I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 4 years of post graduate experience. The key to successful therapy is having a trusting and healthy relationship with your therapist and building that trust each week. As a therapist I am LGBTQIA+ affirming, kink-aware and supportive of those who practice ethical non-monogamy. It is also important to me as a White clinician to provide care from an anti-oppressive framework by an ongoing process of examining and understanding my internalized systems with racism and ableism. I have experience with several issues including (but not limited to) Anxiety, Depression, trauma, identity development, and setting healthy boundaries with friends, employers, and romantic partners.
My approach is warm, empathic, and nonjudgemental. The way I may support one Patient is likely different from another based on your individual needs. I work from a Psychodynamic perspective to help find patterns in your thoughts, emotions and beliefs and build insight to how you see the world. I may also support you by incorporating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Dialectical Behavior Therapy. For CBT this might include identifying negative thought patterns and processing the chain reaction to uncover your core beliefs about yourself and the world. We can use DBT to help increase your mindfulness, improve your distress tolerance, manage emotion regulation, and develop interpersonal effectiveness.
Regardless of what approach(es) we may use, I am passionate about helping you identify your own therapeutic goals and creating a treatment plan to help you succeed.
I am available Monday through Friday from around 9:30 am Eastern Daylight Time to around 6 pm EDT. I do not check messages or offer sessions on the weekend or major holidays. Please ensure this general time frame works for you when selecting a therapist. When planning sessions, I strongly encourage you to create calendar reminders for yourself, and to give at least 24 hours notice prior to any cancellations. Better Help stops showing my availability 18 hours before a session, though I often have some open times that may not be visible in that window. Please communicate with me any scheduling desires or if you’re open to earlier time slots should they open up.
If this is your first taste of therapy, or you are apprehensive at all, that’s okay! It can be scary to take these first steps and I hope you feel proud of yourself for being here today. When you are ready we can chat about how you're feeling and work to have an open and free-flowing dialogue. I am open to feedback and will often check in to see how you're feeling in our sessions.
I am looking forward to our work together!
Additional areas of focus: LGBT, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, BDSM, Kink, Alternative Sex Culture, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Communication problems, Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Gender Dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Isolation / loneliness, Mood disorders , Panic disorder and panic attacks, Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-love, Sexuality, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Psychodynamic Therapy
NY LMHC 008968
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Jillian Bednarz. 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.
Jillian has been absolutely wonderful. She makes me feel so comfortable being who I am and to talk about what’s going on. She recognized patterns that kept coming up when I didn’t recognize them myself. She helped me reframe the way I thought about problems I was facing. I felt heard.
Written on Mar 07, 2022 after therapy with Jillian for 8 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
Jillian is a great listener and gives wonderful advice. I highly recommend her.
Written on Dec 28, 2021 after therapy with Jillian for 2 weeks on issues concerning relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, and adhd
I think her way of listening has helped me get through this rough patch
Written on Nov 27, 2021 after therapy with Jillian for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, and coping with life changes
I’m so thankful for my therapist. She really cares, listens to me, supports me, and gives helpful advice.
Written on Nov 18, 2021 after therapy with Jillian for 6 months on issues concerning depression, family conflicts, eating disorders, and self esteem
Jillian makes me feel validated and heard .
Written on Sep 13, 2021 after therapy with Jillian for 2 weeks on issues concerning relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, self esteem, and adhd
I am fairly new to Better Help and have only had a few video sessions, but so far it has been amazing. I leave each session feeling energized, refreshed and motivated to keep fighting for my mental health.
Written on Apr 16, 2021 after therapy with Jillian for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, eating disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adhd