Jean Deelstra MSW, RSW

My overall philosophy of care focuses on helping people to achieve more satisfying lives by fostering an awareness of both the complexity of one’s self as well as its available resources. This understanding can lead to curiosity about the times in life when one may think, feel, or behave in contradictory, confusing, or self-defeating ways and ultimately to an increased understanding of what drives one to feel and behave in particular ways.

I have built up extensive clinical experience primarily in hospital and rehabilitation settings in both Canada and the U.S, providing assessment and counselling support as part of various inter- professional medical teams. For the last 17 years I have developed my mental health expertise focusing on the treatment of concurrent disorders in mental health and addictions, including providing support and treatment for the spouses and family members of those with addiction. When I am not seeing clients in my Counseling Care practice, I am a Social Work Therapist in the Addictions and Concurrent Disorders Centre at the Credit Valley site of Trillium Health Partners.

I have a lifelong learning philosophy and have pursued competence in multiple therapeutic counselling modalities including Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Solution Focused Therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. I am certified as a level 2 therapist  in  Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. I am currently studying Internal Family Systems therapy. I am in process of certification as a sex addiction therapist (CSAT). I am trained in numerous methods of psychotherapy and evidenced-based techniques and use these when specific clients and situations are best suited for them. The goal is to guide my clients to alleviate emotional suffering and promote optimum mental health and well being.