Hello! I am a licensed clinical social worker based in Michigan. I received my undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University and my graduate degree from Michigan State University. I also have a graduate degree in Sociology from Arizona State University as well. I have worked in the mental health field for nearly ten years since graduating from Michigan State University.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
During the first session, clients can expect to engage in a conversation aimed at establishing a strong foundation for our therapeutic relationship. We will talk about your hopes and desired outcomes for therapy, allowing me to understand what you are looking to achieve. This initial discussion is crucial for setting the stage for our work together. We will also discuss my approach and the plans I have to help you reach your goals. This includes outlining the methods and techniques we might use and addressing any questions or concerns you may have about the process. Additionally, we will assess how comfortable and compatible we feel working together, ensuring that you feel supported and understood from the very beginning. Overall, the first session is about building rapport, setting expectations, and creating a collaborative plan that aligns with your needs and aspirations.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
One of my greatest strengths as a provider is my deep empathy, which is connected to personal experience and not just my schooling and training. Having personally struggled with depression and anxiety, I understand the challenges my clients face on a profound level. This personal experience allows me to connect with my clients authentically and provide them with compassionate, non-judgmental support. Additionally, my firsthand experience extends into the treatment methods I use. I have personally experienced many of the techniques and strategies I employ on the client side of treatment, giving me valuable insight into their practical application and effectiveness. This dual perspective as both a provider and a former client enables me to tailor my approach to meet the unique needs of each individual, fostering a therapeutic environment where clients feel truly understood and supported.
About Jason Luna
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness-based therapy is a form of psychotherapy that integrates mindfulness principles into therapeutic practice. Mindfulness refers to a state of active, open attention to the present moment. When a person is mindful, they observe their thoughts and feelings from a distance without judging them as good or bad. This therapy leverages mindfulness to help clients increase awareness and acceptance of their moment-to-moment experiences. I use mindfulness-based therapy in various formats, including individual sessions. Techniques employed in this therapy often involve mindfulness meditation, breathing exercises, and body scans. These practices help clients develop a deeper awareness of their bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions, fostering a nonjudgmental attitude toward their experiences. The skills learned in therapy sessions are encouraged to be practiced regularly outside of therapy to enhance their effectiveness.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that uses mindfulness and acceptance strategies mixed in various ways with commitment and behavior-change strategies. The core premise of ACT is to help individuals live a rich, full, and meaningful life, while effectively handling the pain that inevitably comes with it. ACT is uniquely focused on values and mindfulness, which helps individuals develop psychological flexibility—a key component of mental health. Psychological flexibility means contacting the present moment fully as a conscious human being and changing or persisting in behavior in the service of chosen values. This approach helps individuals stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with their inner emotions and, instead, accept that these deeper feelings are appropriate responses to certain situations that should not prevent them from moving forward.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is typically a structured, short-term, goal-oriented therapeutic approach that requires the individual to be actively involved in their recovery. It focuses on teaching clients how to identify and change destructive or disturbing thought patterns that negatively influence behavior and emotions. Therapy also includes homework assignments and practice exercises between sessions, which help to reinforce new skills and strategies for approaching problems. One of the key educational components of CBT is teaching clients that thoughts can be controlled and that a change in thinking can affect feelings and behaviors. This awareness gives clients the tools to influence their own psychological well-being significantly.