Welcome Jessie!

Hey Y’all! 

One of the most alluring descriptions of Psychoanalysis I’ve ever heard was someone with a bit of trepidation in their voice asking… “so you can read minds?!” Oh, if that were true and simply studying psychoanalysis generated such a gift... being a psychotherapist would be much, much easier. Alas, I have not yet mastered reading minds. That’s likely a great comfort, the sentiment from that stranger communicated that so often the concept of therapy is clouded with misunderstandings, fear, and anxiety. Therapy is deeply personal, and incredibly powerful. I believe in an interpersonal approach to rapport building, so there is long-term healthy trust, genuine, raw communication and productive client-focused work. That may mean that before we can ‘dig-into’ why you’ve sought therapy out, background foundations will need to be laid and discovered, and it’s a gentle process. I’m here to partner with you, and walk alongside you in your life journey to function as a container for that which you can no longer carry. I promise, I will not try to read your mind. 

I grew-up in Atlanta, Georgia and consider myself a Southern gal. My family was and is close, inclusive, supportive, and welcoming. The caring and generosity I was taught from infancy in many ways shaped my personality and desire to help others. Being the youngest of my siblings, and the only girl, I’ve always taken-on a role of ‘counselor’ even before I had any real training. As a child, my friends always called my house “the zoo,” not because it was a chaotic or ruckus place, but because we always had so many animals. From rescuing baby birds off the side of the road in the spring and hand-raising them, to adopting dogs, my mom nurtured a love for others and a joy in helping anyone in need that became a career path once I coupled that care-taking intuition with psychology. 

I attended a small, nurturing liberal arts university for undergraduate studies. Johnny Cash actually referenced the mountain between Chattanooga and Nashville in the song “Monteagle Mountain,” well, that’s where Sewanee: The University of the South is nestled. While attending Sewanee, I Majored in Psychology, then decided to minor in Women’s and Gender studies after taking a few classes within the minor and realizing my passion for equality and justice. 

Following graduation, I left ‘the mountain’ and my boyfriend at the time (husband now) and I sold most of our large possessions and moved to Dublin, Ireland. I studied Psychoanalytic Studies at Trinity College Dublin among about 11 other people from all over the world. He worked, and together we traveled and explored for a magical year. When we returned to the US, we were engaged and our next step was moving to Texas! Waco, Texas (Baylor University) became our home for two years and upon completion of our degrees, for me; Social Work, we decided to make Austin our home.

To summarize some of the important parts about myself…  I identify with all of the following and probably more that I’m blanking on… if it’s not written down I forget: I’m a proud dog mom to two rescues (Rory, a terrier mix with a beard), and (Harper, a Redbone Coonhound with big ears); Wife; School Counselor; Social Worker; Psychotherapist; Coffee lover; Baker; Amateur chef; Traveler, although sometimes a staycation is the best kid of vacay; Friend; Book lover (I color code); Hobby painter; Organizational enthusiast.  

Thank you for your time, and learning more about me. I hope to have the honor to learn more about you and support in your journey.