Jessica Georgieff

When I am not in therapy-land, you can find me:

When I’m not in the therapy room, you can usually find me engaging in creative projects, experimenting with new recipes, or exploring the 124th Street area where I live. I enjoy discovering local cafés, restaurants, and markets, and spending time in spaces that feel grounded and community oriented. I also love cozy evenings at home, whether that’s colouring, sewing, or relaxing with a comforting show or game.

For Self Care:

For self-care, I pay close attention to what I need and make choices to support my energy and well-being. I lean into my strengths, seek support from colleagues and friends, and give myself permission to step back and recharge when I notice my battery running low. As someone who recharges through quiet and reflection, I value time to introvert, regulate, and engage in creative activities that help me feel grounded and connected to myself.

For Fun:

For fun, I enjoy creative and low-pressure activities that allow me to unwind and recharge. I’ve been enjoying baking and cooking new recipes, playing cozy and creative video games like Animal Crossing, and watching comfort shows. I also enjoy trying new restaurants, attending local festivals, and spending quality time with my partner and our dog.

For Growth:

For growth, I focus on doing things that stretch me in ways that feel aligned with my values and the person I want to be. I believe meaningful growth often happens just outside of our comfort zones, especially when it’s guided by intention rather than expectation.

Something unique about me is:

I spent a year living abroad in São Paulo, which deepened my appreciation for transition, adaptability, and finding grounding in unfamiliar places.

What are your academic credentials?

I hold a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and am a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC). My education emphasized trauma-informed, person-centred care, and provided a strong foundation in evidence-based therapeutic approaches, ethical practice, and collaborative client work.

Before I was in the mental health field, I was doing / working in / volunteering at / etc.:

Before entering the mental health field, I worked in both community-based non-profit settings and client-facing design roles. These experiences strengthened my ability to reduce overwhelm, support people through complex decisions, and work collaboratively across diverse systems and communities, including contributing to reconciliation-focused initiatives.

The most impactful thing about my experience here was:

The most impactful part of my earlier work was supporting people through situations that felt overwhelming. Whether helping clients navigate big decisions or working within the non-profit sector alongside an Indigenous Cultural Connector, I saw how clarity, care, and collaboration can ease stress, build trust, and contribute to meaningful community support and reconciliation.

Three things you are currently obsessed with and why:

1. Creative projects – I love working on art, colouring, and sewing projects because they allow for experimentation, patience, and expression. They help me slow down and enjoy the process rather than focus only on the outcome.
2. Baking and cooking – Trying new recipes feels grounding and satisfying. It’s a creative way to care for myself and others, and I enjoy the balance of structure and experimentation that cooking allows.
3. Animal Crossing – I enjoy the calm, creativity, and structure it offers, especially designing spaces and interiors. It’s a playful way to unwind while still engaging my creative side.

The most helpful book I have read is:

The Art of Rest by Claudia Hammond.

My biggest takeaway from it was:

The book highlights how important rest is for our wellbeing, and how rest can look very different from person to person. I’ve appreciated the way it challenges the idea that rest needs to be earned and instead emphasizes the meaningful impact that purposeful rest can have on our overall quality of life.

The most interesting article or book I have read is:

An article I read early in my graduate degree that explored the neuroscience of mindfulness and research showing its measurable impact on brain structure and function.

Because:

It captured my attention by making the effects of mindfulness and meditation visible through evidence of neuroplasticity. Seeing how intentional practices can support real changes in the brain helped reinforce the value of mindfulness beyond simply being calming or grounding.

My favourite podcast (if you listen to podcasts) is:

I don’t currently follow any podcasts on a regular basis.

And the best thing about it is:

I tend to engage more with written content and reflective learning, which fits best with how I process and integrate new ideas.

Client populations: I have a special interest in working with:

I have a special interest in working with young adults in their 20s and 30s, as well as individuals navigating periods of transition and self-reflection at different stages of life. These times often involve identity exploration and shifts in relationships that can feel both exciting and overwhelming. I enjoy supporting clients as they clarify who they are, what matters to them, and how they want to move forward.

Clinical concerns: I have a special interest in working with:

I have a special interest in working with anxiety, burnout, emotional overwhelm, self-doubt, and relationship or identity concerns, particularly when these experiences feel cyclical or hard to change. I support clients in recognizing recurring patterns, understanding how they developed, and feeling empowered to make more intentional, values-aligned choices.

Non-clinical concerns: I have a special interest in working with:

I have a special interest in working with life transitions and values clarification, as many clients seek support in navigating change while staying connected to themselves. I enjoy helping clients slow down, build insight, and move toward choices that feel more aligned with who they are and where they want to go.

I have the following additional courses / workshops / training:

1. Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
2. Trans Wellness Training for Affirming Spaces
3. Indigenous Awareness Training

Additional Training: Circle of Courage: A Model of Resilience; Mental Health First Aid; Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training; Intimate Partner Violence Workshop; Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics Training; Diversity and Inclusion Training – Becoming a Conscious Ally; Foundations of Caregiver Support; and Confidentiality and Privacy Training.

I have expertise and experience working with:

1. Anxiety, burnout, emotional overwhelm, and self-esteem challenges that often show up in recurring patterns.
2. Life transitions, identity exploration, and relationship concerns, particularly during young adulthood.
3. Trauma and culturally responsive care with diverse populations, including Indigenous and LGBTQ2S+ communities.

Additional: Supporting clients in identifying patterns, breaking cycles, and making more intentional, values-aligned choices through a relational yet structured therapeutic approach.

Some of the clinical orientations, methods, and theories I integrate with ShiftGrit’s therapy protocol:

1. Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) – with attention to attachment, emotional awareness, and regulation.
2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – including identifying thought patterns, beliefs, and behavioural cycles that contribute to distress.
3. Solution-Focused approaches – emphasizing strengths, existing resources, and practical steps toward change.

Additional: Trauma-informed, person-centred care; values clarification; psychoeducation; and collaborative goal setting.

People like working with me because:

People often describe me as calm, grounding, and easy to talk to. I value creating a nonjudgmental, collaborative space where clients can show up as they are, even if they feel unsure of where to start. I balance relational depth with structure, offering both emotional support and practical tools to help clients feel empowered to make intentional, values-aligned changes.