Profile / United States
Joanne (Jody) Girou, LMSW
Michigan
LMSW in Michigan - anxiety and parenting support
See online therapy options- CBT techniques
- Mindfulness practice
- Solution-focused work
About Joanne
Joanne (Jody) Girou is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in Michigan with 24 years of experience. She works with adults on stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and parenting concerns, ADHD, trauma, grief, and related life changes. Jody uses straightforward, skills-based methods including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when appropriate. She communicates plainly and focuses on practical steps people can try between sessions.
Her sessions tend to be relaxed and nonjudgmental. She pays attention to what clients already do well and builds on those strengths. Expect conversational sessions that move toward concrete strategies rather than long theoretical discussions.
Jody combines methods from CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and solution-focused work when those approaches fit a person’s needs. That mix helps address thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and daily routines that keep problems going. She explains tools in simple terms and practices them together with clients in session.
She has worked with both children and adults in prior roles, and brings that experience to supporting people who are managing parenting stress, caregiver strain, or family-of-origin problems. Jody also helps with concerns such as abandonment, adoption and foster care issues, body image, and career-related stress.
Sessions are practical and skills-oriented. Clients learn ways to notice unhelpful thinking, try different responses, and track what helps. The focus is on usable tools that fit everyday life.
How CBT, ACT and DBT inform online sessions
Joanne uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test small changes in their behavior. CBT breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions so a person can try different responses and measure what changes.She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to clarify personal values and focus on actions that matter. ACT can help when people want to move forward despite difficult feelings. Dialectical Behavior Therapy elements provide concrete skills for managing strong emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Joanne will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. That decision may shift as practical progress is tracked in sessions.
Confirm the specific online session options before booking so you know what formats are available. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when a full hour is hard to arrange, and reduce travel time. Therapists commonly use online appointments to practice skills together and assign brief exercises to use between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
24+ years
Listed in
Michigan
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and parenting concerns, ADHD, trauma, grief, and related life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic approach?
She uses practical, skills-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, ACT, DBT, mindfulness, and solution-focused techniques as they fit the person's needs.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 24 years of experience working in the social work field with both children and adults in various roles.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an LMSW - Licensed Master Social Worker - practicing in Michigan.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are supported for your situation.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.