Hi, I’m Jess.
I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist [LMFT#129207 as of 11/12/2021] (previously under the supervision of Natalie Asawesna, LMFT#98534).
I graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2017, and received training at The Gary Landreth Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas, Denton (in my undergraduate journey, prior to 2012). I like to be silly, expressive, and make people feel comfortable when I’m relating, but I also articulate myself carefully and with passion, because I genuinely care, and because I know what I’m talking about.
I am passionate about working with clients of varying ages and am grateful for my experience with a variety of client needs throughout my time in the field. I have worked with multiple school-based agencies, providing child and adolescent individual, family, and parent-counseling (in both Orange and LA county), as well as community mental health agencies and an intensive emotional disturbance stabilization program, which gave me experience collaborating with school, regional center, and various community organizations to increase family stability.
I believe that people don’t care what I know until they know that I care, so I focus on rapport building and being present for my clients’ stories.
Please feel free to ask questions at any time about my background, experience, and professional orientation.
I most recently certified as an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder- Clinical Services Provider (through evergreen professional certification), in order to ensure my understandings are up to date and effective (December, 2022). This education offered additional insight into the diagnosis, and management of attention deficit and hyperactive experiences, which I find to be relevant to most of the people I work with- whether criteria for an official diagnosis is met or not. ADHD is “a disorder of knowing, but not doing” – an experience of incredible potential, impacting emotional regulation and control, organization of self and stuff, esteem and the ability to healthily manage relationships, school and work performance – to name a few areas. Extra insight into these areas are applicable to all of my clients.
I am grateful for continued education that furthers my ability to hear and validate your experience. Feel free to ask about this certification and what it may mean for your therapy experience.
Well 1 Practice Values
Person-Centered, Neurodivergent-Affirming, Positive Parenting, Graciousness
“Therapy is a safe and non-judgmental space for healing.
Therapy is centered around the neurodiversity paradigm and honors how this impacts our experience with the world.
Therapy respects our intersecting identities (gender, sexuality, relationships, race, ethnicity, ability, culture, religion, and more) and how these impact our experience with the world.
Therapy is individualized to each person and their unique needs.
Therapy is affordable and easily accessible for all people.
Therapy goes beyond our work in session, and also includes advocacy, justice, and community support.”
-Inspired by https://ndtherapists.com/our-values/
Lenny is Well1’s proud mascot, and will be reminding us of the basic things we can do to thrive, to grow, to be well –whatever that means for us.