Meet Jen

Jen Slaski, LPC Associate

Fee: $130 / 45 min session Supervised by: Gena St. David, PhD., LPC-S, LMFT-S
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: In-Person & Virtual / Telehealth / Walk & Talk (as arranged) Works with: Adults, Professionals, Young Adults, Tweens & Teens  Practice passions: EMDR, Expressive Arts Therapy, Mindfulness, Ecotherapy, StrengthsFinder

Therapy Sweet Spots:

• EMDR-Trained & Trauma-Informed Care

• Expressive Arts & Journal Therapy

• Grief & Loss - Bereavement, Divorce, Infertility & Illness 

• Life Transitions & “Way-finding”

• Career Coaching & Leadership Development

About Jen’s Specialties & Style:

• Growth-minded:  My 20+ years in corporate environments means I work well with highly motivated clients who embrace therapy not simply as a place for quick fixes, but more so as a transformative process where one seeks tools, insights, and practical ways to pursue tangible, meaningful change.

• EMDR-trained therapist: While many refer to its effects as “magic,” EMDR is an empirically proven therapy used in 130 countries and endorsed by the World Health Organization. In a nutshell, it helps people move past “stuck” places of self-doubt and anxiety related to past traumas and adverse experiences. 

• Systems-oriented: Our “systems” – the people and places we spend the most time with/in (i.e. family, school, workplace) - affect how we perceive situations, behave, and navigate relationships. Considering our systems can provide valuable insights to help us to understand our behaviors and emotions and to make more Self-affirming choices. 

• Expressive arts enthusiast: It’s magical how expressive arts can help us get in touch with our inner wisdom (and our inner child!) - in a way everyday rational thinking simply cannot. I integrate evidence-based, expressive arts (ex: doodling, journaling, music, and beyond) to help you grow, heal, and discover “a-has!” 

• Strengths-based: You have a unique constellation of values, talents, and passions that can help support you in navigating your current circumstances. Illuminating this inner well of wisdom (…it’s in there!) will help inform the therapeutic tools and techniques that best align with your authentic self.

• Laughter, lavender & lattes: Laughter and simple pleasures are some of the most important ingredients in my own personal  “recipe for resilience.” Spoiler alert: part of our work together will be discovering your recipe…and laughing along the way at what heck-of-a-roller-coaster-ride this whole life thing can be!

Therapeutic Approach:

While I’m a self-proclaimed “silver-lining lemonade maker,” I’ve experienced firsthand how everyday life can often make us feel anywhere from anxious…to uncertain and unfulfilled…to sad, or even just plain stuck. Nevermind, how unexpected loss - of a loved one, a dashed dream, an unexpected diagnosis - can plunge us into paralyzing despair and grief. I get it. I’m a human too. And I’m here to help you through this season. 

My clinical training in EMDR (“Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing”) and Expressive Arts therapies “helps me, help you” in engaging, creative, and scientifically proven ways that go beyond traditional “talk therapy.” 

I believe my role as a therapist is to accompany you through your trying, tender, and uncertain times, and help instill a sense of hope. I’ll meet you where you are now, and help you move forward in a way that assures you that you are not alone. My hope is that our time together will inspire a sense of clarity and possibility…and promote healing and growth. Together, in a warm, encouraging environment - infused with creativity and humor - we’ll explore your story, set practical goals, and co-create a path forward - towards what feels better. And, we’ll laugh along the way too! :-)

Some things that bring me joy? Morning coffee and journaling on a front porch, hiking (and generally just being in nature - esp with my sweet rascal of a pup, Henri), finding the perfect gift for someone, live music, road-tripping, collaging, vintage thrifting, playing board games (hello, Scrabble!), and having root-beer taste tests and dance-offs with my three nephews. I’m enamored with honey bees and birds, and a sucker for all things nostalgic, ranging from drive-in movies, historic B&Bs, and Big Band music.

Professional BACKGROUND:

I grew up in Ohio, then headed West for college where I graduated from Stanford University with a liberal arts degree. I spent the next twenty years in the tech start-up world, leading creative teams, driving workplace culture initiatives, and coaching professionals ranging from execs to mid-managers. As a people-oriented leader, I was always passionate about helping colleagues and worker bees find meaning and in their work.

My passion for professional growth and coaching inspired me to earn my Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX - a program celebrated for its progressive approach to spirituality’s role in the therapeutic process. I’ve been honored to work 1:1 with adults, adolescents, and their families, as well as at Austin Center for Grief & Loss where I’ve co-facilitated everything from divorce support groups to Camp Red Bird – a kids’ grief camp. While I now love helping individuals and families enrich their personal lives, the many years I’ve spent in goal-oriented environments make my therapeutic style one that organically works well with those who are curious, motivated, and value personal growth.