Why I Became a Therapist (And Why It Matters to You)

I took a longer road to get here. A career in human resources. A life that looked fine from the outside, while something kept pulling me toward something more meaningful.

That version of my story is true. But it's not the whole story.

The whole story starts much earlier — with a younger version of me who needed help and reached out, only to be dismissed by the very person who was supposed to listen.

I was a kid. I was struggling. And when I finally worked up the courage to say something to a therapist, I didn't feel heard. I didn't feel believed. I felt like my experience was too small, too inconvenient, or too complicated to take seriously.

That feeling stayed with me for a long time.

The Pull Toward Something More

Years later, I kept coming back to that memory of being dismissed. And I kept thinking: what if someone had actually shown up for me? What would have been different?

That question eventually became impossible to ignore.

I went back to school, did the work, got licensed, and on March 1, 2024, I opened the doors to JBCounseling. Not because therapy was a logical next step on a career ladder — but because I knew exactly what it felt like to need it and not get it right.

What That Means for My Clients

I didn't become a therapist to sit behind a clipboard and nod. I became one because I have a deeply personal understanding of how painful it is to be unseen — and an equally deep commitment to making sure that doesn't happen in my office.

When you come to JBCounseling, you're not going to get someone who goes through the motions. You're going to get someone who genuinely cares whether you feel heard, believed, and supported — every single session.

That's not a marketing line. It's the whole reason I'm here.

Why This Matters When You're Choosing a Therapist

Choosing a therapist is one of the most personal decisions you'll make. The research consistently shows that the therapeutic relationship — the connection between you and your therapist — is one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy actually works.

So it matters that your therapist isn't just technically skilled. It matters that they show up as a real human being. That they're warm and direct and honest. That they don't have a poker face when something important is happening in the room.

That's how I work. No pretense, no clinical distance for the sake of it. Just real, grounded, trauma-informed care — using evidence-based approaches like EMDR — for people who are ready to do the work.

Who I Work With

I work with individuals, couples, and families ages 10 and up — in person at my Tampa office and via telehealth anywhere in Florida. My specialty areas are anxiety, trauma, and EMDR, including EMDR Intensives for people who want focused, accelerated healing without a long-term weekly commitment.

I'm also a Qualified Supervisor for Registered Interns in Florida — because part of my mission is making sure the next generation of therapists learns to show up for their clients the right way.

If You've Ever Felt Dismissed

This practice exists for you.

If you've tried therapy before and left feeling like you weren't really heard — I want you to know that's not how it has to be. And if you've never tried therapy because you're afraid of exactly that — I get it. I really do.

You deserve a space where you feel safe, seen, and believed. That's what I built JBCounseling to be.

If you're ready to take the first step, I'd love to connect. Schedule a free 20-minute consultation here— no pressure, just a real conversation.