LCSW, 19 years of experience
New to Grow
Hi, I’m Aquanatte Jackson, LCSW, and I truly believe that healing starts with compassion — for yourself, for others, and for the journey you’re on. I’ve spent more than 15 years helping people find peace, clarity, and strength in the middle of life’s hardest moments. I work with individuals who are navigating anxiety, major life transitions, and relationship challenges — including couples who are trying to rebuild connection and communication. My goal is to create a space that feels real, safe, and judgment-free — where you can show up as you are, without pressure or pretense. My approach blends compassion-focused care with evidence-based methods that help you uncover what’s really driving your emotions and patterns — not just manage the surface stuff. I want you to leave each session feeling lighter, more grounded, and more in control of your story. Whether you’re adjusting to change, learning to manage anxiety, or trying to reconnect in your relationship, I’m here to help you move toward healing and growth — one step at a time. Because at the end of the day, my philosophy is simple: together we heal, together we thrive.
In our first session, my goal is simple — to get to know you. There’s no pressure to have it all figured out or to say the “right” thing. We’ll talk about what’s been weighing on you, what brought you to therapy, and what you hope to get out of our time together. I’ll ask a few questions to help me understand your story, but mostly, I’ll listen. This first session is about creating a safe space where you can exhale and be honest without judgment. We’ll also set some goals together so you leave with a clear sense of direction — not just more questions. You can expect compassion, curiosity, and real conversation — not formality or clinical coldness. My hope is that you walk away from our first session feeling seen, understood, and a little more hopeful than when you came in.
What stands out about my approach is that it’s real, compassionate, and focused on getting to the heart of what’s really going on — not just surface symptoms. I don’t believe in cookie-cutter therapy. Every person and every story is different, so I tailor my approach to what actually fits you. I draw from methods like Compassion-Focused Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to help clients understand their thoughts and emotions on a deeper level. My sessions tend to feel more like honest conversations than formal appointments — we laugh, we reflect, and we do the real work that leads to healing. My goal is always progress, not perfection — helping you create lasting change that shows up in your daily life, not just in the therapy room.
I’m best positioned to serve people who are ready to make a change but feel stuck figuring out where to start. Most of my clients come to me feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure of themselves — they’ve been strong for everyone else but are realizing it’s time to focus on their own healing. I connect deeply with those navigating life transitions — whether that’s adjusting to a new season in life, managing stress, rebuilding after a relationship shift, or finding their footing again after burnout. I also enjoy working with couples who love each other but keep getting caught in the same cycles of miscommunication or emotional distance. My clients tend to be self-aware, motivated, and open to doing the work — they just need someone who can meet them with understanding and help them move from surviving to thriving. If that sounds like you, then we’ll likely work really well together.
In my work as a therapist, I use Compassion Focused Therapy to help people learn how to be kinder to themselves. A lot of my clients come in feeling stuck in shame, guilt, or negative self-talk, and CFT gives us a way to work through that. We talk about how our minds are wired to react to stress and fear, and I teach tools that help calm the body and bring more balance and understanding to those feelings. I use this approach to help people build a stronger sense of self-worth and to learn how to respond to their struggles with compassion instead of criticism. It’s really about helping them develop that inner voice that says, “I’m doing the best I can,” and learning to move forward from that place.
In sessions, I help clients understand how their mind tries to protect them, and we work on rewriting those stories so they can find more peace and control in their lives. It’s a very step-by-step, honest process that helps people let go of old beliefs and begin to feel safe and confident again.
When I work with couples, my focus is on helping both partners feel heard, understood, and supported — not blamed. Many couples come to therapy feeling disconnected or stuck in repeating arguments, so I use sessions to slow things down and help them really listen to each other. We look at what’s underneath the conflict — usually unmet needs, hurt feelings, or fears — and start rebuilding from there. I teach communication tools that help couples express themselves clearly and respond with empathy instead of defensiveness. My goal is to help them reconnect, rebuild trust, and create healthier patterns so they can get back to being a team again, even when life gets stressful.