ABOUT ME
Because knowing your therapist is important
Jessica Jefferson, M.A. & M.S.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Certified in Perinatal Mental Health
You are unsure if you are in the right place or if therapy is even for you. You have been trying for so long to do things on your own, but not much has changed.
So how could therapy help?
Well… in many ways.
Problem is… you have to pick up the phone and call.
That is usually the biggest hurdle and I get it.
For some, admitting that they need help isn’t something that they are used to doing. I call them “The Helpers.” Those that are more than happy to help others, but rarely ever ask for anything in return. Why should you? It is easier if you just do things yourself, plus you don’t want to burden others. Ok…how is that working out for you?
Maybe asking for help isn’t the problem for you. Maybe the issue is that you aren’t even sure what to expect. What I can tell you is that therapy isn’t like the Netflix specials. At least not with me and I know that won’t bother you, once you hear how I can help things change for you. You won’t know until you call.
So what if you are ok with asking for help and you know what to expect, but you don’t know if you can fit this into your life right now. What then? Again, this could be easily answered with a simple phone call. I can point you in the right direction, even if it doesn’t mean with me. Either way, I can help.
Imagine being able to get over that initial worry of making the phone call and being able to talk to someone who is willing to listen. Someone who WANTS to know what is bothering you and WANTS to get you the help you need, the help you deserve.
You can finally feel some of that weight, some of that burden, lifted off of your shoulders.
How freeing that can feel.
I know it feels freeing, because I hear it on the other end of the phone. That big sigh of relief that you have because you have finally been able to let go of that pit in your throat. Not your stomach…that could be indigestion and requires medical attention LOL.
The reason you have a pit in your throat is because you have wanted to say everything out loud, but didn’t have the courage, didn’t have the freedom, didn’t have someone to listen…but finally you do.
WHY WORK WITH ME?
So this is the part where I am supposed to “sell myself” and honestly that just feels gross.
I rather just tell you how I work.
I consider myself a casual therapist. I will often times make pop culture references (obviously when appropriate) because that is the type of person that I am. I like to make things comfortable and fun because you are coming to me when things suck, so I don’t want to make it even more sucky.
You might often hear me ask you about who you want to be like. I have had clients tell me that they want to be more like Jennifer Lopez or Beyonce. Or they want to have a relationship like Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. I love that!
It helps me figure out, what is it that they liked about those references and how I can get them there.
I will push you when you need it though. I like to challenge my clients to think differently and to open their minds to possibilities that they might have considered yet.
So I might ask you to “pause for a second” or “wait, stop, and rewind,” so that we can take a second to really think things through. Watching my clients really think about stuff, is where all the magic happens.
For some, we might get into some deep and heavy stuff. While I can’t remove the pain or hurt that it has caused you in the past, I work with you to help you through that pain so that you can finally feel healed.
As I tell everyone I work with, I want it to feel like a conversation, because having a conversation about tough stuff is better than not dealing with it at all.
You made it this far, so I know you are ready to start the conversation.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT THERAPIST
Choosing the right therapist is not an easy task. In connecting with my clients, I make it my priority to understand their needs to ensure that I am working to achieve a collaborative relationship throughout our therapeutic process. I feel that a strong therapist-client relationship is imperative to achieve successful results within the therapy room. My approach is to help create a safe and open-minded environment to help my clients feel more at home and more willing to express themselves to bring about change in a productive manner.
"Don't become a mere recorder of facts, but try to penetrate the mystery of their origin." ~ Ivan Pavlov
MY STORY
So why me?
Why choose to call me?
Well… I would like to hope that what I write speaks to you.
It probably speaks to you more than others, because something about it feels right.
Well it probably feels right because I have been through many hurdles, which helps me understand where you are coming from.
I have been in a place where I thought things were going ok… until all of a sudden they just weren’t.
Family issues began to spiral out of control and no matter what I did, nothing fixed it.
Relationships became rocky and I didn’t know who I could talk to or even if I wanted to.
A life path that I thought I knew I had, all of a sudden disappeared, and I was lost.
Took me a long time to make a new path. For a while, I wasn’t sure if I could.
Luckily for me, as I learned the skills to become a good therapist, it gave me the opportunity to use those skills to create the person that I am today, that I simply love.
That’s the funny part, you go through a lot of shit (no other words to put it) to come out the other end, feeling clearer. You wish you didn’t have to go through it, but how else could you learn? How else could appreciate it?
I want to help you get there.
Through my years of helping others find their path, I know that this is what I am meant to do. Let me do this with you too!
MY MISSION
I provide individual and couples counseling to those who are seeking guidance towards achieving more passion, purpose and confidence in their lives and in their relationships. I achieve this by creating an environment where you feel free, comfortable and open to express your needs, wants and desires without judgement.
This will allow you to be able to create a healthy and happy future that YOU want. I strive to add in humor, compassion and honesty in our sessions so that you can feel free to create a life with more confidence and determination to unveil a more authentic you.
MY QUALIFICATIONS
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Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Florida and New York
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Florida Qualified Supervisor
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Certified in Perinatal Mental Health by Postpartum Support International
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Prepare Enrich Facilitator
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Gottman Level I & Level II Trained
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Handler for Karma Jefferson, CGC, THDN (therapy dog in training for the practice)
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Past Board Secretary for the Broward Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (BAMFT)
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Previous Marketing Extraordinaire for The Private Practice Startup
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Co - Chair of Private Practice Connect in Broward County
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B.A. in Psychology from the University of Miami
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M.A. in Psychology in Education from Teachers-College Columbia University
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M.S. in Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University
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MY METHODS
My clients will receive a unique treatment plan that will best suit their needs in therapy. I strive to work collaboratively with my clients to ensure that our treatment goals accurately reflect what they are looking to achieve in this journey. My techniques are derived from Cognitive Behavioral, Solution-Focused and Structural approaches to better suit my clients. I may also pull techniques from several other systemic approaches that will help promote change during our individual or couple sessions.
For couples, I utilize my Gottman Level I and Level II training to improve communication and gain conflict resolution skills. For any couple that is interested, I can sign them up for the Gottman Relationship Checkup and the Prepare Enrich Assessment.