Trauma Focused Therapists in Minneapolis, MN

My therapeutic style is authentic, nonjudgmental, and laid back. I believe all humans should be treated with respect and kindness, and understand all people are seeking understanding and acceptance. I attempt to personalize my therapeutic approach to match the unique needs of you and your life.

I am a trans-genderqueer femme, disabled, Two-Spirit, Native American radical activist & social worker. I practice trauma-focused feminist therapy with trans youth & young adults ages 12-27. Except for trans letters, for which I see all ages, youth and adults. My specialties surround gender & sexuality, & trauma survivors experiencing depression, bipolar, anxiety, self-harm, suicidality, disability, chronic pain, multiples/alters, dissociation, sexual assault, & histories with abuse & violence. I am body, sex, & kink positive, poly-inclusive, value accountability, & recognize the intersectional impact of systematic oppression.

"I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one.” -Brandon Sanderson Let me help you take the next step. I enjoy providing therapy for queer folx, chronic illness, nerds, adolescents, young adults, college students, and families. I have special interests in all things nerdy, sex, trauma, and exploring identities (gender, sexuality). I primarily work from a feminist, anti-capitalist, and strength-based perspective. My ideal client wants a strong therapeutic relationship with an affirming and relatable therapist.

As a human navigating this ever-changing world, it is my belief that we each hold knowledge, power, and peace within ourselves. However, it is fair to say that we don't always feel this way. I have experience working with individuals experiencing anxiety, shame, depression, life change, and trauma. My therapeutic goal is to hold space for you, support you, and help you enrich your life. I am committed to social justice and believe that systemic dynamics influence a person's mental health. I continually strive to have a validating space for all identities, and I advocate for anti-oppression on both community and systemic platforms.

Jess’s ideal clients are college students and young adults facing anxiety, stress, life transitions, low self-esteem, grief, and depression. Jess invites those in helping professions to consider therapy as well, as she knows firsthand how workplace trauma and compassion fatigue can hijack your relationships, your self-esteem, and overall health. Jess wants you to improve the way you care for yourself while you care for others.

If you are concerned about COVID 19, you can attend virtual counseling sessions with me in the comfort of your home or office. (More below.) I tailor my approach based on your needs. I use a holistic approach to achieve cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being by incorporating a variety of methods customized to individualize your needs. The counseling methods I use are cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic and Somatic Experiencing, relational life therapy, trauma focused behavioral therapy, internal family systems, attachment, psycho-dynamic, mindfulness, guided relaxation, and mind-body work.

A collaborative perspective is important for therapy. It's important for me to work toward developing rapport and trust to assist each person, in their therapy journey. My style and approach includes warmth, sensitivity, honesty and humor, laughing is healing. Change comes with being understood, listened to and feeling safe. Healing starts with courage and wisdom and coming to therapy is a big step. Everyone's journey to healing is different, therefore I do my best to tailor treatment to fit your needs. Therapy works best when it engages the whole person, body, mind, emotions and spirit to assist in reaching the best outcome.

Life, am I right? We can't do it alone. I work with people just like you; People seeking support to find their voice, set better boundaries, have compassion for themselves, heal trauma, or challenge self defeating patterns. I have extensive experience (12+ years) working with a variety of concerns ranging from life phases, self esteem, anxiety, depression to PTSD, Interpersonal Violence and sexual violence. My goal in therapy is to create a safe, collaborative space, where we can work together to address ALL parts of self - allowing you to feel more whole and in control of your own life/emotions and relationships.

I enjoy working with individuals of all ages, as well as families. I strive to create a therapeutic space that is open, affirming, and without judgement. Together we will work as a team to explore areas for reflection, healing, and growth. I work with individuals to assist in the areas of depression, anxiety, trauma, self-image, relationships, life transitions, and stress. I utilize the tools of trauma-informed care, self-compassion, and Dialectical Informed Behavioral Therapy to assist clients with these challenges. Additional approaches are integrated into sessions to best meet each client’s individual needs.

I believe that genuine presence, authentic connection, and a welcoming sense of curiosity, inspires each client to recover and overcome. I hold genuine and positive regard for my clients which enables me to encourage and support them as they come to understand the origins of their challenges and how to meet and transform them. I counsel individuals (ages 16 and up), couples, and families. My practice focuses on transitions, trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, loss, spirituality and meaning and highly sensitive persons (HSPs). My commitment is to discover the strengths and gifts of each client so they may discover their true self.

I provide therapy through a strengths-based, trauma-focused lens, and view each person as a resilient individual system capable of developing agency of their lived story and gaining mastery of their whole self. My clients include individuals and families living with challenges complicated by mental illness, emotional and behavioral disorders, trauma and family violence. My therapy services and community provider trainings are designed to provide an holistic and trauma-informed, culturally-attuned approach to understanding and healing from the abuse and trauma affecting individuals, relationships, families and systems.

My experience is working in the area of mood disorders, depression, anxiety, self-harm, PTSD, adoption support, family dynamics and communication, & college issues offering solution focused techniques to bring about positive change and healing. As an attachment theorist I value practical, experiential discovery of the things that hold people back from optimal functioning in life. I seek to join with people by being creative in the work we do together to meet clients where they are at using the talents and strengths he or she has to create successful steps forward.

At Minnesota Center for Psychology, we offer comprehensive mental health services for children and adolescents age 3-17, as well as their families. We are committed to providing the best quality care in an environment that fosters integrity, respect, hope, health, and learning. If your child is experiencing anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, family conflict, school or relationship issues, grief, sadness, body image issues, sleep problems, suicidal thoughts, trauma, low motivation, restlessness, communication issues, LGBT or gender identity issues, life transitions mood swings, shame, anger, or behavioral issues, our highly trained and experienced clinicians can help!

It is not easy to ask for help when our pain is so personal and private. My goal is to foster a safe environment to help individuals share concerns and sensitive topics that need healing. My goal is to empower individuals to take the lead in their therapy and collaborate with them to ensure therapy is moving at a comfortable pace. I see each person as unique and special, therefore their journey in treatment needs to be created specifically for them. I believe therapy can be impactful and I am passionate about seeing healing and freedom develop for every individual.