Watching your child struggle can be heartbreaking and elicit feelings of helplessness. When this happens, we want to do everything in our power to take away their pain so the suffering can end. Finding a therapist who has experience with the ever-changing needs of children and adolescents can itself be a challenge. The daily demands our youth are facing can be confusing and overwhelming for parents.

I acknowledge that every situation is unique, as well as the environment that leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms. This is why I take a holistic approach to therapy. Nothing exists in a vacuum. Therefore, I have found it helpful to not only look at the outward reaction to events causing concern, but also at other factors that may be involved. This approach helps me tailor interactions to individual needs and focus on the areas of highest concern.

Professional Bio

Jesse has nearly 20 years of experience, working with individuals and groups of all ages. She specializes in working with children and adolescents struggling with adjustment disorders, including acculturation issues, anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression and other mood disorders. Jesse has lived in multiple states, and even overseas! This experience has given her great insight in supporting and understanding the unique challenges involved in frequent moves, readjusting to a new culture, and saying farewells to those around us.

Jesse holds licenses as both a dance/movement therapist (DMT) and a clinical counselor (LMHC). Dance/Movement Therapy is not about being a dancer or an athlete, but rather about the ability to listen to and feel the response to emotions being held in our bodies. When talking is not enough, the body takes over, giving Jesse alternative ways to assess one’s needs. Jesse earned her specialized Master of Arts (MA) in Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago. In 2010 she obtained Level 3 training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy through Behavioral Tech's, Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training™. Her professional career has encompassed a variety of settings, including an inpatient child/adolescent psychiatric facility, residential facility for adolescents, a therapeutic day school, and private practice in person as well as online.

Jesse holds active memberships with: American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA); American Psychological Association (APA); American Psychological Association, The Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, American Mental Health Counselor Association (AMHCA), Florida Mental Health Counselor Association (FMHCA), and Space Coast Mental Health Counselors Association  (SCMHCA).