Dr. Julia van der Werf is highly dedicated to providing evidence-based, empathic, and collaborative psychological care. She offers comprehensive assessment and integrative therapy for children, adolescents, and families, tailoring treatment to each client’s unique strengths and needs. She values bringing warmth and authenticity to her therapeutic relationships, balanced with an evidence-based approach to achieving client goals effectively.
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Julia draws primarily from the following therapeutic approaches:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
• Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)

Julia’s clinical work is informed by extensive training and academic experience. She completed her undergraduate degree at York University before completing her masters and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology at the University of Guelph. She completed her residency with the Waterloo Region Psychology Consortium. Following the completion of her Ph.D., she worked as a psychologist for many years at the Family Psychology Centre (formerly Kindercare). She provides occasional consultation services at Medcan in Toronto.

Julia has experience supporting clients with a wide range of concerns, including but not limited to:

• Anxiety and related disorders (e.g., phobias, OCD)
• Depression and mood difficulties
• Trauma, grief, and loss
• Relationship and attachment challenges
• Identity development and self-esteem concerns, especially among LGBTQ2S+ identified young people
• Parenting challenges and family conflict
• Emotional and behavioural regulation difficulties
• Executive function and other ADHD-related challenges

She is committed to working collaboratively with clients and families to promote resilience, insight, and meaningful, lasting change.