Jen Beres

I am a seasoned counselor (LPC, LCMHC, NCC) with a Ph.D. in counselor education and family studies and over two decades of experience seeing clients presenting with a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, relationship problems, grief and loss, anger issues, coping skills, and trauma (PSTD or C-PTSD). I specialize in trauma work and maintain my certification as a clinical trauma professional. I work with clients ages 13 and older, individuals, couples, and families, both in person and within on online setting in my private practice and am licensed in the states of Arizona and North Carolina. I am also an associate professor at Liberty University's clinical counseling program and have enjoyed working with students preparing to become professional counselors there for the past 12 years.

Greetings to any of you who may be reading this. I wish it could be a brief in-person meeting instead, but I will share a bit with you about my heart for this field and my thoughts on working with clients. Over 20 years of doing so has taught me this: It can be a real gift to walk alongside people as they seek to improve a part of their lives. I don't take my role as a counselor for granted, nor should those seeking professional assistance undermine the importance of that relationship. If you are reading this, I applaud you for taking the time to review what counselor might be best for you at this time, with whatever it is you might be working through. I have a passion to stand alongside and support people who might be suffering in one way or another. I believe people were designed for connection and belongingness and that perhaps we most need that support when we're facing difficult challenges in our lives. I have actively pursued clinical education and ongoing trainings for the past 2 decades now, while working with clients of diverse backgrounds with a multitude of presenting problems. While no situation is the same, there are certainly therapeutic approaches that are widely effective and well-tailored to a client's particular set of circumstances.

Therapy can be a daunting endeavor to embark upon. Perhaps you are someone who isn't even sure you believe in it. I understand, and hold no expectations of my clients - only that they would give themselves the right to make that decision on their own, and that it be through the lens of personal experience rather than the beliefs or narratives of others. Therapeutic relationships can offer healing in one's life, and healing can also be life-altering, life-giving, and life-sustaining. It can teach us things we did not know, but wish we had, it can provide us insights into aspects of our lives that we had not yet considered, it can explain challenges in a way that makes far more sense and offers a 'full picture', and it can provide authentic hope that we did not realize we still had and perhaps dared not believe. For many people, fear of opening up to a complete stranger is a weird, if not terrifying idea. My hope is that my clients would experience in our very first meeting the impact of empathy, compassion, and unconditional positive regard that I hold for them. Pain is a part of every one of our lives - every single one of us struggles with woundedness in some capacity. Should someone be brave enough to address their pain out loud, that brave act should be met with appreciation, warmth, respect, and a genuine effort to help a client move toward growth at every turn in the counseling relationship. That is what I aim to offer my clients, regardless of their reason for seeking treatment.

It is an honor to be in a field where my job aligns with helping others do the job of life, parenting, working, being a friend or a loved one, the work of grieving, striving, hoping, or healing... better than they might be doing it at the moment. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions or would like a 15 minute consultation to see if setting up an appointment might be right for you. I'm happy to help in any way possible!