PuttingFamilyFirst

The therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp and we will earn a commission if you use our link - at no cost to you.

JG Portrait of Jennifer Garland
Online therapist

Jennifer Garland

Supportive licensed clinical social worker for parents

Credentials
LCSW
Experience
17 years
Licensed in
Missouri, Illinois
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Jennifer

Jennifer Garland is a licensed clinical social worker with 17 years of experience. She practices in Missouri and offers online work that can reach clients beyond state lines. She welcomes people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship or parenting concerns.

Her style aims to be straightforward and supportive so a worried parent can feel heard and understood quickly. Jennifer focuses on helping people identify strengths they already have.

Background and approach

She uses practical steps to manage symptoms and to change patterns that cause pain. Sessions are adapted to each person’s situation rather than following a single rigid method. Her background includes extensive work with survivors of childhood abuse and trauma.

That experience informs how she approaches safety, trust, and pacing in therapy. She draws on methods that look at how past attachments affect current relationships and coping. In session she blends cognitive-behavioral tools with client-centered and narrative ideas.

That means she helps clients notice unhelpful thoughts, follows what matters most to the person, and looks at life stories to find different meanings. Motivational interviewing is used when change feels difficult or stalled. Jennifer holds LCSW licensure in Illinois and Missouri.

She explains options clearly and helps people move from feeling stuck to taking small, manageable steps forward. To begin, a short matching questionnaire and scheduling step is used to connect with her.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current trust and closeness. Online work uses gentle conversations to identify patterns and to practice new ways of connecting and setting boundaries. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps people spot unhelpful thoughts and try small behavioral experiments to reduce anxiety or low mood. In remote sessions, worksheets and brief between-session tasks support progress between meetings.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will listen to your goals, try approaches that fit your situation, and adjust methods as needed. Decisions about pacing and focus are made collaboratively so the plan feels manageable and relevant.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions around parenting, work, and other commitments. They also allow continued work when life is busy or travel is required, helping people stay consistent with the steps they and their therapist agree on.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and parenting issues, trauma and abuse, grief, anger, self-esteem, bipolar symptoms, ADHD, and many related family and life challenges.
What is her general therapy style?
Her approach is practical and client-centered. She blends cognitive-behavioral techniques with attachment-informed and narrative ideas to fit each person's needs.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 17 years of clinical experience working with individuals and families, including work with survivors of childhood abuse and trauma.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW - with licensure details IL LCSW 149.028339 and MO LCSW 2007007218, and she practices from Missouri.
In what languages can sessions be held?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different needs and schedules.
How are costs and billing handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved to begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Next step

Talk to Jennifer

  • Takes a few minutes
  • Nothing to set up just to look
  • Stop at any point