Hello! My name is Jennifer and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) in the state of Texas with over five years of experience providing therapy services. I am a Certified Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapist and in the process of completing my certification as a Dialectical Behavioral Therapist (DBT). I have worked in a variety of therapeutic settings including: In-patient residential treatment, partial and intensive outpatient care, geriatrics and managing a private practice in the South Padre Island/Laguna Madre community. I work with clients affected by addictions, including substance use, process addictions including disordered eating and sex-addictions, depression, anxiety, trauma, self-esteem and relationship challenges from individual, group and family work. I also helped many people who have experienced physical and emotional trauma and physical and sexual abuse.
I am a native Texan, originally from San Antonio, and I moved to South Padre Island, TX over two decades ago where I am raising my four sons together with my husband. I received my undergraduate degree in Psychology from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX and my Masters degree in Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX.
My approach to therapy is eclectic and client centered. I believe in client autonomy and right to self-determination, in which I assist my clients in identifying their goals and solutions to elicit change. Clients are the experts on their lives and determine the path and depth of therapy. Through a strengths-based and solutions-focused lens, I draw on multiple treatment modalities to guide clients in identifying strengths and developing treatment plans that accomplish their goals. Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), I assist clients in exploring relationships among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to aid in discovering dysfunctional thought patterns leading to self-destructive behaviors and beliefs. Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I support clients through developing skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation with the goal of moving clients towards a life involving the capacity for experiencing joy and freedom. I utilized EMDR and experiential therapies to assist my clients in resolving negative cognitions, negative self-talk/core beliefs and process through their identified traumas in their life.
It takes courage to seek for a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change in your pathway to healing. If you are ready to take that step I am here to support, empower and walk along side you. I look forward to working with you!
Additional areas of focus: Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Grief, Eating disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Aging and Geriatric Issues, Antisocial Personality, Attachment issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Chronic pain illness and disability, Codependency, Commitment Issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster, Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Domestic Violence, Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Eating and Food-Related Issues, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fatherhood Issues, First Responder Issues, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Men's issues, Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Personality Disorders, Postpartum Depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Harm, Self-love, Sex Addiction, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Sexual Dysfunction, Sexuality, Social anxiety and phobia, Somatization, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches: Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Jungian Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems
TX LCSW 63199
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Jennifer Pinkerton. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Mrs Pinkerton has been amazing. She has helped me in so many ways. I've always been scared to reach out for help but I am so glad I did. I'm learning so much and feeling like a better me.
Written on Mar 01, 2022 after therapy with Jennifer for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, grief, parenting issues, anger management, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adhd
Jennifer Pinkerton has been there to guide me through my grief, bad days and struggles these last several months. She has shown me how to solve my own problems and be a mentor when I really needed one. She was able to shed light on my darkest days and gave me hope for a brighter future. She provided me with the tools I needed to navigate through trauma recovery and has been a sounding board when I needed to vent. I have been to in-person counseling before but have never felt comfortable enough to fully open up and heal. This time, it was different and Jennifer helped me to feel valued and validated in my experiences.
Written on Dec 27, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 6 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and trauma and abuse
Jennifer is the first therapist I've ever had the pleasure to meet with and she has been very helpful! She matches my energy and indulges my curiousities with the science behind it all as I navigate a complicated relationship with someone suffering with mental illness. I highly recommend!
Written on Nov 15, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 2 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue
Mrs. Pinkerton is a great counselor and provides solid feed back and coping skills to better help yourself and the situation you are in.
Written on Nov 03, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, parenting issues, and coping with life changes
She has made me comfortable talking about things I have been holding in for years. I feel like i'm finally able to help myself.
Written on Sep 19, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, and addictions
I have only started working with Jennifer and already I can feel deeply understood. She asks questions and really explores the process of our sessions. Jennifer is beyond accommodating and kind!
Written on Sep 04, 2021 after therapy with Jennifer for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, and adhd