(she/they)
There is hope and potential to blossom within a world that can feel overwhelming, stressful, and depressing. We cannot pour from an empty cup; nourishing and caring for yourself is critical to overall well-being. Working together, I can help and guide you along the way to identifying old patterns and developing new perspectives and ways to cope and manage these difficulties. I am an open-minded, non-judgemental, trauma-informed therapist who believes that we all have the capacity to grow and change. I view each client's situation as unique and truly believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to working with people. As a member of the LGBTQ community and a neurodivergent human, I bring personal experience and professional knowledge to folks who identify as such. For those who feel burned out in helping professions, there is an additional complication: how can I help others in these systems? As someone who has worked within the child welfare system and the public school system, I can offer another level of understanding of these stressors.
In our first sessions, I want to spend as much time as possible getting to know you, the whole person. We will explore what is working well for you, what isn't, and your goals and hopes for therapy. Together, we will develop a treatment plan that meets you where you are now and clearly outlines the steps that we will take together to get you closer to your goals. Identifying the current stressors in your life and the systems that affect you is critical, and I also strive to get to know the whole person - you are not just a mental health diagnosis.
I utilize a blend of several approaches, primarily Exposure and Response Prevention therapy and other trauma-informed, evidence-based therapies. I am also a Maryland Board Approved Social Work Supervisor, accepting LMSW practitioners in need of supervision and skill development.
I am happy to discuss your individual goals and hopes for therapy when we meet, and be fluid as to changes in goals as time goes on and you progress in therapy. You will be met with compassion and understanding, regardless of who you are. I balance meeting my clients where they are with gentle nudges toward change. Please know I often assign in-between session practice/"homework" to continue reinforcing skills that we learn in session - the more we practice, the more we are able to move our skills beyond just sessions into the real world.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Trauma can profoundly affect a person's life, both in their individual mental and emotional experiences, but also leading to disruption in their daily life due to the symptoms and avoidance that trauma causes. Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy works by guiding people through reprocessing of the traumatic event they experience so that we can distinguish between painful and difficult memories of the event and what is currently being experienced. Alongside this, we learn coping strategies to manage the distress trauma can cause, and we work together to gradually regain control of our lives by becoming more capable of handling trauma triggers without avoidance or numbing. Don't let the name scare you off! This is a gradual approach to healing your trauma, and I have watched this be an empowering experience for folks as they become more confident with their ability to do what is important to them in their lives.
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
Exposure Therapy with Response Prevention (ERP) is recognized as the "gold standard" approach to treating OCD. Rather than just exposing you to things that you fear or cause anxiety, ERP focuses on gradually confronting feared situations and triggers, and learning to manage the anxiety, distress, and fear in those moments without engaging in compulsions or "safety behaviors" that may bring short-term relief, but ultimately reinforce the belief that we cannot manage the distress without compulsions. We create the exposures together and start small and work our way up - no surprises! I also use this treatment method for anxiety disorders such as health anxiety and social anxiety, as well as phobias such as emetophobia (fear of vomiting), insects, blood draws, and other fears that lead to avoidance.
1 rating with written reviews
February 4, 2026
I’ve been working with Jessica for some time now, and she has been a wonderful fit for me. She’s insightful, supportive, and challenges me in thoughtful ways. She’s also incredibly intelligent and has a great sense of humor, which makes our sessions both productive and enjoyable.