Source: Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash Whether it be during May for Mental Health Awareness month or at any time during the year, there are many ways to help promote awareness and acceptance of mental health issues and care. Now more than ever, we are seeing the prevalence and importance of mental health issues…
**Jessica was an advanced clinical social work intern at Wildflower for the academic year 2021-2022.** As an advanced clinical social work intern at Wildflower, I worked with clients to support and empower them through their therapeutic journey on their path to peace. My work is grounded in my foundations as a yoga teacher with a specialty in prenatal yoga as well as my experience as a doula. I believe in a strong mind-body connection as well as each individual's inner strength and wisdom. Each person already has everything they need within themselves. It is simply my job to help guide you to it. I am passionate about working with people experiencing women’s health issues, trauma, grief and loss, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and life transitions. Stepping into the therapeutic journey can feel vulnerable. By opening an honest dialogue I hope to genuinely understand you in a way that makes you feel safe, seen, and heard. I aim to help you process your past, become more aware in the present, and create a future that aligns with your values. I take a collaborative approach to psychotherapy that centers you as the expert. While I can guide you through this journey and plant seeds for growth along the way, you ultimately have the power to shape and transform your life. I am honored to be by your side through each moment of your therapeutic journey and all that it brings. I earned my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan and earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice in June 2022. I utilize an eclectic therapeutic approach, drawing upon various methods, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Trauma-Informed Care practices. Pronouns she/her/hers Selected training and affiliation Member of Postpartum Support International Postpartum Support International Maternal Mental Health Certification Training Gottman Level 1 Couples Therapy Training Addressing Perinatal Loss in Psychotherapy Training Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga Foundational Training Trauma Informed Care Trainings Mindfulness-based Childbirth and Parenting Course CAPPA Labor Doula Training 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training 85 Hour Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Key beliefs Life is bigger than this moment - you have survived all of your hardest moments and will survive this too. Discomfort is hard, dishonesty is harder. Asking for and accepting help are acts of courage. Peace and wisdom come together where your heart and your mind meet. More about me My happy place is walking along the lake with my dog and my husband. Chocolate is an essential food group for me. I love to bake and am still on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. I believe each day is a gift and should be lived on purpose.
Learning About Therapeutic Modalities: What Is the Unified Protocol (UP)?
Source: photo by Eneko Uruñuela on Unsplash Psychotherapy is a rich and vibrant field that is continually evolving. This means there is a great variety of therapeutic approaches practiced by mental health professionals. Some, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, are well-known and widely researched. Today we’d like to introduce you to a promising, newer modality…
Negative Automatic Thoughts: How to Reframe Them and Take Back Your Power
Source: Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash What are automatic thoughts? Automatic thoughts are something you may or may not be aware of when going about your daily life. These come up when your mind naturally takes in stimuli throughout your day and makes an attempt to interpret that information. There tend to be many…
Self-Care and Boundary Setting After Giving Birth
Source: Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash Whether this is your first child or your fifth, life undoubtedly looks different after welcoming your new baby into the world. During this transition, you might find that you are putting pressure on yourself to do everything just as you did before baby arrived. Unhelpful societal expectations with…
New Year, But Is It A New You: Setting Sustainable New Year’s Goals and Intentions
Source: Photo by Alex Alvarez on Unsplash “New year, new me” is a popular phrase we hear this time of year, but what was wrong with the old you? While there’s nothing wrong with some healthy reflection and intention setting, it’s important to still accept who you are in this moment. While it may feel…
Making the Most of “Me Time” During the Holiday Season
Source: Photo by Audrey Fretz on Unsplash Despite the pervasive message that the media and society in general send about being with family and friends during the holidays, we recognize that this isn’t the case for many people. Please know that you are NOT alone in that, whether it be due to logistical or personal…
How to Establish and Maintain Boundaries with Family and Friends During the Holidays
Source: Photo by Dima Pechurin on Unsplash Setting and maintaining boundaries with family and friends starts with asking yourself what you want your boundaries to look like. It can be difficult to differentiate between what you truly want and need versus what you feel you should do. This is further muddied by the expectations that…
Pregnancy and Infant Loss: Navigating the Journey as a Couple
The impact of loss, whether it be through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, is immense. This grieving process can often feel lonely both for you as an individual and for you and your partner as a couple. Differences in how you process the experience individually within your relationship have the potential to exacerbate these feelings…
