Hi, I'm Jessica Feinsmith, MA, Licensed Professional Counselor
I am accepting new clients in Oregon and Washington and offer a 30 minute consultation.
Helping You Create a
Life You Love!
Even though I officially became a mental health therapist later in life, it is a journey I have been on since as far back as I can remember. I have always been curious about my mental health. My patterns, behaviors and why I do the things I do or feel the way I feel. Born with a deep sense of empathy and compassion, I care deeply about other people’s feelings and experiences and am someone who wants to help others.
Curiosity, not judgement
Now I bring the personal journey and intensive training to the professional realm as a professional mental health counselor in Oregon and Washington. I combine years worth of life experiences with pragmatic, evidenced based approaches to therapy to assist others on their journey to positive mental health. It is what I was seeking for many years, feeling deeply frustrated by not knowing what my contribution was, but all the while, I was preparing for it. I bring post traumatic growth and deep understandings from my own, personal struggles with depression, grief and loss, chronic pain and anxiety. I walk the walk in my own life, as I am constantly learning new therapeutic modalities and processing my own wounding. No one is perfect and I bring loving kindness and self compassion to my work and to all those around me to be who we are, authentically and honestly in a safe environment.
I attended Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Counseling and Education and obtained my Masters of Arts in Professional Mental Health Counseling. I interned at Concordia University in the college counseling center. I am currently an Oregon Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice and enjoy working with people over the age of 18. I find myself drawn to working with creative types, artists, musicians and massage therapists. I also work with many clients who experience themselves as “late bloomers” or highly sensitive people.
A Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Approach With Every Client
It takes energy, commitment and courage to find the right therapist. It can be so hard when you feel depressed, anxious or frustrated with life. Whether you are looking for support and guidance for healing a specific mental health issue or you feel an overall sense of “this is not where I want to be in life,” I can help. We all have times when we feel buried beneath the challenges of life and need a gentle, caring hand to help us out.
50% of effective mental health therapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client. Please reach out to me to get a sense of our chemistry and how I might be able to assist you.
Read about what its like working with me.
A few things about me:
My family and friendships are the most important relationships in my life. I am the type of person who you can count on when you need to talk, to laugh or to cry. I have maintained friendships from many different phases of my life and am so grateful for the amazing people I can call friends.
I have 2 cats, Marco and Mazy and 2 dogs, Kaya and Maya. Being a pet mama is my favorite role. Waking up to the unconditional love of my animals fills me up. My favorite part of working remotely is that I get to interact with them all day. Marco sits on my lap when I am working and likes to greet all my clients virtually. Update: My sweet beloved boy was released from his ailing body in December 2023. I am still processing the grief and loss of my furbaby, and the relief of no longer watching him suffer or wondering how much longer I would have with him. He passed in my arms, at the sweet old age of 18.
I find spirituality and grounding in nature. It is where I go when I need to get quiet, get centered or hug a tree. Trees are able to take away all my pain, sadness and frustrations. Hugging trees is one of my favorite forms of self nurturing. Trees are non-judgemental and you never hear someone say a tree is ugly. I find metaphor and mindfulness in nature that help me make sense of life’s challenges and suffering.
I spent many years traveling and working jobs to support my travels, feeling like a late bloomer. My favorite profession (before becoming a counselor) was as a jewelry designer, my worst, a time share salesperson in Mexico. I trekked to Everest Base Camp, lived in Mexico, and traveled throughout SE Asia, Europe and South and Central America. I was unclear what my purpose was or how I was going to contribute to the betterment of the planet but I knew deeply that I had a greater purpose. After a family tragedy that deeply affected me, I knew clearly that all the searching and exploring was to support others in their personal journeys.
I have become an avid gardener over the last few years. It has been very experimental and organic. Watching the plant starts flower and grow and produce food is an amazing gift to experience. Getting my hands in the dirt, weeding and watering grounds me. The flowers bring bees, butterflies and even a dragonfly. I also love sharing the produce with friends and neighbors. It has been an incredibly satisfying hobby and has helped my mental health considerably.
