Most of my current Followers on LinkedIn, YouTube, and my HolisticCancerRecoveryHub.com website know me as Judith Anne Desjardins Pancreatic Warrior Maiden.
Others know me as being an author and publisher of 2 multi-award-winning books:
Creating A Healthy Life and Marriage; A Holistic Approach: Body, Mind, Emotions and Spirit
Our Journey with Prostate Cancer: Empowering Strategies for Patients and Families
Today I want to share a deeper part of myself – the Child of God whose first professional love has been to be a Holistic Psychotherapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board Certified Diplomat in Clinical Social Work, Master Social Work Addictions Counselor in a career that has spanned over 50 years.
I have worked in an African American Manpower Training Program which focused on serving minorities who fell through the cracks of institutions offering education, mental health, special needs, skills training, and self-empowerment.
I worked at a County Hospital serving indigent patients who had little money, poor health care, poor housing, little resources.
I worked at an In-Patient Psychiatric Unit at a Catholic Hospital whose patients largely suffered from Major Depression and Physical Pain that could not be controlled.
I was the first Oncology Social Worker on the Cancer Unit at St. Johns Hospital in Santa Monica.
I was Clinical Supervisor at a Homeless Shelter and an Out-Patient Substance Abuse Clinic for many years.
I have had my own Private Practice since 1978.
Over all these years and all these settings, I have never lost my love of working with people! I have worked with children, adolescents, young adults, single and married adults, and seniors. Each job setting taught me something valuable, challenged me to be fully present, fully committed, fully creative and inventive – to adapt to the people and the problems they were/are dealing with. They are responsible, in large part, for who I am today, the scope of the wisdom I have developed and shared with them and my own personal development. We have laughed together, cried together, muddled through their often-dysfunctional families of origin, and learned healthy coping skills and Self-love. It’s been a wonderful journey and one of the happiest parts of my life.
For the last 4-years of living with Pancreatic cancer, I have been fighting for my life on a daily basis. I had to decrease the number of clients I could accept, as I had to focus on maintaining and healing my own body, mind, emotions and spirit.
Today I am so happy to report that the Xeloda “home chemotherapy pills” I am taking have greatly increased my personal freedom of body, mind, emotions and spirit. I am on my second cycle of Xeloda and, so far, I have not had any side effects. My bloodwork and my body are robust. My mind and ability to be an excellent psychotherapist are clear as a bell. My resilience and flexibility, my ability to live and thrive day-to-day are consistent; my emotions are consistently in the “Joy and Thanksgiving zone.”
My relationship with the Holy Trinity is steadfast and the greatest part of my day. We have communications throughout each day – giving me Guidance, Inspiration, Love to share with myself and others, Support when I need it the most, reinforcement of my Authentic spirit.
I have been enabled to accept new clients – who give me Joy and allow me to do what I have always loved.
Truly I am blessed! Pancreatic cancer has not diminished me in any way. If anything, it has challenged me to become EVEN MORE than I was.
Thank you for visiting my LinkedIn page, my websites, my mission to bless people around the world.
#JudithAnneDesjardinsPancreaticWarriorMaiden #JudithAnneDesjardinsHolisticPsychotherapist #JudithAnneDesjardins’JoyofBeingAHolisticPsychotherapist