I’m so honored to join Kindness Counseling as the second psychologist on staff. Founded by my colleague, Dr. Vitόria Suplicy, the guiding principles of the practice align with my personal desire to create a comfortable, judgement-free environment for people from all walks of life.
In this first blog post, I’ll share my professional philosophy to help you decide whether I’m a clinician you wish to have by your side for your therapeutic journey.
I was born and raised in Ohio and began my training in psychology in 2008. I’ve been fortunate to work in various settings throughout my clinical training and research, including community mental health, a domestic violence agency, a children’s hospital, a forensic psychiatric hospital, and university counseling centers.
Throughout my work, it has become apparent to me that from the time we are born, our relationships are a powerful force in life. They teach us:
How much we can trust the world and others
What we must do to meet our needs in relationships
How we can expect others to treat, perceive, and value us
What thoughts and emotions are acceptable to share and express
And more
When our important relationships (parents, caregivers, romantic partner, siblings, friends) are consistently supportive, validating, and fulfilling, we have a powerful tool for facing and managing life’s challenges. Unfortunately, for many of us, one or more important relationships is damaging, hurtful, inconsistent, or even abusive or traumatic. These relational experiences can leave us feeling lost, isolated, and confused.
We may even question our worth/value, and become more vulnerable to symptoms of depression, anxiety, shame, and low self-esteem.
Below are some questions you may reflect upon to begin gaining insight:
Who have been the most influential people for you?
What were you most praised or valued for while growing up?
What did people view as your flaws or weaknesses, or what did you feel compelled to hide from others? Did you feel the need to hide or minimize negative emotions?
What role do you play in your family or friend group? Are you the problem-solver, mediator, or comedian?
How was conflict handled in your family? What about difficult emotions (anger, resentment, sadness, despair)?
As you deal with current challenges, what do you want or need from others?
I connect strongly with the quote from Dr. Irvin Yalom, "It is the relationship that heals." While relationships can be hurtful, harmful, or traumatic, they also can help us heal, grow, and learn. Regardless of the stressors or struggles bringing you to therapy, having a caring, compassionate therapist can help to promote healing and growth. My role is to be one of the authentic connections in your life. I’ll help you understand yourself more deeply, appreciate your strengths, identify areas of life in which you flounder, and how those areas became difficult for you. We’ll also explore ways to implement changes you wish to make going forward.
Gaining insight and compassion for ourselves can be a challenging process. Beginning to adjust parts of our life that do not work anymore can be scary. However, having a supportive, genuine connection with your therapist can make this process feel more manageable and less lonely. If you would like someone by your side, I welcome the opportunity to be that person.
Take care,
Dr. Jenn