I'm Jes, and I've been in the human services field as a social worker for 15+ years. I have experience and enjoy working with persons who struggle with anxiety, depression, family/relationship/interpersonal stresses, etc. But I also have experience in working with individuals who have serious mental illness, have been involved with the legal systems, as well as family members of persons who have serious mental illness and have committed violent crimes. My experience includes inpatient psychiatric, child welfare, as well as community outpatient. I enjoy helping people understand what they are experiencing, assist them in understanding what others or loved may be experiences, and improve mood, reduce anxiety, and facilitate a space for self-expression and processing thoughts and feelings.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
I like for the first session to surround me getting to know the client. Discussing what brought them to therapy and what they are looking to work on. I also like to know if the client has done therapy in the past and what their experience was like? What worked for them and what did not? What style of therapy would they feel comfortable with? Someone who is a little more direct and holding them accountable? Or an empathetic and gentle approach while they become more comfortable in the therapy setting.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My greatest strength as a provider is an empathetic and non-judgement approach as a means to build rapport and create a tone and atmosphere that allows clients to be candid about what is on their mind without fear of judgement. Being able to help a client process their feelings and emotions as a means to gain a greater insight into what brought them to therapy as well as supporting and validating my clients.
About Jessica Howard
Appointments
Virtual
My treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I like to use CBT to assist people in being able to challenge negative thoughts and beliefs and reframe thinking that is more positive and more realistic. This method is helpful with anxiety, depression, irrational thoughts and worries, and can reduce anxiety, negative, and intrusive thinking.
Existential
In today's world, things move fast. We have a lot of knowledge and information at our fingertips that we never had before, and it's not uncommon to get caught up in issues that are not within our control and therefore, be anxiety producing. I like to use existential therapy as a modality to encourage people to assess and control what is within their reach, use free-will and determination to make positive choices and positive impacts, as well as creating boundaries with outside stimuli that is anxiety producing.
Trauma Informed Care
Much of what we feel and struggle with can be related back to trauma in some fashion. I like to provide psychoeducation regarding trauma, normalize trauma, and assist clients in understanding trauma, processing it, and managing the symptoms that accompany having experienced trauma.
Strength-Based
Strength-Based therapy and intervention is so important as many people do not realize their strengths and resilience, and therefore struggle with low self-esteem, lacking in confidence, and negative thoughts. I like to help people realize and acknowledge their strengths and focus on their resilience and positive traits to improve self-esteem and confidence.
Interpersonal
Social anxiety and struggling with to make connections with others can be stressful. Fulfilling interpersonal relationships is important to our functioning as human beings! We have a desire to relate to others and have others relate to us, and when people feel they are lacking in these areas mental and emotional health can take a tip. Working to alleviate anxiety, improve social cues, make conversation, and relate to others to build strong interpersonal connections.
