Jessica Hayes
“In my early professional years I was asking the question: How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? Now I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for their own personal growth?” ― Carl R. Rogers I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who provides compassionate, trauma-informed therapy for adolescents and adults. My practice focuses on helping clients navigate trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, life transitions, and the impact of difficult or overwhelming experiences. I believe therapy should feel like a collaborative space where you can be understood without judgment while also developing practical tools to create meaningful change.
First session
In the first session, clients can expect a welcoming, judgment-free space to share what brings them to therapy and what they hope to gain from the process. We’ll spend time getting to know you, understanding your current concerns and how they are impacting your life, and identifying strengths and resources you already have. We’ll also begin discussing your goals for therapy and what approaches may be most helpful based on your individual needs. You don’t need to have everything figured out before your first session, and you won’t be expected to share anything you aren’t ready to discuss. My goal is for you to leave your first session feeling heard, understood, and with a clearer sense of what therapy can look like moving forward. Therapy is a collaborative process, so we’ll work together to develop a plan that feels realistic and meaningful to you.
Strengths
My role is to provide a safe, collaborative, and supportive space where your input is valued, and together we will work toward your goals. I use evidence-based approaches such as parts work, trauma-informed care, CPT, DBT, CBT, and solution-focused techniques, always centering your unique needs. My goal is to help you process emotions, build coping skills, and foster growth.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who is ready to better understand themselves and make meaningful changes, even if they aren’t quite sure where to start. I particularly enjoy working with adolescents and adults navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship or interpersonal challenges, life transitions, and difficulties with self-worth or emotional regulation. My ideal client does not need to have a specific goal or know exactly what they need from therapy. I welcome clients who simply recognize that something isn’t working and are ready to explore why. I aim to provide a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where clients can feel understood while developing practical skills, challenging unhelpful patterns, and building a stronger sense of self.
Origin story
Jessica Hayes, LCSW, is a lifelong resident of Kentucky with over 16 years of experience in Human Services, including the past 6 years in clinical practice. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Campbellsville University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Jessica is dedicated to fostering a collaborative and supportive therapeutic environment where clients feel safe, respected, and empowered to pursue healing and personal growth. Her clinical approach integrates evidence-based modalities such as trauma-informed care, parts work, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and solution-focused strategies. She tailors each treatment plan to the individual, helping clients process trauma, challenge unhelpful patterns of thought, build coping skills, and establish meaningful, achievable goals. Grounded in a person-centered philosophy, Jessica places the client at the core of the therapeutic process. She is committed to walking alongside individuals through life’s challenges with professionalism and compassion. Outside of her practice, Jessica enjoys thrifting and antiquing, and spending time with her family.
Ongoing work together
Ongoing therapy will be collaborative and tailored to each client’s goals, needs, and pace. Sessions may include processing current stressors and past experiences, identifying patterns that may be keeping you stuck, challenging unhelpful thoughts or beliefs, and developing practical skills for managing emotions, anxiety, relationships, and everyday challenges. We’ll regularly check in on your goals and evaluate what is and isn’t working so that treatment can adapt as you grow. Progress may look different for everyone, but clients may notice that they are ruminating less, responding to stress differently, setting healthier boundaries, feeling more confident in themselves, experiencing fewer or less-intense symptoms, or engaging more consistently in the things that matter to them.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
Helping the client examine whether trauma-related beliefs are accurate, balanced, and helpful
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Helping clients stop fighting internal experiences and take meaningful action based on their values
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Teaching concrete skills to tolerate distress, regulate emotions, and communicate effectively
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Helping clients understand different "parts" of themselves with curiosity rather than judgment
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Doesn't specialize in
Licensed in
- KentuckyLicense 258314