Jennifer Beall, LCPC, LCADC

I am a psychotherapist and alcohol and drug counselor who specializes in helping clients overcome trauma, depression, anxiety, and the effects of addictive behaviors.

Nobody gets through life without experiencing trauma, whether "big T" traumas like being assaulted or being in a car accident, or "little t" traumas like being teased in school or not getting your physical and emotional needs met in your family. Most people have times when they feel "less than," and many people struggle with depression, anxiety, and addictive behaviors (not only with drugs and alcohol, but with other things like food and work, too).

I'm guessing you can identify with at least one or two of these things. I'm also guessing that you probably haven't shared that with many people. So many of my clients feel alone in their challenges, not realizing how many other people have similar thoughts, feelings, and experiences. There's an expression that can be helpful to remember: "Don't compare your insides to someone else's outside."

If you're like a lot of people, you probably feel some degree of shame about the mental and emotional issues that are leading you to consider therapy. One of my most important jobs as a psychotherapist is to help my clients to understand that they deserve so much more than that! It's difficult enough to cope with trauma, depression, anxiety, and addictions; those feelings of shame make it even harder. My clients find my office to be a safe space where they can be helped without judgment; my unofficial therapy dog, Lilo, also helps clients to feel welcome and loved!

While the relationship between therapist and client is the most important part of healing, I use several specific therapeutic approaches that make therapy particularly effective. I, like many other therapists, make use of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), but I have found that CBT takes healing only so far. Other approaches are needed to achieve deeper levels of healing. I am an EMDRIA-certified EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapist. EMDR is an evidence-based treatment for a wide range of issues, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and addictions. My EMDR practice is informed by IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy. I also use sandtray therapy in conjunction with EMDR and IFS.

Mental and emotional health is inseparable from physical health, which is why I frequently tell my clients that exercise is not optional if they want to be mentally and emotionally healthy! I talk to clients about finding forms of exercise that they enjoy, because most people can't sustain an exercise practice that they don't like doing. I have a workout room, which makes it possible for me to use exercise as part of therapy for interested clients.

Let's work together to help you to achieve your best life!