Jordana's Journey.
Hi! I’m Jordana and I am thrilled to introduce myself to you. I am a former lawyer turned psychotherapist who believes we all have the power within to support our challenges, heal our inner pain, discover our true sense of self, and live a balanced and fulfilling life.
My journey to psychotherapy began many years ago when I AWOKE to the reality that I was living a life that was not aligned with my values. At the time, I was working as a lawyer at the Toronto office of a national Bay Street, “seven sister” law firm practicing civil and commercial litigation. I was perpetually stressed out, unable to relax, overwhelmed, always on the edge of burnout, and both physically and mentally taxed. I was a junior associate, had two children under the age of four, was pregnant with my third, and was just trying to survive, counting down the days until my next maternity leave so that I could have some time to “breathe” (the irony of which is not lost upon me as having three children ages four and under most certainly does not provide much breathing room). The universe, however, had other plans for me. On a sunny yet bitterly cold February day in 2011 almost exactly one month after my third child was born, after dropping my two-year-old off at pre-school, I slipped on ice and cracked my back in three places. Laying in agony on my back, face towards the sky, engulfed in self-pity (“why is this happening to me?”), the message was clear: “Jordana, slow down. Take stock of your life. It’s time to make a change.”
As the quintessential OVERACHIEVING, TYPE A PERFECTIONIST, having it “all” never seemed an unreasonable goal. Why couldn’t I aspire to be a “super star” lawyer and a super involved mother of four high spirited and competitively athletic children? (yes, as the story progressed, I did have a fourth child two years following my injury). Was this impossible? Unrealistic? No, I actually don’t believe it is. The moral of my story is NOT that one can’t be a fabulous lawyer and mother (of many children). Rather, my “AHA” moment (thank you Oprah) was that having it “all” bumped up against certain important values in my life and came at the personal cost of my emotional wellbeing. On that cold, February day in 2011, on the ground looking up at the sky I awoke to the reality that striving, pushing myself, overachieving was eroding me, weighing me down, and at that moment I knew that the price for this was more that I was willing to sacrifice any longer.
And then the FEAR set in. Walking away from my professional identity as a lawyer into the unknown abyss of professional purgatory was excruciatingly scary. Ever since I was eight years old, I announced to myself (and the world) that I was going to be a high-powered lawyer (and one day even a judge!). Since that declaration, I worked so hard, studied so much, wrote the LSAT (twice), pushed myself to attain high grades in law school, all towards a particular end goal – and I achieved it! I was a success in my eyes, in the eyes of the legal community, and by society’s cultural standards of what defines success. After all that hard work, achievement, and recognition, I chose to walk away…. and I walked into an existential crisis through which I found meaning in my life in places I had never dreamed.
Yet, this path was not so simple and linear. Fast forward five years of being a stay-at-home mother (constantly questioning my professional future), the universe called out to me again. I was offered a three-month, part-time contract as a legal career counsellor at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto. That’s when SELF DOUBT kicked into high gear as I had no experience in counselling. With the faith of others around me, I leaned into this discomfort and took the contract. Over time, one contract led to another, and another, and it became clear that counselling was my calling. My ability to forge lasting, impactful relationships, provide a strong listening ear, offer empathy and support, and share my wisdom, knowledge, and lived experience was my SUPERPOWER.
The universe’s message to me was clear, and I listened. I enrolled in a Master of Arts program in Counselling Psychology, became a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO) in Ontario, and work with high achievers in the process of self-discovery and healing. Recognizing that our own journey is very personal, in my work as a counsellor I leverage my lived experience, knowledge, and skills acquired through my training, and commitment to ongoing education to tailor counselling to my client’s unique circumstances and support them in finding inner peace and harmony (each person’s inner Garden of Eden) to live their best life. This work is a privilege, and I am honoured to walk alongside my clients in their therapeutic journey.
