Jessica McKenzie

LCPC

She | Her | Hers

Emerging Adults | Women of Color | Burnout | Post-College Transitions

My Background

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to help others feel safe and secure in themselves. I often provide others a safe space which allows them to share.

Those I encounter, whether I know them or not, often feel comfortable communicating their thoughts and feelings with me. It’s fulfilling to hear that people feel seen and heard by me, knowing certain factors have caused them to feel insignificant. My desire to create a safe space for those who feel overlooked and forgotten has compelled me to become a therapist.

My main goal as a therapist is to help clients, help themselves.
In therapy, I aim to support clients toward gaining a sense of autonomy and lean further into their power. I believe that clients are the experts of their lives. As a therapist, my role is to provide the space and tools to help them make the necessary adjustments to their circumstances.

My therapeutic style can be described as expressive, transformative, and supportive.
I use creative outlets as a way to assist clients in conveying difficult thoughts and emotions. Specifically, I like to use poetry, music, journaling, and visual aids to assist clients to gain a better understanding of themselves.
While those are just some aspects of my therapeutic style, my person-centered approach borrows elements from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), narrative therapy and reality therapy. CBT especially encourages the identification of automatic negative thought patterns that we can develop tools to address directly. During my sessions, the client and I work together to identify their belief systems, uncover their unique story, and guide them toward becoming their best self. As a result, my clients gain important tools to help them become their best self. Throughout the process, I continue to encourage clients as they navigate their way towards their goals.

More About Me

I have a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Previous to that, I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. Now I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago, Illinois and am proud to be a part of the Empowered Therapy family.
In my free time, I take up writing in various forms such as journaling, prose, and poetry. When tired of taking pen to paper, I utilize other creative outlets such as: dance, spoken word, and museums. I love spending quality time with family and friends while partaking in savory meals. At Empowered, along with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and women of color I also focus on emerging adults, post-college transitions, burnout, quarter-life-crisis, first relationships/breakups and self-esteem issues.