Counselor for Perfectionism, People Pleasing, Neurodivergence, Substance Use, and Healers
Meet Jackie
Heal your relationship with yourself.
You have noticed that…
You appear so easy-going and adaptable that you are hesitant to ask for what you want…you might not even know what that is.
You set impossible standards for yourself when completing a task.
You have difficulty trying to regulate your mood and behaviors.
You hold an all-good or all-bad perspective.
You struggle to “go with the flow” and suffer constant racing thoughts.
Your relationships tend to be one-sided and you don’t get back what you give.
You have feelings of impostor syndrome as you pursue a degree in one of the helping professions.
High levels of anxiety and stress impact your day-to-day life.
You’ve come to the right place if you’re curious about the things in your life that you’d like to understand more. You’re looking to become more in tune with your mind and body and to understand yourself as a whole person who exists in multiple systems.
You’d also like to experience a reduction in the uncomfortable symptoms you’re experiencing like sleepless nights, constant physical tension, and racing thoughts.
In therapy, I offer a unique journey where we slow down, drop into our bodies for information, and lessen symptoms with the process of reprocessing. I am your guide through this exploration and can’t wait to work with you!
Why Jackie?
As a therapist, I want to offer a unique experience to my clients.
Along with providing a safe and confidential space for clients, I offer new experiences of sitting in our bodies and systems.
We'll work to identify all parts of your system, using Internal Family Systems (IFS), and over time we will unburden them. I also integrate the process of bilateral stimulation called EMDR, with IFS and Somatic practices.
This looks like reprocessing negative mental images while checking in with where these images live in your body, what they’re trying to show or tell us, and offering them security and nurturing.
I believe we heal when we understand what is happening to us. I incorporate psychoeducation to give knowledge to my clients. I suggest resources in the form of books, videos, and podcasts when needed to support your growth.
You will feel your nervous system regulate with guided breathing and meditation both in session and to use at home.
I have firsthand experience of how working with my parts and reprocessing with bilateral stimulation can heal trauma. I engage in my own somatic practices and daily meditation, creating a supportive daily routine that alleviates feelings of anxiety and stress.
I practice regulating my own nervous system consistently and engage in holistic practices for my healing. I want you to have the same experience.
My Journey
I have a calling to be a therapist. As a past professor of mine would say, “This is not just a career, it’s a lifestyle.” I interweave this belief into the work I do with clients.
As a therapist, with my own experience in therapy, I have true empathy for what it feels like to sit in the client chair.
I understand how terrifying it can feel to explore behaviors that we’ve used for a long time, but prove to be harmful. I have extensive experience in helping clients alleviate symptoms of anxiety and understand how hard this process can be.
My experience working with neurodivergent adolescents and adults in the education system gives me a strong base of knowledge about how difficult it can be to ask for help when experiencing uncertainty.
My own journey toward becoming a clinician has opened me to the hardships and difficult path that can bring on feelings of imposter syndrome.
In the Therapy Room
I am an explorative therapist, guiding you with prompts to drop in and dive deeply. I hold space for you around the most difficult topics that might come up.
I like to be relational with clients, exploring how the therapeutic space and relationship are working for you. I share my system with yours, allowing it to feel seen and safe to process. I also use humor within sessions; laughter is a wonderful tool and can help us move through discomfort.
You’re going to find a nurturing therapist when you’re in the room with me.
As well as a therapist who is:
Client-Centered
As a client-centered therapist, I truly believe you are the expert of your life and your journey. I enjoy serving as your guide on the journey of life, engaging you in an exploration of your true self.
I support your path by offering a relational experience; connection, guidance with curiosity and wonder, and consistent checking in are all a part of the process.
At times, therapy can feel uncomfortable and our therapeutic space will allow you to explore this discomfort while feeling supported.
Nurturing & Mothering
A colleague once described me as “a nurturing Mother Earth” type of therapist. I wear this description proudly as your future clinician.
During our time working together, you will experience my deep care for your work through nurturing practices. At times we need compassion and stability as we process tough subjects.
My overall presence will create a grounding and safe environment for you to access both the strength and tenderness needed to dive deeply into your experience and who you are.
Body-Based:
When introducing myself as a clinician, I describe myself as a “bottoms-up” therapist; meaning we begin with feelings over words. We begin with our feet before reaching our head, or our mind.
This path supports us in checking in with our bodies. We lean into the energy that may be flowing in certain parts of our body and the messaging that it may be giving us.
Many times, we are unaware of what our body is telling us and what it has stored from previous experiences. Moving slowly, we scan your body and drop into what your system may be showing or telling us.
Integrative
I had the wonderful opportunity as a young therapist to learn how to incorporate many modalities together at once.
The wonderful piece of each technique I work with is the underlying belief that our bodies are trying to tell us something and we can work holistically with our suffering.
The interplay of these techniques aids in a larger and wider healing process for my clients. Working within our system and its parts, we may come across memories we can reprocess to lessen their negative effects. This opens the possibility to regulate our nervous system and soothe our parts.
Working integratively also allows me to meet you where you are in your process, move slowly throughout the therapy process, and alleviate symptoms.
My Credentials
It’s important you know I am qualified to be your therapist. I received my Master of Arts in Counseling, focusing on School Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Mary’s College of California.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and an Associate Personal Clinical Counselor (PCC) in California. I have been trained in EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Somatic Therapy.
The Next Step
If you are ready for a therapeutic experience where you feel supported, seen, and connected, please schedule a free 15-minute consultation. I hope the information on this page gives you a good preview of who I am and how I work. I can’t wait to meet you!