WELCOME.
Whatever has brought you here, I hope you find something helpful.
My approach to therapy prioritizes what is important and meaningful to each individual. I help people with anxiety, panic attacks, sleep disturbances, depression, relationship issues, persistent pain and developing healthy self-care and coping strategies.​ I specialize in working with people who have experienced adversity early in their lives and prolonged stress or traumatic events as adults.
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The process of therapy can help you to:
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get in touch with what matters most to you,
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find the therapeutic modalities that fit for your specific concerns and preferences and
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move through the difficulties you are facing so that you can lead a more fulfilling and satisfying life.
I love working with people to develop their own internal resources, gain new skills, develop curiosity, insight and clarity, and explore new ways of seeing and being at times of difficulty and transition in their lives.
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I'm honoured be here to support you on your journey of healing and self-discovery.
"As long as we're breathing there is more right with us than wrong with us, no matter what we are facing"
~ Jon Kabat-Zinn, developer of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
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"Focusing will enable you to find and change where your life is stuck, cramped, hemmed in, slowed down. And it will enable you to change– to live from a deeper place than just your thoughts and feelings."
~ Eugene Gendlin, developer and author of Focusing
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“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.”
~ Dorothy Parker
ABOUT JULIE
Hello, I’m Julie Giroux, a Psychotherapist & Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Victoria, British Columbia. Since 1993, I have worked in a variety of social service and health care roles providing specialized services to those dealing with challenging life experiences.​
I graduated from the University of Toronto twice, first in 2001 with a degree in Occupational Therapy and again in 2014 with a master's degree in Counselling Psychology & Psychotherapy. I also completed the teacher certification in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction at the University of Massachusetts. ​​​
My passion for learning and desire to be of real help has led me to gain expertise in a variety of therapeutic approaches which I integrate in a way that works for you. I have completed post-graduate training in EMDR (including advanced training in Attachment-Focused EMDR, and EMDR 2.0), Reconsolidation Therapy for PTSD, Somatic Experiencing, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Integration, and Focusing.
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I have a special interest in providing counselling for health professionals and first responders. I appreciate how it can be particularly hard to find time and ways to take care of ourselves.
SERVICES
CLINICAL COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY
Sessions are provided by secure video (Doxy.me, Jane App or phone).
My clients report that they have found online counselling with me to be effective. It has the added benefit of being in the comfort of your own space and not having to travel.
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I work online Tuesday to Friday between 8:30am and 5:00pm.
INSIGHT TIMER
Guided Meditation & Yoga
by Julie
I have been a teacher on the Insight Timer App since 2017 and a meditation teacher since 2010. Click the link below to browse my freely offered recordings for guided meditation (including MBSR practices), gentle yoga, Focusing and EMDR Resource Tapping.
EMDR THERAPY FOR TRAUMA, PHOBIAS, and ANXIETY.
EMDR therapy is very effective for trauma-related concerns, as well as processing relationship concerns, anxiety, and chronic pain.
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I have trained extensively in modifications to the standard EMDR protocol to increase the effectiveness as well as the comfort of the process for clients.
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EMDR Intensive therapy involves longer and/or more frequent EMDR sessions. While EMDR Intensives are more costly in the short-term, they can provide faster symptom reduction and take less time overall to feel noticeable results in your life.
MINDFULNESS & CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE
Mindfulness and other contemplative practices can be a supportive adjunct to therapy to help bring your insights from therapy into your daily life.
I offer instruction in mindfulness-based practices for managing stress, chronic pain and medical conditions.
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I have taught the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program since 2010 and completed teacher certification through the program founded by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts.