Jade Larkin
I help clients untangle the painful and often messy realities of being human with honesty, warmth, and a touch of humour. My work blends evidence-based approaches like DBT with a focus on self-compassion and mindfulness, meeting each person where they are rather than trying to “fix” them. Clients describe my style as grounding and real — I don’t hide behind jargon, and I believe meaningful change comes from understanding ourselves, not judging ourselves.
First session
In our first session, we’ll slow things down and focus on getting to know you — what’s been feeling heavy, what’s brought you here, and what you hope might change. I’ll ask some questions about your history and current life to help me understand the bigger picture, but there’s no pressure to have it all figured out. We’ll talk about what therapy can look like for you and make sure it feels like a good fit. My goal is for you to leave that first hour feeling heard, understood, and a little more hopeful about the process ahead.
Strengths
I’m warm, direct, and deeply attuned to the emotional layers beneath the surface. I help clients slow down, understand themselves with compassion, and make sense of what feels overwhelming. My strength lies in creating a safe, honest space where growth feels possible — one grounded in both clinical skill and genuine human connection.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who’s tired of holding it all together and ready to be honest about how hard that is. They may struggle with anxiety, shame, or self-criticism and want to learn how to treat themselves with the same understanding they offer others. They don’t need quick fixes — they want real change rooted in self-awareness and compassion.
Treatment methods
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
In my practice, I use DBT to help clients build practical skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and staying grounded in the present moment. We work on things like noticing and naming emotions without judgment, validating internal experiences, and practicing concrete tools—like distress-tolerance strategies and mindful communication—to get needs met more effectively. Rather than forcing positivity, I blend DBT’s structure with compassion and curiosity, helping clients understand their reactions, feel seen, and slowly create more flexible, kind ways of responding to themselves and their world.
Compassion-Focused
n my practice, I use compassion-focused counseling to help clients relate to themselves with warmth and understanding rather than criticism or fear. We explore how the nervous system and protective patterns developed for survival, then practice cultivating a kinder inner voice, grounding techniques, and self-soothing skills that support emotional safety. Instead of pushing for quick fixes, I guide clients in building a compassionate mindset that allows them to face difficult feelings with courage, soften shame, and move toward meaningful change from a place of support, not self-attack.
Integrative
In my practice, I use an integrative therapy approach, drawing from multiple evidence-based modalities to meet each client’s unique needs rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all method. I blend relational work, mindfulness, parts-based approaches, and skills-focused strategies, tailoring interventions to where someone is in their process—whether they need grounding, insight, emotional processing, or practical tools. This allows therapy to be flexible, responsive, and deeply personalized, supporting clients in healing not just symptoms but their relationship to themselves, their bodies, and the challenges they move through in daily life.
Trauma-Informed Care
In my practice, I use a trauma-informed approach by recognizing that many emotional and behavioral patterns are shaped by past experiences and nervous-system responses meant to protect the person at the time. I prioritize safety, empowerment, and choice, moving at a pace that respects the body and mind’s readiness rather than pushing for disclosure or catharsis. We focus on building regulation skills, fostering a sense of agency, and helping clients understand their reactions through a lens of survival and strength—not pathology. This creates a therapeutic environment that honors resilience, reduces shame, and supports healing with compassion and steadiness.
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Licensed in
- North CarolinaLicense C007108