About Jodi
Professional. Warm. Genuine. Compassionate. Holistic.
My years of training, professional and personal experience have helped me to develop a therapeutic practice that I am proud of, one that I am excited to share with you. I value collaboration as one of the most important pillars of a therapeutic relationship and it is vital to the work we will be doing together to produce your desired outcomes of health and wellness.
A lot of my work is grounded in a few important beliefs and evidence based practices. As I share with you the framework through which I practice, you will begin to get a better sense of the work we may do together but more importantly; if the way in which I work feels right for you.
I believe that:
- All human beings are worthy of love and wired for connection.
- We as human beings are hardwired for survival and sometimes we employ a variety of techniques – healthy or not – to ensure we do survive, sometimes minute to minute, hour to hour or day to day.
- Emotional connection and intimacy are vital to our health and well-being.
- The relationship we have with self and other are often a great source of our pain and we must heal both in order to feel safe and secure in the world.
- A trauma informed approach is important.
- Emotionally Focused (Couples) Therapy is one of the most effective and evidenced based ways of healing relationships.
- Groups are often a very powerful way to heal, as they offer an opportunity to be seen and heard, to feel a sense of belonging and that we are not alone in our struggles.
- Vulnerability is a source of pain and sadness but more importantly it is also the birthplace of love, courage, joy and connection.
- We are stronger together. The ability to depend on a few significant others in our lives shows strength rather than weakness.
- Connection is vital in our lives and holds the powerful ability to help us heal – this includes the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist.
I pull from the work of Dr. Sue Johnson, Brene Brown, Gabor Mate, Dr. John Gottman, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Janina Fisher, Dr. Judith Herman and many more. I encourage you to look up these inspiring individuals and their work.
Professional. Warm. Genuine. Compassionate. Holistic.
My years of training, professional and personal experience have helped me to develop a therapeutic practice that I am proud of, one that I am excited to share with you. I value collaboration as one of the most important pillars of a therapeutic relationship and it is vital to the work we will be doing together to produce your desired outcomes of health and wellness.
“SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO DISCONNECT AND ENJOY YOUR OWN COMPANY” – Daily Dose
I welcome any questions or feedback and I hope to hear from you, should you decide that I might be a good fit for the kind of work you set out to accomplish. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to set up a free 20 minute phone consultation, an appointment or to discuss the services I offer.
“EDUCATING THE MIND WITHOUT EDUCATING THE HEART IS NO EDUCATION AT ALL” – Aristotle
Over the past decade, I have engaged in very challenging and diverse professional experiences. I have worked with adults struggling with addiction, mental health concerns, alzheimers, trauma, grief, loss, domestic violence, affair recovery, sexuality, gender identity, women/families who are pregnant and parenting.
Early on in my career I found myself on a path working towards a specialization in addiction. I began working with those who were substance involved. Eventually I transitioned to a specialization in working with family and friends trying to support a loved one who is substance involved. To read more about the work I do in addictions and mental health please click here.
My adventurous side brought me to China (p. 12) to practice international social work while completing my MSW degree. Here I stepped out of my comfort zone and worked with youth (a population I had no experience with) in a high school struggling with mental health, sexuality, familial issues and bullying.
What I hope this information tells you is not only about the kinds of versatile work I have accomplished in my career but more so about the valuable lessons learned while working with such resilient individuals. Lessons such as: to love and accept oneself; to master ones own physical, cognitive and emotional limitations; to appreciate both painful and joyous moments; to overcome great pain; to acknowledged the pain one has caused others and to forgive – these are just some of the greatest learnings clients have passed along to me over the years. To read more about my professional work experiences please view my Linkedin profile for more information.
“LIFE IS ABOUT BEING A VERSATILE ATHLETE AND TRAINING IN ALL REALMS OF LIFE” – Ray Lewis
Aside from working a lot, I do make time for self-care. I believe in the health benefits that arise from engaging in leisure activities, not only because of personal experience but because of my undergraduate degree in Therapeutic Recreation.
I am a lover of many things! I travel the world whenever I can because of it’s beauty and the wisdom acquired when learning about the way other people live. I have developed a yoga practice that has helped me to create a deep connection between my mind, body and soul. So much so that I am trained as a Yoga Teacher in the hopes that I can one day incorporate yoga into my clinical work with clients.
I adore all animals, especially my own pup who gets me outside and active. I also love to cook and can get lost in my kitchen for hours; cooking helps me to relax and brings out my creativity. I believe in the philosophy that leisure help us decrease stress, reduce boredom, learn new skills and find balance amidst the chaos of everyday life – but it also teaches people about who we are and what we value.