Therapist faces punishment for offering Christian counseling on marriage, sexuality

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) said that its lawyers would help fund Maryse Gaudet-Lebrun, who is a Quebec sexologist and “facing disciplinary proceedings after offering counseling services that integrate her Christian faith with her professional practice.”

Gaudet-Lebrun is open about her Christian faith and primarily serves clients “who share her faith.”

The JCCF noted that in private practice she has sought to “provide counseling to Christian couples seeking guidance consistent with both professional standards and their religious beliefs.”

Gaudet-Lebrun said that “receiving this complaint shook me to the core.”

“I never would have imagined being accused when I was simply trying to do good and care for others. The support from the Justice Centre turned out to be a true answer to my prayers,” she noted.

In December, a formal complaint was made against Gaudet-Lebrun, alleging that she had breached her code of ethics relating to her profession.

The JCCF noted that the complaint objected to video content on her “website in which she discusses sexuality alongside Christian teachings, prayer, and biblical principles.”

“It also alleges that she promoted heterosexual sexuality within marriage and incorporated a spiritual approach into her practice,” the JCCF noted.

Gaudet-Lebrun is a member in good standing with the L’Ordre professionnel des sexologues du Québec, which is the professional regulatory body that oversees licensed sexologists in Quebec.

She has a master’s degree in sexology, a certificate in social work, and a bachelor’s degree in health sciences.

According to the JCCF, a sexologist is a “trained professional who helps individuals and couples with relationship, intimacy, and sexual concerns through counseling and guidance.”

Case raises questions about ‘freedom of religion and freedom of conscience,’ says JCCF

According to the JCCF, Olivier Séguin, its constitutional lawyer, warned about how professional bodies are increasing control over its members, noting, “The control of society through professional bodies” is a pressing issue across Canada. 

“In Quebec, the ever-expanding empire of state secularism risks banning any trace of religion from the professional relationship between a professional and a client who share the same beliefs,” he said.

The JCCF stated that Gaudet-Lebrun’s case raises broader questions about “freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and whether professional regulators can punish members for peacefully serving clients in a manner consistent with shared religious beliefs.”

According to the JCCF, the next steps in the case involve receiving the “prosecutor’s expert report, after which the defence intends to seek clarification of the allegations, file responding materials, and prepare for a disciplinary hearing.”

Cases of professional regulatory bodies going after members who question the status quo or show beliefs they deem controversial have become more common in Canada.

For example, Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson was in a battle with his regulator over free speech. It got to the point that in 2024 he formally announced his departure from Canada in favor of moving to the United States, saying his birth nation has become a “totalitarian hell hole.”

Some provinces, such as Alberta, however, have passed laws protecting doctors and professionals and set “clear expectations” for professional regulatory bodies to respect freedom of speech on social media and online for doctors, nurses, engineers, and other professionals.