"I will look for the flowers by the side of the road; I will laugh and love and be strong. I will try to lighten another’s load this day as I fare along". --MARY S. EDGAR
CURRENTLY, I ACCEPTING CLIENTS WHO ARE EITHER FEMALE OR NONBINARY WITH A HISTORY OF TRAUMA THEY'D LIKE TO PROCESS AS PART OF THEIR TREATMENT. THIS DOES NOT NEED TO BE THE MAIN FOCUS OF THERAPY.
Hello! Welcome to BetterHelp! My name is Jen and I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC, #004782) and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). I have over 18 years of experience providing both mental health and addictions therapy to individuals, couples, families, and groups. My Master’s degree is in Community Mental Health Counseling, Addictions Counseling, and Marriage and Family Therapy (2009), and I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Family Studies (2006). I have worked in multiple settings, including shelters, community mental health centers, schools, and private practices. Since becoming a counselor, clients, such as yourself, have come to me for a lot of different things, including trauma (particularly in the areas of childhood abuse, domestic violence, religious trauma, and first responder and military trauma), family and social relationships, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
My therapeutic approach is mainly from family systems theory, which summed up says “we are not islands”. We are influenced by the world, or the “systems” around us starting from birth (and even before). These systems influence how we see the world and how we make decisions. When things happen to us (good or bad), our system shapes how it affects us and what our reaction turns out to be. I also “borrow” concepts from other theories, such as taking unhealthy beliefs about oneself and changing them into healthier patterns to reduce negative feelings, providing supports, a quick solutions-focused treatment (when it fits the goal), mindfulness and hands-on activities, and emotions regulation techniques. I am also EMDRIA-trained in EMDR, specialized for telehealth, and will provide EMDR treatment to clients found to be appropriate and motivated.
I see counseling as a didactic relationship, or in other words, a journey we take together. You are the “expert” of you. Your individualized counseling experience should be focused on what you want and your goals. My job is to help “guide” or “lead” you in achieving those goals, while you continue to actively participate and do your best to reach your goals. I will support you as you do so. It’s like we build a house together. I am responsible for the frame and structure of the house; while you get to fill the rest of it in, make it look the way you want it to, and in the end, turn it into the home you want it to look like.
Starting counseling can produce negative feelings, such as worry or fear; but part of the journey we go on is to work on processing those feelings together right from the start. I want to provide a safe environment for you that is warm, respectful, trauma-informed, and meets your individual needs. I look forward to meeting you should I get to do that. Thank you for taking the time to look at my page!
Additional areas of focus: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, LGBT, Family conflicts, Grief, Depression, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, Abandonment, Antisocial personality, Attachment issues, Avoidant personality, Body image, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Commitment issues, Coping with natural or human-caused disaster, Dependent personality, Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Domestic violence, Drug and alcohol addiction, Eating and food-related issues, Family of origin issues, Fertility issues, First responder issues, Gender dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Infidelity, Veteran and Armed Forces Issues, Multicultural concerns, Narcissism, Personality disorders, Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships, Post-traumatic stress, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Self-love, Sexual assault and abuse, Sexuality, Women's issues, Young adult issues
Clinical approaches: Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
NY LMHC 004782
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Jennifer Ricci. 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.
Outstanding couselor
Written on Dec 24, 2025 after therapy with Jennifer for 5 years and 11 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, and intimacy-related issues
Jen has been such an incredible support to me for the last 5 months. I feel so seen and understood by her and she is patient, compassionate and professional. She has been incredible on my journey of healing through a variety of personal issues and I cannot speak highly of her enough. I am very grateful to have found her.
Written on Nov 12, 2025 after therapy with Jennifer for 4 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, and intimacy-related issues
Very , nice and caring. Very supportive and knowledgeable
Written on Oct 31, 2025 after therapy with Jennifer for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, and coping with life changes
She is absolutely wonderful, committed, knowledgable and has supported me in so much growth.
Written on Jun 16, 2025 after therapy with Jennifer for 4 years and 11 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, family conflicts, and trauma and abuse
Highly recommend her for therapy. She is wonderful and supportive.
Written on Apr 08, 2025 after therapy with Jennifer for 11 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, and coping with life changes
Jen is super knowledgable, lively, and down to earth. a therapeutic triple threat! she is a great listener and is a very empathetic human. no inauthenticity here! she has been my therapist for the past 7 months and i always feel better after a session. thanks Jen!! :-)
Written on Mar 13, 2025 after therapy with Jennifer for 7 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, lgbt, relationship issues, grief, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, and adhd