Jennifer Branstetter (she/her)

I use a Cognitive Behavioral approach to depression, working on your thoughts that might not be helping you, as well as the behaviors impacting how you feel. This means some homework between sessions (where the magic happens), and changing your daily routines so you can start to see and feel changes. I also assess and refer for any other relevant problems (like medical problems impacting depression). I use mindfulness and problem-solving, tailoring therapy to your specific needs.

Burnout can look like constant frustration, picking fights with your partner, checking out of work or home life, depression symptoms, and dreaming of dropping everything and moving to the beach. I've been there, and it can feel hopeless. And you don't have the energy to figure out what to change to get out of it. I will help you take a step back to figure out what's going on, what your options are, and what you should do so you can feel better and actually like your life.

Worry, self-doubt, tension in your muscles, frustration, snapping at your family, insomnia. It never ends. Stomach aches, headaches, fatigue. You may have felt this way your whole life, or perhaps it came on suddenly. Sometimes it manifests as a panic attack, where you feel like you're dying and don't know what's happening. We will work to uncover what's contributing to it, and make changes to get relief right now (and long-term). I use cognitive, mindfulness, and problem solving approaches.

I love solution-focused work. Rather than laying on a couch once a week for years talking about whatever, I love to get down to the nitty-gritty and figure out what the problem is. I know when you call a therapist, you want help now. There's something going on that needs to change, and the best way to get relief is to problem solve. Make change. Having a plan will lower your stress about it, then we can work on the other ongoing or underlying issues if we need to.

Mindfulness helps with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and generally helps us have a better life. You're more engaged and aware throughout your day. You will learn to check in with your body and calm it down when you notice the tension rising. I use mindfulness with everyone, whether it's in session or instruction for exercises out of session. It's also great to teach your kids!

The bulk of my training has been in CBT. Research shows it helps with anxiety and depression, and I find it helpful for all of us to be aware of how our thoughts are impacting our reactions. We often aren't aware of what's causing us to act or feel some certain way, and I see dramatic improvement from this work. Equally important is the behavioral part - what you're actually doing in your daily life, and what you're doing to cope in the moment of crisis.