Meet Jessa.
As a lover of dance. Jessa prefers to speak in the language of the body.
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner®
EMDR Certified Therapist
Jessa is a white cis-woman and has the privilege of holding space for and working alongside with many individuals with differing identities than her own in race, gender, and other social experiences. Jessa practices cultural humility.
Inclusivity
Our bodies are the container for our lived experiences and our ancestors’ experiences. Our bodies are constantly sensing and responding to the present stimulus of our lives. If you want space for your lived experiences around race, gender, sexuality, or religion, Jessa is here for it!
Partnership
Jessa is a specialist in supporting recovery from traumatic experiences. Jessa knows the importance of working alongside the nervous system, our body’s command center for protecting us from danger. Jessa’s training guides her work with the body’s natural sensing and processing systems.
Safety
Jessa appreciates the importance of presence. Our nervous system and psyche have natural responses to numb, block, or create distance from the pain. Jessa is attentive to the powerful healing that occurs when we come back home to our bodies.
Compassion
Jessa knows that distressing emotional patterns and behaviors that are getting in the way now are directly related to past survival strategies. Jessa will show up with compassion and warmth.
Work Experience
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Jessa was part of a multidisciplinary team at Whitman-Walker Health, a health clinic specializing in LGBTQ+ care. As a Behavioral Health Specialist, Jessa supported patients that were receiving medical care at the health center to access mental health services through education and assessment of needs. Jessa provided individual and group psychotherapy. For patients seeking gender affirming surgery, Jessa provided gender affirming counseling, assessment, and wrote letters of support for gender affirming surgeries.
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Jessa provided individual psychotherapy and managed the Restore therapy program, which specialized in trauma-informed care for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, at The Women’s Center. Jessa was an active participant in the Victim Assistance Network (VAN), which provides coordinated care for victims of crime. Jessa served as the chair of the VAN’s Mental Health Subcommittee.
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Jessa began her career as a community-based social worker providing therapy and care coordination for marginalized populations experiencing the impact of poverty. Jessa worked with both children and adults early on in her career; working with her clients in their homes, schools, and community spaces.