Somatic Therapy & Couples Counselling
 
 
 
 
 
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About me

Valerie Abitbol | Couples Counsellor | Somatic therapist

 

I am a Licensed Psychotherapist and Registered Marriage and Family Therapist (RMFT). I am an accredited member of the Order of Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists of Quebec, and I hold a psychotherapist permit from the Order of Psychologists of Quebec. I also have active licenses in the states of Colorado and California.

I utilize the following therapy modalities in my practice: Psychodynamic, EMDR, Polyvagal Theory, Mindfulness, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, the Hakomi Method, Trauma-Informed practices, and meditation.

I believe you are the expert of your life and experience. My role is to support you and guide you on your journey to discover your authentic self so that you can live your life being more whole as a person.

Before becoming a psychotherapist, I worked in a variety of settings, which give me a unique ability to relate to my clients. In previous lives, I was a modern dance teacher, a waitress, a paralegal, and an advertising account director. I've remained a serial student.

 

Clinical Experience

Private Practice: Montreal, Quebec: Therapy for individuals and couples

Private practice, Denver, Colorado: Therapy for individuals and couples

San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), San Francisco, CA:  Intern therapist in a High School

New Perspectives Center for Counseling, San Francisco, CA: Intern Marriage and Family Therapist  

California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC), San Francisco, CA: Integrative Therapy Trainee

Education

Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, California, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology

Metropolitan State College of Denver, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism

University of Paris X Nanterre, France, JD level law education in Human Rights and Civil Liberties

University of Paris X Nanterre, France, BA in French and Anglo-American Private Law

Advanced Trainings

Dissociation and the Body with Dr. Pat Ogden - 2021

Relational Life Therapy (RLT) Level 1 with Terry Real - 2021

Grief Treatment: Current Evidence-Based Approaches to Care Across the Lifespan with Alissa Drescher - 2021

The Relational Nature of Shame with Dr. Pat Ogden - 2021

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy level II with Kekuni Minton - 2019-2021

Introduction to AEDP with Lia Jones and Jessica Slatus - 2019

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy level I with Kekuni Minton - 2019

Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT level I&II) with Dr. Stan Tatkin & Lon Rankin - 2018 

Natural Processing EMDR level I with Craig Penner-  2018

EMDR Consultation with Barbara Sheehan-Zeidler, LPC - 2018-2020

Assessing and Treating Sex Issues in Psychotherapy  with Martha Kauppi - 2018

Developmental Model of couples therapy with Ellyn Bader - 2018

Attachment-focused EMDR Training with Dr. Laurel Parnell  - 2017

Online six-week training in Emotionally-Focused Therapy with Dr. Sue Johnson - 2016

Transforming Trauma with EMDR level I and II with Dr. Laurel Parnell - 2014

From Trauma to Dharma:  A Somatic Approach to Working with Trauma with Manuela Mischke-Reeds - 2014

Hakomi Comprehensive Skills Training (assistant to 2nd-year students) - 2013

Experiential Couple Therapy: training w/ Rob Fisher & Dr. Sue Johnson - 2012

Mindsight: seminar with Dr. Daniel Siegel - 2011

Re-Creation of the Self (R-CS): training with Jon Eisman - 2011 & 2013

Hakomi Comprehensive Skills Training - 2010 - 2012

Vipassana meditation course, 10-day silent retreat, Shelburne, MA - 2010 

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Additional Qualifications

Certifications

EMDR Certified therapist (EMDRIA)

Certified Grief Counselling Specialist

Registered Marriage & Family Therapist of the Canadian Association for Marriage & Family Therapy

 

Professional affiliations

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist 

#ABIV20/04/220TCF (Quebec)

# 89893 (California) # 0001296 (Colorado)

Licensed Psychotherapist # 61948-21 (Quebec)

 

Member of the Canadian Association of Marriage and family Therapists (CAMFT)

Member of EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)