Jennifer Stanford
Starting therapy can feel uncomfortable, especially if you are used to handling things on your own or are not sure how to explain what is wrong. You may appear to be functioning well while privately feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unlike yourself. I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over eight years of experience. My style is warm, down-to-earth, and genuine. I help clients understand the patterns affecting them, make sense of what they are experiencing, and find practical ways forward.
I am also trauma informed and have experience working with those that have experienced trauma past and current.
First session
You don’t have to have everything figured out before your first session. We’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, what life has been like lately, relevant parts of your background, and what you hope will improve. There is no pressure to share everything at once. We will move at a pace that feels manageable and begin identifying an initial focus for our work together.
Strengths
One of my greatest strengths is helping clients feel comfortable enough to be honest about what they are experiencing. I listen carefully, ask questions that help reveal patterns, and adjust each session to what the client needs. Depending on what would be most helpful, we may organize an overwhelming problem, gently challenge an unhelpful thought, practice a coping strategy, consider a different perspective, or identify a realistic next step.
Ideal clients
My ideal client may be carrying more than others realize. You might keep up with your responsibilities and appear fine while privately feeling mentally exhausted, disconnected, or unsure why certain situations affect you so strongly. Perhaps you often put others first, question your own decisions, repeat familiar relationship patterns, or notice that past experiences still influence your present. You may be facing a difficult change, loss, conflict, or simply realizing that the ways you have been coping are no longer working. You may not know exactly what needs to change—you simply know that you do not want to keep feeling this way.
Location
Virtual sessions