Jeff Stoyan

Professional Details

I hold a Master’s Degree in Social Work and am a Registered Social Worker. My education emphasized trauma-informed practice and development of specialized therapeutic skills for working with individuals, families, and couples, which pairs seamlessly with the ShiftGrit Core Method. The Core Method allows me to use research-backed strategies while keeping therapy tailored to each client.

Trainings & Certifications

• Violent Threat Risk Assessment: Advanced training that helps school-age children when they are struggling with their mental health and may pose a risk to others in their school.
• Solution Focused training: Gives me the tools to quickly establish rapport while dealing with intense experiences.

In combination with the ShiftGrit Core Method, these trainings allow me to help children and other clients dismantle unhelpful patterns and can be used for all situations.

Specialized Experience

In addition to clinical practice, I have experience in working with children and families that are navigating the Child Welfare system. This specialized work has given me a deep appreciation for the resilience and the ability to change for both the parents and their children. This complements the ShiftGrit Core Method, which targets identity-level beliefs — a crucial factor for individuals navigating repeated trauma exposure.

ShiftGrit Core Method & Clinical Approach

What Drew Me to ShiftGrit

The ShiftGrit Core Method is a very practical and deliberate therapy — it helps clients understand the “Why” in what they are doing, and this is what drew me to ShiftGrit.

The Core Method in Three Words

I would describe the ShiftGrit Core Method in three words: understanding, change, and release.

• Understanding the causes of the issues.
• Change for what clients will see in their lives.
• Release — finally being free from the limiting belief that has held them back from reaching their full potential.

Personal Background & Story

Before Becoming a Therapist

Before entering therapy I worked in Children’s Services in a variety of roles. These roles helped me listen to both the children and adults to hear their story so that I could help them with what was causing the issues.

A Lesson I’ve Carried

One life lesson that I have learned is that people may not care how much we know, but they can tell how much we care — which is just as important.

How This Shapes My Work Today

Now working at ShiftGrit, I can use those same skills in looking beyond surface-level behaviours to identify the core beliefs driving them. This allows me to be compassionate and bring clarity to my clients so that they can sincerely transform themselves.

Personality & Connection

When I’m Not in Therapy-Land

When I’m not in therapy-land, you will find me watching anything Marvel related. I got my youngest daughter hooked, and we watch both the TV shows and movies as soon as they come out.

A Passion That Grounds Me

A passion that helps ground me as well is being a baseball umpire, which I have done for the past 11 years throughout the province. I mainly do this for kids from 11 to 18 years of age. This is my way of still connecting and building rapport with youth, and letting them see that adults can be people they can talk with and have fun with.

Something Surprising About Me

Something surprising about me is that I didn’t start out going for my Social Work Degree — I actually wanted to go into the Air Force and fly planes, as my father had his pilot’s license and we flew all different places when I was growing up. My ability to talk with kids and make quick connections was what made the decision to go into Social Work really easy. These things are what drive me to show up fully present for every session.

Therapy Style & Client Experience

What Clients Can Expect in a First Session

In a first session with me, clients can expect to answer questions from a variety of topics that are relevant in helping them, as well as an understanding of what they will be doing in future sessions, so that there is not any anxiety of the unknown for them in their future work with me.

My Goal for Clients

My goal is to help the client see that with the work we will be doing together, this can make a real change in their lives. Using the ShiftGrit Core Method, I can help uncover deeply held beliefs (limiting beliefs) and then use formalized techniques like CBT to help eliminate those beliefs, which will help give my clients hope — and in some cases their first real hope for change that they may have experienced through therapy.

What I Hope Clients Walk Away With

My hope is that through therapy, my clients walk away with tools to use in other areas of their life, as they will understand their limiting beliefs and the patterns that they are caught in.