Therapy Modalities

Therapeutic Specialties:

Jessica believes that therapy is not one-size-fits-all. She takes the time to understand each client’s unique needs and therapeutic goals, shaping treatment to provide personalized support.

With experience in community mental health and college access programs, Jessica has received training in various therapy models. She specializes in working with adults navigating anxiety, depression, and trauma, as well as those seeking to heal generational trauma, learn to communicate expectations, and managing difficult relationships.

In addition to traditional therapy, Jessica integrates mindfulness and movement into sessions, drawing from her 200-hour yoga teacher certification to support holistic healing.

EIP’s or Emotionally Immature People:

Emotionally immature people are individuals who struggle with emotional regulation, self-awareness, and mature interpersonal interactions. They often display behaviors that lack emotional depth and can be challenging to interact with in relationships. Emotional immaturity typically manifests in a range of traits, such as irresponsibility, impulsiveness, defensiveness, and a tendency to prioritize their own needs over others. These individuals may have difficulty coping with stress, taking responsibility for their actions, and expressing emotions in healthy ways.

Working with clients who have emotionally immature people in their lives requires a thoughtful and compassionate approach. Emotionally immature individuals can create significant relational challenges, and Jessica’s role is to help clients navigate these dynamics in a way that promotes their well-being and emotional growth.

Mother Hunger:

Mother Hunger is a term coined by Kelly McDaniel, referring to the deep, unmet need for nurturing, guidance, and unconditional love from a mother figure. It often develops when a mother is emotionally unavailable, inconsistent, or unable to provide the warmth and secure attachment a child needs. This can lead to struggles with self-worth, emotional regulation, relationships, and feelings of emptiness or longing in adulthood.

Healing from mother hunger requires compassionate exploration, self-awareness, and intentional healing practices. In therapy, this may involve:

  1. Exploring Childhood Attachment Patterns – Understanding how early experiences shaped emotional needs and relational patterns.

  2. Processing Grief & Unmet Needs – Validating the pain of what was missing and allowing space for healing.

  3. Reparenting & Self-Compassion – Learning to nurture oneself, meet unmet emotional needs, and develop self-love.

  4. Boundary Work & Relationship Patterns – Recognizing patterns of over-giving, seeking validation, or struggling with trust, and learning to cultivate healthy connections.

  5. Mindfulness & Somatic Healing – Incorporating practices like breathwork, movement, or inner child work to build emotional regulation and self-soothing.

  6. Developing Secure Relationships – Strengthening the ability to seek and receive healthy love and support.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) emphasizes the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Jessica will help you increase awareness of these connections, empowering you to understand how they influence each other. She integrates body work into therapy, recognizing the connection between your physical senses and emotional well-being. Through treatment, you will learn how to reframe your experiences and challenge maladaptive or unhelpful beliefs, fostering healthier thought patterns and behaviors.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT):

While Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) was initially developed to support individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder, Jessica believes the skills taught in DBT can benefit anyone. Through DBT-informed treatment, you can develop valuable skills for emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, and distress tolerance. It’s important to note that Jessica does not offer formal DBT, which includes weekly therapy and group sessions. Instead, she provides DBT-informed techniques in individual therapy sessions to support your emotional growth and resilience.

Brainspotting (BSP):

Brainspotting is a powerful therapeutic technique developed by Dr. David Grand. It focuses on the connection between eye positions and the brain’s emotional processing. Essentially, brainspotting involves identifying specific points in the visual field that correspond to emotional or traumatic experiences stored in the brain. By focusing on these "brainspots," clients can access and process deeply held trauma, unresolved emotions, and unprocessed memories in a more direct and efficient way.

During a brainspotting session, Jessica guides the client’s eye movements to find a "brainspot"—a point in the visual field that brings up emotional sensations. As the client focuses on this spot, the brain begins to process the associated emotions or memories. Brainspotting can help release trauma, reduce emotional distress, and promote healing in a way that is often quicker and more profound than traditional talk therapy.

Internal Family Systems (IFS):

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapeutic model developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz that focuses on understanding and healing the internal parts of the self. According to IFS, each person has a variety of "parts" or sub-personalities, which represent different aspects of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. These parts can range from protective parts (e.g., inner critics or perfectionists) to vulnerable parts (e.g., the inner child or wounded parts). At the core of IFS is the belief that everyone has a Self, which is a compassionate, wise, and grounded presence.

The goal of IFS therapy is to help individuals heal by understanding, integrating, and harmonizing their parts, allowing the Self to lead in a balanced and healthy way. In therapy, I use Internal Family Systems to help clients understand and integrate the different parts of themselves, so they can lead a more harmonious and fulfilling life.

Motivational Interviewing (MI):

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a client-centered, goal-oriented therapeutic approach designed to enhance motivation to change by helping clients resolve ambivalence and build intrinsic motivation. Developed by Dr. William R. Miller and Dr. Stephen Rollnick, MI is particularly effective for clients who may feel stuck or uncertain about making changes, especially in the context of behavior change (e.g., substance use, lifestyle changes, or emotional regulation).

MI is based on the premise that people are more likely to change when they feel understood, respected, and supported in their own process of decision-making. The therapist helps facilitate a conversation that encourages exploration of values, goals, and the barriers that may be preventing change, fostering self-efficacy and empowerment.

Trauma Treatment:

Trauma Treatment Process is a comprehensive and gradual journey aimed at helping individuals heal from past trauma and regain emotional balance, well-being, and a sense of empowerment. While every individual’s experience with trauma is unique, the trauma treatment process generally follows a sequence of stages that aim to restore safety, process emotions, and create lasting healing.

  1. Establish Safety and Build Trust:

    • Focus on creating a safe, supportive environment where the client feels heard, respected, and understood. Establish a foundation of trust between the client and therapist.

  2. Stabilization and Emotional Regulation:

    • Teach emotional regulation and coping strategies to help the client manage distressing emotions and stay grounded before diving into trauma processing.

  3. Trauma Processing and Integration:

    • Use trauma-focused techniques (e.g., Brainspotting) to help the client process and reframe traumatic memories, reducing their emotional charge.

  4. Address Negative Beliefs and Cognitions:

    • Help the client identify and challenge negative self-beliefs or distorted perceptions caused by the trauma, replacing them with healthier, more empowering thoughts.

  5. Integration and Rebuilding:

    • Guide the client in using their strengths to rebuild their life, set new goals, and develop a more positive outlook, focusing on resilience and growth.

  6. Building New Patterns and Preventing Relapse:

    • Support the client in creating sustainable coping mechanisms and maintenance plans to continue healing and prevent future setbacks.