arrives with their own history, environment, relationships, strengths and concerns.
Support is therefore individualized.
Understanding
Taking the time to look at your situation as a whole.
Identify your strengths
Recognizing the abilities and resources already present.
Define what you want to change
Setting concrete goals rather than remaining focused solely on the difficulties.
Find solutions
Developing realistic means that can be applied in your daily life.
Adjust
Observing what works and adapting strategies as needed.
Move forward at your own pace
Gradually building a situation that better matches your needs and goals.
Who we support
For whom?
Social work services can be offered:
To adults
For personal, relationship, family, social or professional difficulties.
To children and adolescents
When certain difficulties affect their personal, family, school or social functioning.
To neurodivergent people
To better understand how they function and their needs, and to develop strategies adapted to their reality.
To parents
To be supported in various family and parenting situations or situations related to neurodiversity.
To couples
To work on certain difficulties related to the relationship, communication or transitions.
To families
When the situation affects several family members or the family dynamic.
To loved ones
Particularly when a loved one is in a vulnerable situation or when a process concerning incapacity needs to be considered.
To employees
As part of a personal process or an employee assistance program.
To businesses
To offer their employees access to professional social work consultations.
The right time
When should you consult?
You do not need to know the exact cause of your difficulty before booking an appointment.
It may be appropriate to consult when:
you feel like you are going around in circles;
the same difficulty keeps coming back;
a situation is starting to affect several aspects of your life;
tensions are increasing in your family or your relationship;
you no longer know how to respond to your child;
you are going through a major change;
you want to better understand how you function;
you want to better understand neurodiversity;
your work is starting to be affected by a personal situation;
you need an outside professional perspective;
you want to act before the situation gets worse.
A social worker within a health clinic
Having a social worker at the Clinique IPS du Palais makes it possible to approach health from a holistic perspective.
Physical health, psychological well-being, family, relationships, work, lifestyle habits and environment are often interrelated.
When relevant and with the necessary consent, the clinical setting also allows collaboration with the other professionals involved in your care.
This proximity supports an approach in which the person is considered as a whole.
Meet Élise
Élise — Social worker
A graduate in social work from Université Laval in 2005, Élise has developed experience with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families.
Among other things, she worked in the Famille-Enfance-Jeunesse (Family-Childhood-Youth) program at a CLSC before devoting herself to independent practice in 2017.
Over the course of her practice, she has developed particular expertise in neurodiversity, with children, adults and their loved ones, as well as in psychosocial assessment of incapacity.
Her approach is, among other things, systemic and solution-focused. She seeks to understand the person within their environment, recognize their strengths and build concrete avenues with them to improve their situation.
Empathetic, attentive and dynamic, Élise places great importance on building a relationship of trust and an environment where each person can speak freely about what they are experiencing, without judgment.
Her approach is based on respect for the person, their integrity, their reality and their pace.
A first step
Wondering whether a social worker can help you?
You do not need to have all the answers before consulting.
The first session is precisely a chance to understand your situation, determine your needs and identify the support options that could suit you.
Going through a difficult time?
Is your family or your relationship experiencing tension?
Do you have concerns about your child?
Are you or your child neurodivergent and looking for better support?
Is a personal situation starting to affect your work?
Looking for a resource for your employee assistance program?
Do you need to begin a psychosocial assessment process concerning a loved one?
Our team can guide you.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a medical referral to see a social worker?
For a private consultation, a medical referral is generally not required to book an appointment directly with a social worker.
However, certain specific processes or certain insurers may have their own requirements.
Is it only for people in crisis?
No.
You can consult for a major situation as well as for support with a difficulty that is starting to affect your daily life.
It may also be appropriate to consult preventively or when you simply wish to improve certain aspects of your functioning.
What is a systemic approach?
The systemic approach seeks to understand a person by taking into account the different environments in which they live.
For example, a family difficulty can affect work, just as a professional difficulty can affect the couple or the family.
This approach makes it possible to observe the interactions between these different elements.
What is a solution-focused approach?
This approach pays particular attention to the desired changes, the person’s strengths, the available resources and the elements that are already working.
It makes it possible to gradually build concrete avenues rather than focusing solely on the difficulties.
Can we consult as a couple?
Yes.
Depending on the nature of the situation and the type of support sought, couples sessions may be offered.
Can we consult for our child?
Yes.
Élise has experience with children, adolescents and their families.
Depending on the child’s age and the situation, the work may involve the child, the parents or various family members.
Can we consult about neurodiversity?
Yes.
Élise supports children, adults and their loved ones with various realities related to neurodiversity.
The goal may be, for example, to better understand how the person functions, identify their needs and develop strategies adapted to their environment.
However, social work intervention does not replace a diagnostic assessment when a formal diagnosis is sought.
Do you offer services as part of an EAP?
Yes, social work services can be offered as part of corporate agreements or employee assistance programs.
Businesses can contact the clinic to discuss their needs and the various possible arrangements.
How many sessions will be needed?
This varies depending on each person’s situation and goals.
Some people consult for a few targeted sessions, while others want more regular support.
The frequency and duration of support are discussed with you and can be reassessed over time.
Are consultations confidential?
Consultations are conducted in accordance with the professional obligations applicable to the practice of social work and to the protection of personal information, subject to the exceptions provided for by law.
Book an appointment with a social worker in Saint-Hyacinthe
Are you going through a personal, family, relationship or professional difficulty?
Would you like to better understand a situation related to neurodiversity?
Looking for concrete avenues to restore a better balance?
The first session is a chance to take the time to understand your situation and determine the next steps with you.
Social work at the Clinique IPS du Palais
Saint-Hyacinthe
References
- Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec (OTSTCFQ). Découvrir nos professions, accessed September 30, 2026. otstcfq.org
- Government of Québec. Votre proche devient inapte, updated October 17, 2025, accessed September 30, 2026. quebec.ca
- Curateur public du Québec. Forms Évaluation psychosociale dans le cadre de l’homologation d’un mandat de protection and Évaluation psychosociale dans le cadre de l’ouverture d’une tutelle au majeur, version DGSP 2026-06, accessed September 30, 2026. mandate (PDF) — tutorship (PDF)
The information on this page is provided for informational purposes and does not replace a consultation with a professional.