Come for the coping skills, stay for the self acceptance that will last a lifetime

Hi there – I’m Jody!

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Brainspotting Practitioner serving young adults all over the state of Tennessee via telehealth. Specifically, I help hard working people who wish they could be more laid back. My clients cringe when they think about the mistakes they have made and are embarrassed about their unmet goals. As a recovering perfectionist myself, I am uniquely familiar with the work it takes to untangle the expectations in their head. I help them find clarity about how to feel better about themselves. I remind them, just like I had to learn, to stop and look around more often at all the things that are going right in their lives. I help them find forgiveness for the qualities they don’t like in themselves. We pinpoint new habits they want to develop and I hold them accountable. But only if they want. And despite all of this sounding like really heavy stuff, I do it with a surprising amount of humor. Comedy has always been healing for me and I share it when I can.

I really love when I can help young adults find a clear sense of self AND fun in their lives..

My approach

I know from experience that you can achieve that elusive combination of driven AND relaxed! I believe that when people with anxiety can reframe their negative thoughts about themselves, they can use their power to change everything – for themselves and the world. You can enjoy the rewards of your work and have time to hang out with friends. You can figure out how to shut off the “What ifs”.

That’s why I hope you schedule a consultation today. Let’s figure out what is possible for you!

My Training & Experience

Training

Bachelor of Science
Psychology

Middle Tennessee State University

Master of Science
Social Work

University of Tennessee at Knoxville

Post Graduate Education

Neuroscientific Approaches to Anxiety Treatment, Providing Effective and Ethical Telehealth Therapy, Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted and High Achieving Adults, Brainspotting Phase 1, Brainspotting Phase 2 (will complete in spring 2024)

Experience

I have been counseling since 2003 and attained licensure in 2008. During that time I provided therapy in a variety of settings, with all age groups, and with all mental health diagnoses.

About a decade ago I started to work exclusively with college students. I realized then that my best work happens with Gen Z and Millennial clients. Many of these clients had bad experiences with previous therapists. I believe that identifying what went wrong can help my clients find a deeper, richer experience with me. Acknowledging the good and bad parts of your mental health history helps us move you forward. And taking your whole life experience into account really helps us define realistic progress for you.

My techniques are most helpful to those experiencing anxiety. I have assisted several clients with managing panic attacks over the years. And most recently I added Brainspotting to my skillset. My style is laid back, sometimes even fun. But we won’t skip the hard stuff. If you get stuck, we will dig in instead of sweeping it under the rug. We will work on your goals on a weekly basis. This foundation will serve you well for years to come.

I am no longer contracted with insurance companies, which allows us the freedom to focus on you and your needs. Session fees are currently $185. Clients typically meet with me weekly in the beginning. We can either work together for a short term basis or decrease our frequency of sessions to biweekly or monthly. Most clients choose to do this.

A sliding scale fee is a possibility. Just ask. I can also provide information about getting help from your insurance company to cover my fee despite being out of network.

My practice is accepting of clients from all walks of life. While I don’t specialize in the mental health needs of specific populations other than young adults, college students, and the gifted or high achieving, my work is diversity friendly. Currently, my clients are mix of humans that include minorities and those that have felt “othered”. I am a lifelong learner and always willing to acknowledge what I don’t know and how that impacts our work together.