Licensed to practice in Illinois and accepts 38 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Family Conflict, Life Transitions and 4 more.
Clients say this provider is
Hi, I’m Jessica, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who believes therapy should feel like a real conversation, not an interview. I show up to sessions with compassion, curiosity, and a genuine interest in understanding your story. My goal is to create a space where you can feel seen, supported, and comfortable being your full self. I specialize in working with adolescents, adults, and families who are navigating life transitions, anxiety, relationship challenges, or that feeling of being “stuck.” My approach is collaborative and flexible. I meet you where you are and help you move toward where you want to be. My style is warm, down-to-earth, and sprinkled with humor. I believe that laughter and healing can coexist, sometimes a good laugh helps us breathe again when things feel too heavy. Together, we’ll explore what’s been weighing you down, untangle old patterns, and find ways to help you feel more grounded, confident, and connected to yourself and others. Outside of the therapy room, I’m a mom, a lover of music and dance, and someone who never passes up good sushi or a bad pun.
In our first session, you can expect a welcoming and supportive space where we’ll focus on getting to know each other. I’ll ask questions about what brings you to therapy, your background, and what you hope to gain from our work together. This session is also a chance for you to get a sense of my style and to share as much—or as little—as feels comfortable. My goal is to ensure you feel heard, understood, and that we begin building a foundation of trust to guide our work moving forward.
What stands out about my therapeutic approach is that it is culturally informed, collaborative, and tailored to each client’s unique experiences and goals. I combine a deep understanding of family dynamics and cultural context with practical strategies to help clients navigate life transitions, manage anxiety, improve relationships, and strengthen their sense of self. I also incorporate humor when appropriate, recognizing that moments of levity can create connection, reduce stress, and make the therapeutic process feel more approachable. My clients often report feeling heard, understood, and empowered to make meaningful changes in their lives.
I work with adolescents, adults, and families navigating cultural identity, family dynamics, anxiety, and relationship challenges. Growing up in a Mexican household allows me to bring a culturally informed perspective and understand the pressures of balancing family expectations with personal goals. I provide a supportive space where clients can reflect, explore patterns, and build healthier ways of coping and connecting.
I have substantial experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to support clients in reframing negative thought patterns and developing healthier coping mechanisms. I often start by collaborating with clients to identify unhelpful beliefs or cognitive distortions that may be affecting their emotions and behaviors. Using a structured approach, I work with clients to challenge these thoughts and explore alternative perspectives that can lead to more adaptive responses. In my practice, CBT is a flexible tool that I tailor to each client’s unique needs. For instance, with clients experiencing anxiety or depression, I guide them through exercises to recognize and interrupt negative automatic thoughts. For clients managing stress or trauma, I integrate CBT techniques to help them build resilience and focus on grounding techniques that are effective in challenging moments.
I have extensive experience using Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBT) as a way to help clients cultivate awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations in the present moment. I find MBT incredibly effective in empowering clients to observe their experiences without judgment, which can be transformative, especially for those dealing with anxiety, depression, and stress-related issues. In practice, I introduce mindfulness techniques gradually, starting with basic exercises like mindful breathing and body scans, to help clients reconnect with the present and foster a non-reactive stance toward difficult emotions. I also guide clients in recognizing patterns in their responses to stressors, helping them become more aware of triggers and habitual reactions. This allows clients to develop a sense of control by observing their experiences rather than reacting impulsively.
I regularly use Motivational Interviewing (MI) as an effective, client-centered approach to enhance intrinsic motivation and resolve ambivalence, particularly when clients are contemplating change. I find MI to be powerful for clients struggling with complex behaviors, such as addiction, lifestyle changes, or ambivalence about therapy goals. In my practice, I use MI techniques to foster a nonjudgmental, collaborative environment where clients feel heard and empowered. I begin by exploring their motivations, values, and goals, helping them articulate why change is important to them. Rather than directing or prescribing, I use reflective listening and open-ended questions to explore their thoughts and encourage self-reflection. This helps clients uncover their own reasons for change, which is often more impactful than any external advice.
My approach to therapy is largely eclectic, which means I draw from various therapeutic models to tailor my approach to each client’s unique needs, challenges, and goals. This flexibility allows me to integrate techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and other frameworks to create a more holistic and personalized treatment plan. I often begin with a thorough assessment to understand the client’s specific context, strengths, and preferences. From there, I select strategies that are most likely to resonate with the client and address their needs. For instance, I might use CBT to help clients reframe negative thought patterns while incorporating mindfulness techniques to help them manage stress and stay grounded. With clients who are exploring change, I might incorporate MI techniques to facilitate self-reflection and empower them to embrace new perspectives.
I have extensive experience using a strengths-based approach, which focuses on empowering clients by recognizing and building upon their inherent strengths and resilience. This approach is particularly effective in helping clients develop confidence and self-efficacy, as it shifts the focus from problems to potential. In practice, I start by helping clients identify their unique strengths, skills, and past successes, often through reflective questions or guided exercises. For example, I may ask them to recount times they’ve overcome challenges, highlighting the qualities that helped them succeed. This process enables clients to see themselves as capable and resourceful, even when facing current difficulties.
1 rating with written reviews
March 29, 2026
Jessica has been my therapist for about a year and a half, and I have seen tremendous self-growth in that time. I look forward to every session with her because I know she will be an open, empathetic ear for the issues I struggle with and that she will also challenge the ways in which I perceive myself and the world around me. I have seen several therapists in the past, but Jessica has by far been the one who I have benefited from the most. I plan to keep seeing her for as long as I can.