Meet Julia

 

Hi, I’m Julia Swaigen MSW, RSW, the Founder and Director of Attuned Families. Attuned Families was born out of my passion for helping parents move from feeling overwhelmed and uncertain to feeling empowered, connected and confident. This passion comes from my own lived experience as a busy mom, and from the many families, I have helped reach their potential for a happy life together.

When I had my own children, I was struck by how complex parenting is. Even though I knew so much about children and parenting, my parenting journey came with unexpected challenges that led me to ask more questions about what gets in the way of raising great kids and enjoying the process.

What I discovered was transformative. I now focus on these transformative concepts and practices with the families I work with and am always inspired by their progress.

As the demand for my services became impossible to meet, serendipity led me to a solution. I am so proud of the talented, and compassionate Therapists who have joined me on this mission. Together, we are helping families harness the power of relationship so that parents find peace and children thrive.

Why work with me?

If you are like many parents today, you are feeling drained, unfulfilled or frustrated in your parenting role. You are concerned about the mental health and well-being of yourself and your children. I understand these challenges firsthand and am dedicated to helping families like yours find solutions.

No matter where you are in your journey, you don’t have to face your challenges alone. If you or your loved ones are struggling and you are unsure how best to move forward, I am here to support you in moving towards the rewarding family life you deserve.

My approach

I concentrate on addressing the root cause of your concerns and providing tailored strategies to help you address and overcome them. I bring compassion and at times humour into my work with clients and am always guided by integrity. I combine my real-life experience with clinical insights and tools gained from years of training to make change “doable” for families.

Areas of treatment

 

  • Parenting

  • School Issues

  • ADHD

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Learning Disabilities

  • Relationship Issues

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Behavioural Issues

  • Family Conflict

 

Techniques used

  • Emotion Focused Family Therapy

  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

  • Polyvagal Therapy

  • The Safe and Sound Protocol

  • Solution Focused Therapy

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Play / Art / Movement / Music Based therapy

  • Gottman Parenting Method

  • Parent/Caregiver Coaching

  • Dr. Neufeld’s Developmental-Attachment Method

  • DIR Floortime Therapy

  • Theraplay

Education

  • Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto

  • Bachelor of Social Work from McMaster University

  • Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Gerontology from McMaster University

Certifications

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

  • Neufeld Institute Intensive

  • Emotion Focused Family Therapy

  • Gottman Parenting Method

  • Safe and Sound Protocol Certified

  • DIR Floortime Therapy 101, 201 & 202 Certified

  • Theraplay (Level 1)

Media and speaking engagements

Media interviews and speaking opportunities welcome! Please call or email to make a request.

  • The New York Times

  • Celebrity Parents Magazine

  • The Ontario Federation for Independent Schools, The Mabin School Parent2Parent Conference

  • Canadian Teachers Magazine

  • Now Toronto

  • Yahoo Canada

Professional organizations

  • Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)

  • Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW)