"When we open ourselves up to our vulnerabilities, we also open ourselves up to our full potential. I believe that all of us have the strength within ourselves to overcome and forge ahead with our own preferred way of life and living "

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Introduction

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Judy is the founder and director of Your Story Counselling, with extensive training and experience in multiple psychotherapy settings, She utilizes  a strengths-focused postmodern systemic perspective, specifically drawing on the therapeutic models of Dialogic Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Sex Therapy, IMTT (Image Transformation Therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing Therapy), and Culturally-Informed Therapy Modalities. Judy is constantly learning new approaches and techniques to better serve the unique needs and goals of each and every one of her clients.

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My Mission

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I understand how vulnerable and hard it can be to face conflicts and issues head-on, I work hard to ensure Safety & Confidentiality for clients and that all people are met with Empathy, Respect, and Non-Judgement. 

My personal and professional training and experiences allow me to work collaboratively with Individuals, Couples, and Families across a broad range of issues and goals. I am passionate about gathering more tools and resources to better help and advocate for those I work with. 

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A Little/A Lot About Me 

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Hi! I'm Judy, a Chinese/HongKong Canadian born in Scarborough, Ontario and currently residing in York Region. Throughout my life I have struggled with my own personal mental health challenges and found that while I was going through my own battles with anxiety, depression, trauma, and body dysmorphia that I never found someone quite safe enough for me to share with them the toughest and most vulnerable challenges of my life. As I struggled to better understand what was going on, my journey and curiosity led me towards studying psychology and human behaviour.

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I found myself completing my Honours B.A. at the University of Waterloo where I majored in Psychology and double-minored in Sociology and SMF (Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies). During this time I completed a thesis in Social Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Hilary Bergsieker, studying the impact of Interethnic Ideology on Stereotype formation (basically big words for researching the impact of culture and social structures on stereotyping and racial/cultural profiling). I also worked as a research assistant under Dr. Wendi Adair and Dr. Zhaleh Semnani-Azad studying the impact of cross cultural interaction in time-sensitive business decision making and communication success.  

Upon completion of my undergrad, I spent a year working and volunteering in multiple agencies. Working in Respite and in day programs teaching and mentoring youth on the autism spectrum, people with developmental disabilities, persons with dual/multiple diagnoses, and individuals with disabilities and/or special needs. During this time I also had the pleasure of volunteering and working with folks suffering from Dementia and Alzheimers and supporting their loved ones through this grief.  

I completed my Masters of Science in Couple and Family Therapy at the University of Guelph, the only English Couples and Family Therapy program accredited in Canada. During my time in the program, During this time I also completed a week long Sex Therapy Intense training program. I've worked in various agency and mental health clinics before opening up my own practice in Vaughan/Concord in 2017, a city and part of the GTA where I saw a real need for more representation in culturally competent psychotherapy. Some of my previous experiences include working in not for profit organizations and agencies providing addictions counselling and child, couple, and family services across Toronto, York Region, and Peel-Dufferin Region. 

Gathering from my own personal experiences and professional training, I am honoured and delighted to walk alongside others as they seek my help and support in navigating the difficulties and challenges they are facing in their own life. 

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Today, If I am not busy working with my clients, or my small and growing number of associates and staff; you will find me writing for various projects, conducting supportive supervision work with other therapists and therapists in training, running a small but growing Persons of Colour Support Group for Therapists within Canada, writing and creating art in the form of our practice instagram page, and scrolling through pages upon pages of pet adoptions posts fantasizing about adopting all the little furry animals that I am tragically allergic to. 

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As a natural born homebody, I am spotted typically in the company of my endearing and ever-so-patient-with-me loved ones or contently on my own snuggled in some cozy corner with a good cup of tea reading a newly acquired book or planning my next road trip/vacation. 

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Style & Technique

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I believe that therapy should be a collaborative effort between all those involved. I maintain an inviting and nonjudgmental space for all regardless of identity, race, gender, ability, culture, and/or sexual orientation. I believe that we all have our own unique voice and way of thinking that allows us to experience life in our own diverse ways, I see part of my role as being able to help guide towards making changes that will take you to your most preferred way of life and living. I believe that all of us possess the tools within ourselves to create those changes. Sometimes it's hard to shift our ways of thinking and to start looking within ourselves for the answer, I strive to create a safe and compassionate environment so that I can aid you in that journey.

My clinical approach to therapy utilizes a strengths-focused postmodern systemic perspective, specifically drawing on the therapeutic models of: 

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Culturally-Informed Therapy Modalities
Dialogic Therapy 
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing Therapy)
Emotion-Focused Therapy
Trauma informed Perspectives

Narrative Therapy 
Sex Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy

I am constantly learning new approaches and techniques to better serve the unique needs and goals of each and every one of my clients.

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Training & Experience

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As Clinical Director & Owner of Your Story Counselling Services. I work with a wide varier of multidisciplinary professionals to support and promote the mental health and well-being of individuals, couples, and families. I provide evolving, evidence-based, high-quality, accessible, and patient-centric integrative mental health services to all of my clients. I invite you to scroll down below to learn more about my experiences.
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