Therapists in Saint Albans, VT

I am a professional Social Worker specializing in death, dying, bereavement, and chronic and persistent physical debilities as well as mental health issues. I have extensive experience working with issues related to chronic and life limiting illness, chronic pain, aging, and dementia, and caring for the needs of the dying at end of life. Other experience includes working with adjustment issues, anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, self-esteem, trauma, and coping skills. My therapeutic approaches are rooted in Narrative, Existential, and Psychodynamic therapy.

In private practice since 2006, I continue to feel honored to get to know my clients. My hope with each person is that we will create a space together in which a unique healing relationship may unfold. To facilitate that space, I tend to focus on your feelings and how they are held in the body; on past experiences and how they relate to current feelings and relational patterns; on how relational patterns may be being repeated within the therapy; on the richness of your internal world (that emerges, for example, in dreams, daydreams, artwork, etc.); and on awareness itself, within which all of the above happens.

Welcome. My intention for my practice is to be welcoming, affirming, and supportive for people of diverse age, gender identity, ethnicity, sexuality, and cultural backgrounds. I believe that the care and evolving relationship between a therapist and the person they serve is an essential part of therapeutic work. I strive to be a person-centered, intersectional, trauma-informed, and social justice informed practitioner. I have worked with clients struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, stress, life transitions, identity questions, and trauma.

*** Currently accepting new clients*** I believe that a collaborative approach and a genuine therapeutic relationship serve as the foundation for immense personal growth and change. I approach therapy through warmth and compassion, striving to create a safe and non-judgmental space from which to explore emotions, life patterns, and areas for growth. I specialize in working with adolescents, college students and adults experiencing anxiety, depression and trauma.

I believe we all deserve to be heard, understood and supported as we navigate challenges in our lives and therapy can be a great place to receive that. My goal is to create an environment where you feel safe to be your truest self without judgement and that when you attend therapy, you feel a weight lifted with relief. I believe deeply the strongest tool in therapy is the relationship we develop together so taking time to understand you and what makes you who you are is my highest priority.

Currently only a couple of spots available! I am here as a support for clients to unload whatever may be going on in their lives. Throughout our therapeutic relationship, we will develop and work towards goals that will essentially lead to living a happier, healthier life, whatever that may look like to each individual client. Feeling comfortable, calm, relaxed and at ease throughout the therapeutic process is very important in session with me as your therapist.

I became a therapist because I believe that all people have the innate ability to heal and sometimes, we need extra support and guidance to get us there. We all experience challenges in our lives whether it be grief, job stress, relationship issues, difficulties at home, and sometimes we don’t know why but, we don’t feel like ourselves. In my 15 years of working in community mental health, I have helped children, adolescents and adults heal from these challenges.

Choosing a therapist for yourself or loved one can be a difficult task. A true "Master" of the healing arts is one who has spent years learning, practicing, and refining their skills as a healer. Individuals, couples and families first entering into the therapeutic relationship often feel overwhelmed, confused, anxious and vulnerable. They need to feel safe by knowing that they are truly being heard and respected. They also need to trust that their therapist has sufficient experience to patiently guide them thru the process of self discovery on their path to wellness and feeling whole, perhaps for the first time in their life.

I wish to serve as a guide for my clients on their own journey towards self-discovery. I am practicing humanistic psychology and my primary focus is to create an empathetic, non-judgmental, and safe therapeutic relationship. By using person-centered counseling, I am able to help my clients discover their authentic selves. I wish to help reduce anxiety and aid my clients in developing a positive self-image for themselves. I am interested in learning and understanding my clients’ self-perceptions and view of their own reality. My belief is that our worth is conditioned by others and this often can be detrimental to our mental health.

Welcome! I am Shelley Jackson and am looking forward to meeting you. I have over 20 years counseling experience working with children and adults. I believe in the inherent good in all people and want to help you live a life worth living. I treat my clients, whether adults or children, with deep respect and offer you a safe place in which to process your problems. I offer you my unconditional positive regard and genuineness as a person. I believe our relationship is the most important part of counseling and to that end I bring 100% of myself into our sessions.

My practice is oriented towards those working towards THRIVING rather than surviving. Are you are seeking therapy at this time due to problematic patterns that have been getting in the way of you moving forward and realizing your aspirations? My practice is dedicated to helping you reconnect with your innate source of creative energy by finding new ways of relating to the obstacles that have been getting in your way. I create a caring and compassionate space for you to explore through verbal and visual language, as well as bringing awareness to how the body holds and manifests stuck patterns that you are working to release.