Joanne (Jody) Girou

Joanne (Jody) Girou welcomes people who are worried about eating and food-related issues, anxiety, stress, or life changes. She aims to make first conversations feel simple and calm. Jody presents herself in a relaxed, non-judgmental way so people can talk honestly about hard things.

Jody is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with 24 years in social work in Michigan. She has worked with both children and adults and has supported people facing ADHD, autism, parenting challenges, depression, relationship concerns, trauma, and grief. Her work often focuses on practical steps rather than labels, helping people build on what already works in their lives.

Her style is person-centered and strengths-based. She listens first, then helps clients use their own strengths to try small changes. Interventions draw from approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and solution-focused work depending on what a person needs.

Sessions aim to be supportive and relaxed so clients can explore things like body image, family origins, caregiver stress, or commitment worries without feeling judged. Jody often helps people set short-term goals and practice skills between visits.

She encourages straightforward planning for next steps. Prospective clients can expect a collaborative process that focuses on immediate, practical concerns and gradual progress over time.

How Jody’s approaches shape online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then commit to actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, eating and body image struggles, and coping with change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical experiments, which can reduce anxiety and change how someone reacts to stress.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy adds skills for managing strong emotions, improving distress tolerance, and improving communication. DBT-style skills can be helpful for people who get overwhelmed by anger, intense sadness, or relationship conflict. Jody blends these methods with mindfulness and solution-focused ideas to keep work practical and goal-oriented.

Finding the right approach is a joint process. During early sessions Jody will talk with the client about goals and try different strategies to see what fits. Decisions about techniques and pacing come from what the client wants and what helps in everyday life.

The biography does not list specific online session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy routine, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins during a workday, and make it simpler to continue progress between appointments.