Jessica McBride, MPS, LPCC, LADC
jessica@affinitypsych.com
Hi! Welcome to my little blurb! I hope that you feel like you get to know me just a bit. I am a licensed professional clinical counselor and a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. I have a Masters in Professional Studies, a graduate certification in Addiction Studies, and a BA in Psychology, all from the University of Minnesota. I have worked in a gender-specific treatment program for women as a counselor and in leadership roles. I also worked for two years as an addiction therapist in Hong Kong, with the expatriate population. I have seen that, across the world, people are yearning for the same thing: connection. We humans are a funny bunch; what we are yearning for is what we also push away, out of fear of rejection and vulnerability, shame, and low self-worth. I practice what I preach in my own life and I am genuinely excited about helping you do the same!
How I Work
Feminist theory and relational-cultural theory (RCT) are the anchors in the framework of my counseling theory and direct my professional and personal life. Through these theories, connection and empowerment are able to thrive and start the motion of change. When I work with someone, I don’t ask, “why the issue?” I ask, “where is the pain?” I believe in validating each persons individual experience because each person I work with, matters. My belief is that we are ultimately seeking connections, and those connections help us to nurture and cultivate change. To be self-actualized does not mean to be in complete harmony with the path one is on or to not have questions or difficulties. When a human is self-actualized, they are connected to others in empathic, supportive, empowering relationships that foster empathy and support. Together, we will work on accessing all of the strengths that you may not know you have. I am a stickler for language because the words we use about ourselves matter, and together we will build a new and empowering framework for your inner monologue, which sets the foundation for how you ultimately treat yourself.
What Sets Me Apart As a Therapist?
I am highly empathic and in-tune with other people’s emotions and with the energy that is in the session. I really believe in giving you space to feel what you are feeling and empowering you to name it. The space that I create and nurture is safe, respectful, culturally responsive, and empowering. Clients have repeatedly told me that they feel at ease very quickly in my presence. I work with people on seeing and experiencing their own vulnerability as signs of strength and courage; bravery is not about stoicism, it is about authentic connection and allowing yourself the gift of really being “seen.” My clients tell me often that they feel “seen” and heard by me, which is ultimately how trust is built. I value getting to know my clients’ stories and helping them understand how they want to change the narrative, in order to live the most satisfying and fulfilled life possible. Humans are hard-wired for connection and I believe that the connections we have in our lives set the foundation for everything else. I love being a therapist and, dare I say, I do believe that therapy can be a fun and enlightening process! I look forward to working with you.
