It’s nice to meet you! I’m Jessie.
Attachment / Interpersonal Relationships
Self-Esteem
Professional Philosophy
The decision to come to therapy demonstrates a commitment to becoming a stronger version of yourself. This process includes exploring the vulnerable layers that are sometimes challenging or painful to see, while also highlighting, maintaining, and even exposing the strengths and core values that we sometimes forget about or take for granted. When we truly make a commitment to better ourselves, other areas of life seem to fall into place. Creative arts therapy is an opportunity to examine one’s individual role in achieving personal goals, while also keeping your eyes open to what can be learned from the environment and events happening around you.
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Personal Background
While studying Illustration at the Maryland Institute College of Art, I became involved in a program called Community Arts Partnership. Through this program, I started teaching art classes at community sites, such as high schools, middle schools, residential mental health facilities, outpatient programs, and museums. What stood out most to me was how participants in these art classes were instinctively using the art process to express themselves, and create art that was reflective of their environment, experiences, and emotions. My initial interest in art then deepened to want to understand the human experience through art, rather than continue my studies in illustration and fine art technique.
AREAS OF FOCUS
All of us here at START address the mental health areas of stress, trauma, and anxiety in our practice. We apply these three topics to unique, specific challenges that our clients are going through. I also offer specialized areas in the following areas:
Self Esteem
A common pattern for those who struggle with self-esteem is to focus on others around us. Perhaps we become curious or infatuated with drama that is happening between peers, co-workers, and even celebrities. Or maybe we deflect our own self-care and place emphasis on helping everyone else. Throughout our sessions, we will use the values and instincts behind current behavior and reframe the narrative to build one’s own self-esteem. Using creative arts interventions, we can discover unconscious ideas instilled in one’s mind from earlier stages of life, that are impacting one’s current perspective of the “self”.
Athletic Persona
Are you an athlete or once considered yourself an athlete? Has playing a team or individual role in a sport affected your identity? Has there been a change in your life regarding a team, sport, or physical event, such as an injury, a mental health decline, etc.? Have big life events begun affecting your sports performance and mental health? Is being a part of a team or athletic organization adding a lot of pressure to your life? Are you currently struggling with no longer having a team or athletic endeavor in your life? All of these questions are relevant to my work with clients. I create the space for us to recognize the impact that physical activities, competition and performance pressure have on ourselves as a whole person.