Jessica Shine
Hi, I’m Dr. Jessica M. Shine, affectionately called Dr. J by many of my amazing clients! I’m a caring, down-to-earth therapist who is passionate and intentional about helping people heal from past experiences while navigating the difficult seasons life can bring. I work with adults experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, family dysfunction, life transitions, burnout, relationship challenges, and the emotional impact of chronic illness and medical experiences. I love working with people from all walks of life and building a therapeutic relationship where you feel safe, supported, heard, and never judged. I’m here to help you connect the dots, understanding how your childhood, family dynamics, relationships, life experiences, and trauma may be influencing the decisions you make and the patterns you see today. Think of me as your therapist, accountability partner, safe place to land, and cheerleader as we work together toward your healing and growth.
First session
Your first session is really about us getting to know each other. You don’t have to walk in knowing exactly what to say, where to start, or how to tell your whole life story in 53 minutes. I’ll help guide the conversation. We’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, what’s been happening in your life, what you’d like to see change, and some of the experiences that may have shaped where you are today. I’ll ask questions, but this isn’t an interrogation! This is also your opportunity to get a feel for me and decide whether I’m the right therapist for you. By the end of our first session, my goal is for you to feel heard, a little more hopeful, and clearer about what we can begin working on together.
Strengths
I bring authenticity, compassion, humor, accountability, and a whole lot of encouragement into the therapy room. I’m not the therapist who is going to sit quietly, nod my head, and ask, “How does that make you feel?” for the entire session. We’re going to talk, process, connect the dots, and do the work together. I have a way of helping clients understand how their childhood, family dynamics, relationships, trauma, and life experiences may be connected to what they’re experiencing today. Sometimes we know something isn’t working, but we haven’t figured out the “why” behind it yet. That’s where I come in. My approach is client-centered, trauma-informed, and tailored to the person sitting in front of me. I incorporate approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, psychodynamic therapy, and evidence-based trauma treatment while still making therapy feel human. I’ll celebrate your progress, hold you accountable, challenge you when necessary, and remind you of your growth when you have trouble seeing it yourself. My goal isn’t to change who you are, it’s to help you understand yourself better, break patterns that no longer serve you, and give you practical tools to keep moving forward.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who is ready for things to be different, even if they’re not quite sure where to start. You may be the person everyone depends on, the strong one, the responsible one, the one who keeps pushing through, while privately feeling overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted, stuck, or disconnected from yourself. You may be navigating trauma, grief, family dysfunction, difficult relationships, major life transitions, burnout, chronic illness, or simply realizing that some of the ways you’ve learned to survive are no longer working for you. You don’t have to come to therapy with everything figured out. You just need to be willing to show up, be honest, and do the work. Together, we’ll connect the dots, identify patterns, work through what’s keeping you stuck, and help you move toward a healthier, more peaceful, and authentic version of yourself.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you understand the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we’ll identify negative thought patterns that may be contributing to anxiety, depression, feeling stuck, or how you respond to difficult situations. I often describe this as learning to “connect the dots.” We’ll explore where certain beliefs or patterns may have come from, challenge thoughts that are no longer serving you, and develop healthier ways of thinking and responding. I also incorporate practical tools you can use outside of our sessions so that the work we’re doing in therapy begins to show up in your everyday life.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you make space for difficult thoughts and emotions without allowing them to control your decisions or keep you stuck. Instead of focusing only on getting rid of uncomfortable feelings, we’ll work on changing your relationship with them. Together, we’ll identify what truly matters to you, explore where fear, anxiety, past experiences, or self-doubt may be getting in the way, and develop ways to move forward that align with your values. The goal is not to wait until everything feels perfect, it’s to help you build the confidence and flexibility to keep living, growing, and making meaningful choices even when life feels uncomfortable.
Trauma-Focused CBT
I use trauma-focused cognitive behavioral strategies to help you understand how traumatic and difficult life experiences may continue to influence your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and responses today. Together, we’ll identify triggers, explore beliefs that may have developed as a result of what you’ve experienced, and build healthier ways of coping and responding. I believe trauma work should happen at a pace that feels safe and manageable. We’ll work on developing coping and emotional regulation skills while gradually processing difficult experiences and challenging thoughts that may be keeping you stuck. My goal is to help you understand that while your experiences are part of your story, they do not have to continue controlling how you live your life.
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
I believe therapy should honor the whole person, including your culture, identity, family values, faith, community, and lived experiences. I take time to understand the world through your lens rather than assuming that one approach works for everyone. Together, we can explore how culture, family expectations, relationships, generational patterns, and life experiences have shaped the way you see yourself and navigate the world. I strive to create a space where you can show up authentically, feel understood, and talk openly about the things that matter to you without having to explain, minimize, or separate important parts of who you are.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I believe you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to walk alongside you as we work toward the changes you want to make. I create a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you can show up as your authentic self without feeling pressured to have everything figured out. I’ll meet you where you are while offering compassion, encouragement, honesty, and gentle challenge when needed. Our work is collaborative and centered around your individual needs, experiences, strengths, and goals. My goal is to help you better understand yourself, recognize your strengths, and feel empowered to make choices that support your healing and growth.
Location
Virtual sessions