Jessica Clark
founder & therapist
my style
approach & modalities
Over the last 15 years, I've worked with adults, couples, and families to help them find relief and make wanted change in their lives. I feel so lucky that's what I get to do as my job in this life.
I have tailored my approach for clients who struggle with anxiety, regulating and understanding emotions, self-esteem, advocating for themselves, and relationship/boundary issues. I also enjoy working with couples and families to help rebuild connection, deepen shared understanding, and strengthen healthy conflict and communication skills.
I integrate a psychodynamic lens and basic neurobiology with CBT, DBT, ACT, MI, EFT, relational therapy, family systems, and mindfulness interventions. I always use a trauma-informed approach to be aware of any special considerations and trauma processing that may be needed. My down-to-earth style and experience helps us integrate all that therapy mumbo-jumbo into real change. My goal is to seamlessly integrate these evidence-based therapeutic frameworks into our work.
As I learn about you and what you may need, I thoughtfully choose interventions from these approaches to unburden where you are stuck and identify skills needing strengthening to support your growth. Sometimes we might be challenging cognitive distortions, slowing down to connect with your wounded younger self, helping you align with your own value system, practicing somatic regulation skills, or one of the many other interventions I'll pull from these varied therapeutic modalities. If you have questions about any of these specific modalities, or there is one you are interested in using overtly, just ask - I'm always happy to do some nerding-out on therapy frameworks.
style & vibe
I prioritize our space feeling approachable, casual, and authentic. Most days I will show up in a crew neck sweatshirt with a relaxed vibe. I believe that the best work is done when guards are down, vulnerability is high, and comfort in the space is palpable. Clients often share that, with me, they feel 'seen' and understood in a way they haven't before - and that is the ultimate compliment for me.
I use humor (mostly sarcasm and a zinger here and there) when it serves a moment but I prioritize staying in the hard bits and in the heavy emotions to help find powerful release from their grasp. You won't be alone in them and, overtime, you will learn how to do so on your own. If I'm being truly honest, it is unlikely we would get through our work together and you wouldn't have heard me curse - always intentionally, I promise. But language matters and sometimes emphasis is deserved.
Silences are powerful and my hope is to effectively blend providing you with space to explore where your thoughts and feelings lead with direction, prompting, reflection, and challenging from me, when helpful and needed. We'll balance the heaviness with fitting levity and always celebrate your growth and milestones unlocked along the way. My style and skills aren't a fit for everyone, but for those who I am a fit, the success of my clients speaks for itself.
my background
education and training
I started grad school at Lesley University in 2011 to earn my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. After invaluable teachings at Lesley and a deep emphasis on the responsibility of a therapist, the bulk of my early years of training were in community-based therapy in the neighborhoods of Boston. I worked with youth aged 5-22 and their families to support relationships, emotion regulation, self-development, decision-making, and overall stabilization. I found myself in homes, schools, DYS facilities, doctors offices, neighborhood parks, DCF meetings, and anywhere the family needed me to be for support and skill development.
I gained experience in individual and family therapy in this work and had the ability to hone skills in working with kids and adults alike. These years helped me build a deep respect and appreciation for different lived experiences and the importance of advocacy. I strive to support individuals in learning how to advocate for themselves, as well as groups with privilege to advocate for marginalized communities. I owe a great deal of my personal and professional growth to the resilience and teachings of these roots and to the locals at the heart of Boston. It was a privilege to be a part of their lives for a part of their journey.
today's focus
After gradating from Lesley in Cambridge in 2014, I became independently licensed as an LMHC in MA in 2017. After Covid opened up telehealth as the most widely accessible form of therapy, I relocated to Southern California and have been traveling full time for the past two years. I am now also licensed in NY as an LMHC and in CA as an LPCC.
For the last six years, I have been in private practice, learning the ins and outs of remote therapy. In that time I have honed my skills to support individuals struggling with anxiety, self-esteem, regulating emotions, and relationship issues. In that time I developed the ECHO framework to support the work. If you're curious, learn more about the ECHO scaffolding on the "ECHO" page.
When not at my remote desk, you can find me - almost anywhere! I use the reality of a post-covid therapy world to expand my own experiences through a digital nomad life. Most of the time, I travel in my RV with my husband and sweet pup, Samwise. Through my life on the road I have learned so much about our diverse country, our beautiful world, and managing challenges on the go! Practicing what I preach, my lifestyle helps me strengthen my muscles in flexibility and a grateful outlook - two elements I believe are key to mental and emotional wellness in our demanding world.
my values
i believe...
First and foremost I deeply respect you and the journey you are on. I believe you have more insight into your needs than you probably know and more ability to make change than you believe. YOU are the expert on you and I am here to unlock the agency you have in this life.
Second, I value social justice and the inherent worth of life on this planet - human and our animal and nature cohabitants. This world is not fair and - while I will work to change that and support you in working to change what you want to see look different - I will also help us to live in an unfair world and learn resiliency in the face of difficulty.
Communication and honesty: my policy is early and often. I pride myself in open and transparent communication and in always being honest with you. I vow to share feedback and insight I hear and see, even when it's challenging. I may choose to be strategic about the when and how, but I believe honesty in my perspective and my boundaries is part of the secret sauce that makes my clients find growth.
Our goal is to work me out of a job. I prioritize ensuring you are gaining self-sufficiency along the way. This means we'll focus on the work outside of our time together and often identify 'homework' for you in between sessions to help support continuity of our work and strengthening of skills. So, be ready to get your hands dirty, not just coast along, as we tackle what's not working for you.
