Jennifer Christeson

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 30 years of experience providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and groups. I earned my master's degree in social work from San Diego State University and hold a bachelor's in psychology from UC Davis. I have an additional credential as an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Social Worker. My passion is assisting individuals and couples to identify and harness their strengths in order to achieve personal as well as interpersonal insight and growth. This leads to the attainment of goals as well as the creation of lasting change.

My approach

I utilize a strength-based approach that draws heavily from positive psychology. The psychotherapeutic process is a dynamic partnership between the therapist and client(s). For individuals, I employ strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, and well as mindfulness-based therapies. For couples, I employ the Gottman Method. I tend to be directive in my approach with the liberal use of humor when appropriate.

My focus

I work mostly with individuals struggling with life adjustments, anxiety, and depression, as well as those choosing to work on personal and interpersonal growth and goals. I especially enjoy working with couples who wish to improve their communication and overall positivity within the relationship. Gottman therapy can be a great deal of fun while being evidence-based and highly effective. I also work with many parents and issues surrounding parenting. Finally, grief and loss are also expertise of mine.

My communication style

I sincerely care about my clients, enjoy them, and celebrate their successes while supporting them through their challenges. As mentioned above, I enjoy the infusion of humor into sessions when appropriate. I tend to be directive in sessions when needed but allow for flexibility to address specific issues that may have come up between sessions. Being a strength-based therapist, I provide as much encouragement and validation as possible throughout sessions to encourage self-compassion and self-love. When working with couples, my goal is to get the couple to speak with each other while utilizing my guidance. I am easily reached via email if needed in between sessions.

My journey to mental healthcare

I trained as a peer counselor during my undergrad education at UC Davis. Initially, I was curious and drawn to psychology in general, but quickly learned that I loved the therapeutic process. It is just so fulfilling. I am naturally curious by nature and adore getting to know people and having the honor of participating in their growth process. I have taken a Gottman Seminar and draw heavily from that, and hope to eventually become a Gottman-certified couples therapist. Over the years I have received a great deal of training in anxiety and depression as well as effective treatments for those issues. I have had 10 years of training in palliative care, which involves providing support to those with serious medical issues in order to maximize the quality of life.

My goals for you

Strange as it may seem, my primary goal for my client(s) is to no longer need me! That is, successful care and progress allow clients to reach their goals so that they can more fully immerse themselves in their richly satisfying lives. Of course, symptom reduction is a main clinical goal as well. I don't believe therapy has to be long-term in order to be effective. That being said, it is very appropriate for clients to return to therapy in the future to address new issues and goals if so desired.

My first session with you

Our first session is a "getting to know you" session. We go over basic ground rules for therapy and I explain further about my therapeutic approach while learning about what is bringing you to therapy. The goal is to determine if we are a good fit for one another. Like any good relationship, the therapeutic alliance involves a certain degree of chemistry, and not every therapist is a good match for every client. At the end of our first session we decide if we will continue to work together, and if so, what the treatment goals will be. I want therapy to be a good experience for you, so if I am not what you are looking for I will not be offended in the least. However, I do find I connect with most of my clients easily.