About Jennifer
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board Approved Supervisor. In my private practice, I support people who feel stuck in their lives whether they’re stuck in a negative thought pattern, stuck in a past experience, stuck in a toxic relationship, or stuck in their developmental growth. I specialize in working with people that have experienced trauma and dissociation, as well as those who feel depressed or anxious to a point where they feel overwhelmed with daily life.
Welcome! I'm so glad you're here.
I may draw from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing (SE), and Brainspotting (BSP). All of these therapies posit that traumatic material is stored within the brain and the body, and an individual who hopes to recover from trauma must work to widen their Window of Tolerance allowing that traumatic material to be reprocessed, released, and discharged from the brain and the nervous system. I also draw from Structural Dissociation and Ego State Therapy in treating individuals with disassociation. These modalities help individuals learn how to remain present in their body, to learn about their personality structure, to identify triggers, and to experience a stronger, more unified sense of self.
During a session...
We work together to develop a sense of curiosity about your thoughts and feelings, as well as your patterns of relating and behaving. Since people’s lives are filled with relationships, you are encouraged to talk about your interactions with loved ones emphasizing perspective-taking, connection, and healthy boundaries. It is essential to reflect on past and present relationships to increase awareness of repeating relational patterns and possible re-enactments.
I have an eclectic style and a here-and-now approach that draws from numerous psychological philosophies and treatment modalities allowing each client to be seen and understood as the unique individual they are.
With every client...
I work with clients of all races, ethnicities, and spiritual and religious backgrounds (including non-religious). I provide queer affirming and gender affirming care and am sex-positive and kink positive (including asexual). I believe in and respect each person’s right to self-determination. I am here to meet people where they are; to help them change what they want to change and keep doing what works.
I earned my Bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, Louisiana and my Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work. I have 25 years of experience in the mental health field. I’ve worked in a variety of clinical settings with diverse populations, which includes multi-disciplinary impatient psychiatric and outpatient treatment programs, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, public and charter high schools, as well as non-profit business management. Most recently I worked for over 6 years at The Menninger Clinic, an inpatient psychiatric facility, before starting a full-time Private Practice.
I recognize that people’s lives are filled with relationships and I often ask clients to speak about their interactions with loved ones emphasizing perspective-taking, curiosity, and connection. I help clients reflect on their relationships, both past, and present, to increase awareness of repeating patterns and possible re-enactments.
Relationships
My session are warm and invite new perspectives, making them especially helpful for those who are in therapy for the first time. My eclectic style draws from numerous psychological modalities, allowing each client to be seen as the unique individual they are.
Sessions
During a session, I may draw from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), brainspotting, as well as Somatic Experiencing techniques. These types of therapy understand that trauma is stored within the brain and the body, and an individual who hopes to recover from trauma must work through their stored images, emotions, beliefs, and bodily sensations.
Techniques
The first two to three sessions involve understanding the presenting issues from the your perspective, learning what you want to achieve in therapy, gathering relevant historical information, learning about current adaptive and maladaptive coping skills utilized, developing an understanding of your Window of Tolerance, and taking an assessment if applicable.
Then I will present specific clinical recommendations on the course of treatment, providing psychoeducation on the treatment modalities and techniques that will provide the most effective and efficient course of therapy. It is crucial to me that clients remain well-informed, and permission is given at every step in their treatment. This is especially true for clients dealing with trauma as they were, likely, never asked for consent.
