Our Fortify team is growing, and we’re excited to introduce two of our newest practitioners! Each brings their own unique expertise and approach to supporting the health and well-being of our community.
To help you get to know them a little better, we sat down with Joël Desilets, Registered Dietitian, and Nicole Allan, Marriage & Family Therapist, to chat about their work, what inspired them to pursue their respective fields, and what they hope clients take away from their time at Fortify.
Get to know the faces behind the care below!
Meet Joël Desilets, Registered Dietitian
1. Tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to the work you do today.
I’ve always had a strong connection to food whether that’s cooking, trying new recipes, or exploring different cuisines while traveling. Over time, that interest grew into a deeper curiosity about the science behind how our bodies use and metabolize nutrients. That combination of passion and curiosity ultimately led me to pursue a career in nutrition.
I’m also someone who enjoys staying active, especially through sports like soccer and golf. Being able to blend my interests in food, science, and health into a career where I can help others is what makes this work so meaningful to me.
2. How would you describe your approach to working with clients?
My approach is centered around getting back to the basics first. Before diving into more specific or advanced strategies, I like to make sure we have a strong foundation in place, this includes things like consistent eating habits, balanced meals, and realistic routines that fit your lifestyle.
I aim to create a calm, supportive, and approachable environment where clients feel comfortable having open conversations. From there, we can build more personalized strategies together. I see it as a collaborative process, we work as a team to find what’s practical, sustainable, and effective for you.
3. What’s one thing you wish more people understood about working with a dietitian?
A lot of people already have a general idea of what they “should” be doing when it comes to nutrition, but knowing something and consistently applying it are two very different things.
Working with a dietitian isn’t just about getting information, it’s about having someone in your corner who helps you turn that knowledge into action. It provides accountability, structure, and ongoing support, which can make a big difference in building habits that actually stick. Even small adjustments when done consistently, can lead to meaningful and lasting changes.
Meet Nicole Allan, Marriage & Family Therapist
1. Tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to the work you do today.
I’m a Marriage & Family Therapist, wife, mom, and someone who has always been curious about what happens beneath the surface of our relationships, emotions, and patterns.
I was drawn to this work because I’ve always believed that there’s a story behind the way we respond to the world. The things we learned in our families, the roles we took on, and the ways our bodies learned to protect us can all shape how we show up in relationships and how we experience ourselves.
Becoming a mom has deepened that perspective for me, too. Motherhood has a way of bringing your own patterns, expectations, identity, and nervous system right to the forefront.
Today, I primarily work with couples and individuals navigating relationships, motherhood, grief, anger, anxiety, identity, and life transitions. I love helping people move from simply understanding why they do what they do toward having the tools, awareness, and safety to actually do something different.
2. How would you describe your approach to working with clients?
My approach is relational, systemic, and deeply curious. I don’t see people as problems to be fixed. I see their symptoms, emotions, and relationship patterns as meaningful information.
A lot of my work looks at the connection between the mind and body: what happens in our nervous system when we feel overwhelmed, disconnected, angry, anxious, or stuck in fight, flight, or freeze. We also explore the patterns we may have inherited from our families and how those experiences can continue to influence our relationships today.
I draw from approaches including Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Polyvagal-informed work, but most importantly, I meet people where they are. Therapy with me is collaborative, conversational, and compassionate. I want clients to feel like they can bring their whole selves into the room, not just the polished version.
Whether I’m working with a couple trying to find their way back to each other or an individual who is realizing, “I don’t want to keep doing things this way,” my goal is to create a space where there is room for both understanding and change.
3. What’s one thing you wish more people understood about therapy or taking that first step toward
starting therapy?
You don’t have to wait until things are bad enough to start therapy.
You also don’t need to have everything figured out before you walk through the door. You can come in confused, overwhelmed, angry, disconnected, or simply curious about why you keep finding yourself in the same patterns.
I think the first step can feel especially vulnerable because it means admitting that something isn’t working, or that you want something to feel different. But therapy isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about having a space where you can slow down, get curious about what’s happening beneath the surface, and begin making sense of it with someone alongside you.
And if you’re not sure whether a therapist is the right fit? That’s okay, too. That’s exactly why I offer complimentary meet-and-greets. You’re allowed to ask questions, get a feel for the space, and decide whether it feels right for you.
Whether you’re looking for support with nutrition, navigating relationships or life transitions, or simply looking for a place to start, our growing team is here to meet you where you are.
We’re so excited to have Joël and Nicole as part of the Fortify community and can’t wait for you to get to know them!