LPCC, 27 years of experience
New to Grow
☕✨ Coffee & Talk: Therapy Made Simple ✨☕ If you’ve been struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD, eating disorders, trauma, addiction, or simply feeling stuck in life, you don’t have to go through it alone. Therapy is a safe space to be heard, supported, and guided toward becoming the best version of yourself. Hi, I’m Jeralyn R. Tharp, M.Ed., LPCC-S, LICDC, GAMB — a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor & Supervisor, Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor, and Gambling Specialist. With over 28 years of experience, I’ve had the privilege of working with individuals and families from many walks of life, including military personnel, veterans, and their loved ones. I believe therapy doesn’t have to feel intimidating — think of it as sitting down for a comforting cup of coffee (or tea, or even water!) and having a real conversation about what matters most to you. 🌿 What to Expect in Our Virtual Coffee & Therapy Chat: Complete your pre-admission tasks – please ensure all forms and requirements are submitted before our session. Pick your drink of choice – coffee, tea, water… or just come as you are. Find your comfortable spot – a cozy chair, your favorite corner, or anywhere you can be yourself. Join the conversation – I’ll provide the link, and together we’ll create a safe and supportive space where you can build resilience, find hope, and explore practical strategies for everyday challenges. Reaching out takes courage — and my goal is to meet you exactly where you are. Therapy is your safe place to grow, heal, and uncover strengths you may not even realize you have. So grab your mug, bring yourself (or just come as you are), and let’s begin this journey together. ☕💬
Our first session will be relaxed and welcoming. We’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, what your goals are, and review some basic background—like past treatment, thoughts or feelings you’ve struggled with, or any substance use. Everything we discuss is completely confidential and free of stigma. I’ll also share my background, the services I offer, and together we’ll pick the therapy approach that feels right for you. In our next session, we’ll go over your testing results, talk through recommendations, and set up best practices tailored for you—so you’ll always know what to expect. And yes, I may slip in a little humor along the way to help you feel at ease.
I bring nearly three decades of experience across forensic, hospital, private, and group practice settings. Along the way, I’ve trained and supervised new counselors, which keeps my approach fresh and evidence-informed. I’ve worked with teens, adults, older adults, and supported a wide range of needs—from eating disorders and addiction to couples’ concerns and Veterans’ issues. Integrative & innovative. I use CBT and person-centered therapy, alongside logotherapy (a meaning-focused approach many clients haven’t tried). I also created a Veteran protocol that blends a new five-senses grounding method with CBT, person-centered work, and logotherapy to calm the body and clarify purpose. Investigator mindset. I work like a compassionate detective—spotting thought patterns with you and teaching tools to challenge the ones that hurt you. Creative & results-driven. No two clients are the same, so treatment isn’t either. Expect out-of-the-box methods and practical strategies matched to your goals, values, and pace. I’m solution-focused—we’ll keep experimenting until something works. Clients often tell me, “what you see is what you get—genuine, stigma-free care.” Many have even met their goals in 12 sessions or less.
I love working with teens, adults, and the geriatric population, and my heart is especially with those who have experienced trauma. If you’re carrying painful experiences, please know—you are not bad, wrong, or “messed up.” Trauma simply means you may not have been taught the tools you needed at the time. In therapy, I can teach you new ways to understand and manage what you’ve been through, while encouraging you to be heard, to heal, and to overcome. I enjoy supporting clients who are navigating addiction, eating disorders, OCD, trauma, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). My specialized training in combat therapy allows me to work closely with veterans and military families, while my background in logotherapy gives me tools to help clients find meaning and purpose even in difficult circumstances. I also have extensive experience with learning disabilities, ADHD, and school-age concerns, and I value the opportunity to empower students and their families with strategies that foster both confidence and success. My approach is compassionate, practical, and client-centered. Together, we’ll work to uncover the strengths you already have, build new skills, and develop healthier ways of thinking and coping. Therapy with me is not about judgment—it’s about growth, healing, and rediscovering the best version of yourself. Most of all, I want you to know that you don’t have to walk this path alone. I’m here to listen, to support you, and to provide simple, effective strategies that can help you move forward with hope and confidence.
Christian counseling is available to those who seek it, offering support by comparing life struggles and mental health challenges with Biblical scripture while integrating evidence-based practices, Christian principles, and spiritual resources into therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is widely used because it is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps individuals identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, making it highly effective for a range of mental health conditions. Research shows CBT works especially well for populations experiencing depression, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, with the American Psychological Association (2017) and numerous meta-analyses confirming its effectiveness across these groups and more.
trauma-informed care works with all trauma populations because it recognizes the widespread impact of trauma, prioritizes safety, trust, and empowerment, and tailors interventions to avoid re-traumatization while fostering healing. For example, grounding techniques—such as focusing on the five senses to stay present—help individuals regulate overwhelming emotions and regain a sense of control.
arrative therapy helps people “re-author” their lives by separating themselves from their problems, examining the stories they tell about their experiences, and creating new, empowering narratives that reflect resilience and hope. For example, after a divorce, a client might shift from seeing themselves as “a failure who couldn’t keep a marriage together” to “a person who endured a painful ending but is now rediscovering independence, strength, and the opportunity to build a healthier future.” Similarly, a survivor of abuse might move from a narrative of “being broken” to “being a resilient survivor who overcame harm and is creating a safe, empowered new life.”
erson-centered therapy focuses on creating a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the therapist offers empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuine understanding, which helps clients build self-worth and find their own solutions. This approach works especially well with teens, who often feel misunderstood or pressured, as it gives them a safe environment to explore their identity—for example, a teenager struggling with anxiety about school performance may feel empowered when their therapist listens without judgment, helping them gain confidence and trust in their own choices.