ABOUT juno
I’m Juno Zavitz, an LGBTQ-identified psychotherapy student with 10 years experience in community-based mental health counselling. I bring a deep commitment to unconditional compassion for my clients, regardless of their past, their cultural and social backgrounds, and mistakes or regrets. I believe that all persons are capable of change, and see my role as helping to uncover a client’s innate ability to spark and achieve that change.
My approach to psychotherapy has been largely shaped by my experience as a queer and transgender person, and I see justice and liberation for individuals and communities as part and parcel of the therapeutic process. As a narrative therapy nerd, I make use of approaches that explore the stories we tell about ourselves, struggles and successes, and collaborate with my clients to see where they might like to edit or rewrite these stories. Coming from a social services background, I am versed in short-term care with clients seeking immediate strategies and practical solutions and am also comfortable supporting persons seeking a more process-driven, exploratory approach, or who may not yet know what they’d like out of the therapeutic process.
I specialize in grief and loss, substance use and process/behavioural addictions, sexuality and gender identity, youth mental health, and the impacts of societal stigmas/marginalization such as homophobia, transphobia, racism, ableism, and classism. I draw additionally from Solution-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Approaches to provide client-led care. I am also trained in spiritually-integrated psychotherapy, and have experience working across religious difference and denominations, as well as with spiritually-curious, agnostic, and Spiritual-But-Not-Religious persons.
As a trauma survivor and long-time recipient of my own therapy, I have a deep understanding of what it’s like to be on the receiving end of mental healthcare. I believe that being granted access to a client’s inner world is an honour, and requires an abiding commitment to what we call “unconditional positive regard” in psychotherapy practice. This is a core principle of my approach, and means that my responsibility is to care for the whole self of persons – in all our messiness, complexity, uncertainty, shortcomings, and potentials.
Outside of my work with Caravan Therapy, I continue to provide consultation for social service nonprofits and healthcare institutions, am currently completing dual graduate degrees in theology and psychospiritual care, and run long-distance trail races all over Canada.
