LCSW, 10 years of experience
New to Grow
I'm Jess, and I've been working as a licensed clinical social worker in Maine for a decade. I have worked in public schools as the clinical lead in day treatment programs, at the VA in Bangor as a clinical therapist, and in private practice with adolescents and adults, for a decade. I currently work only with adults, primarily with women and individuals on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. As for who I am personally, I'm a 45 year old married lesbian with two school aged kids.
For your first session, my goal is to figure out what you're looking for in therapy and whether I'm the right person for you. Do not be afraid to try multiple therapists on this journey - we're all different. It's a get to know you session, where you can ask me any questions you want, as well. I am not going to make you rehash your entire childhood the first time you meet me - or ever. It may not even be relevant to what you need/want out of therapy. The first session is a moment in time to start getting comfortable, to see if I'm a good fit for you and your needs/wants.
I'm client-led. I'll openly share information from every modality I'm trained in that you ask about or that I think might be applicable, as well as any community supports I may be aware of in your area. I take a strengths-based approach - I'm here to help you see your own strengths and utilize them on your journey through life. I'm solution-oriented, whether that involves, for example, CBT exercises for trauma/anxiety/depression to help cope with your immediate environment or helping you research specific planners and environmental supports for ADHD or finding local support groups that may help you make connections. I don't want you to be in therapy forever unless you want to be - I want you to live your life how you want to live it.
I'm interested in who you are as an individual more than a diagnosis. Everyone is different, with different challenges and different needs; labels exist for insurance companies and are thus necessary, but they take a backseat to anything real in therapy. You know you better than anyone else ever will, and that includes me (or any other therapist). I'm not here to tell you what to do. I'm here to help you find out what you want to do, help you outline a path to getting there, and sharing any experience and tools I've got that might help along the way.
Acceptance and commitment therapy is a way of acknowledging and experiencing intense feelings without judging yourself for them. I find it particularly useful with depression and anxiety. I've used this type of therapy for my entire practice because it also does a good job of supporting and empowering each individual with the knowledge that you're in charge of your own therapy. I am not here to tell you what to do. I'm here to help you explore what you want to do, and what you're going to do.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the first thing I offer for client consideration when it comes to trauma related disorders, particularly for managing environmental triggers.
I find DBT is helpful with individuals struggling with relationship and self-esteem issues, particularly with individuals who have symptoms of or an identified diagnosis of a personality disorder.
Groups arise as needs arise. I've facilitated grief groups, veterans' groups, LGBTQ groups, and women's groups, for the entirety of my career as a therapist. Each group functions differently depending on the nature of the needs and desires of the participants.
I find the Jungian personality tests (MBTI is the best example) useful in identifying individual strengths and challenges as well as communication styles - enabling me to know how someone hears what I say, so to speak, and vice versa. Additionally, Jungian dream analysis is something I love doing with people and I've got a couple of decades of experience with it - even prior to being a therapist. If your dreams are important to you but you don't know what they mean - this is a great place to start.