Registered mental health counselor intern (IMH23717)
Jessica Zipper
Jessica’s therapeutic philosophy can be best summarized by psychologist Hillary McBride, Ph.D.: “Therapy is not about becoming, it’s about unbecoming all the things you believed you had to be to be loved.” Jessica’s primary goal in counseling is to offer you a nonjudgmental, compassionate space in which you can safely unbecome and learn to befriend your authentic self.
Jessica’s approach to counseling is holistic, informed by: person-centered therapy, emotion-focused therapy, attachment therapy, mindfulness, and embodiment. Understanding that our challenges do not exist in silos and are impacted by the world around us, she counsels from a social justice-oriented and trauma-informed framework.
Jessica has experience working with anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions. She also is experienced in working with perfectionism and people pleasing, relationship concerns, identity development, and spiritual exploration. A former speech-language pathologist working in medical settings, Jessica has a special interest in helping those with chronic health conditions and their caregivers, as well as healthcare workers experiencing work-related stress and burnout.
Jessica has master’s degrees from UF and UCF. As both a Gator and a Knight, she wishes she were more enthusiastic about sports. Things she is enthusiastic about? Antique shopping, interior decorating, desserts, and animals. Jessica is both a dog person and a cat person and feels no need to pick a side.
As you begin or continue your counseling journey, Jessica wishes you all the strength, patience, and gentleness you need to unbecome who you really are.
