Toronto, ON M9R 2Z1
416-554-4062
Marando_J@yahoo.ca

Josie Marando is a psychotherapist, life coach and mentor.  Her bachelors in psychology, certification in life coaching, and Masters of Social Work, with a specialization in children and families are augmented by thousands of hours counseling individuals, couples, and families. She has implemented and designed educational programs for children with cognitive disabilities, facilitated workshops for youth’s self-esteem and has done research on bullying, child maltreatment, perfectionism, and anxiety.

Josie’ s work centers on her heartfelt desire to positively aid youth, couples, and, families mental health. She believes that anyone, child, adolescent or adult, can achieve their goals with a strong sense of self and positive self-esteem.

As a therapist, Josie uses a wide range of techniques from many modalities of therapy: cognitive-behaviour therapy, solution-focused therapy, strategic family therapy, Imago therapy, but most importantly she believes in client-centered therapy.

Josie is passionate about personal growth and learning new things.  Her passion for the outdoors, love of nature, and helping people grow has led her into exploring how she can take her passion to help individuals away from the conventional “talk therapy” and bridge her passion for the outdoors and helping people into a therapeutic modality of it own.          She was striving to find a way to do this as she found herself increasingly frustrated by her clients’ stuck behavior patterns, resistance to change, and inability to adjust or adapt from old coping skills. She believed “talk therapy” was not going to be the only way to assist individuals on this path of personal growth, healing, and change.   In 2010, Josie was very excited to be (re) introduced to horses, which opened a childhood curiosity, admiration, and appreciation for these four-legged creatures and she became certified in Facilitated Equine Experiential learning.

Horses have a compelling and effective manner of helping us learn about ourselves and at the same time enhance our relationship with others. For youth, families, and couples, powerful discoveries are made when we find a deeper form of listening to each other through non-verbal communication, eventually finding we can be less defensive and more collaborative together. Horses help people learn about their nonverbal cues, unconscious behavior patterns, and the emotional import and intent of our own words and actions.
What we can learn about ourselves is sometimes surprising, but always insightful. The horse can be your mirror.

The work Josie does with you in partnership with horses does not involve riding. Instead, you will be guided to experience different exercises with the horses on the ground and in so doing, encounter a new, more powerful way of relating in this world.

Josie is thrilled about incorporating horses into her field of wellness, and her desire to, simply see people heal themselves and lead heart-felt lives.