Jamie Rufano

I believe therapy works best when you feel comfortable enough to be yourself, without worrying about saying the “right” thing. My goal is to create a space where you feel supported, understood, and never judged, while also helping you make meaningful changes in your life.

I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with experience working with adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship and family stress, self-esteem, substance use, and other everyday challenges that can start to feel overwhelming. My background also includes extensive work with adolescents and families in outpatient substance use settings.

As a therapist, I’m warm, conversational, and down-to-earth. I’m not afraid to use humor when appropriate, and I also know when we need to slow down and make room for the harder stuff. I want therapy to feel like a place where you can exhale, sort through what is happening, and leave feeling like you understand yourself a little better than when you walked in.

My approach is collaborative, practical, and individualized because therapy should never feel one-size-fits-all. I primarily draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), person-centered, relational, solution-focused, motivational, and trauma-informed approaches to help clients better understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, and experiences.

I believe our relationships and past experiences can significantly shape how we see ourselves, respond to others, and navigate the world. Through a relational approach, we can explore patterns in your relationships, strengthen communication and boundaries, and build a deeper understanding of your needs. I also use trauma-informed care to prioritize safety, trust, choice, and empowerment throughout the therapeutic process. I am EMDR-trained and may incorporate EMDR-informed strategies when appropriate and aligned with your goals.

I believe insight is important, but I also want therapy to help you in your everyday life. We may work on identifying patterns, challenging anxious or self-critical thoughts, developing healthier coping skills, building confidence, or learning how to tolerate uncertainty and uncomfortable emotions without letting them take over.

I’ll meet you where you are while also gently challenging you when it can help you grow. You can expect me to ask questions, offer feedback, explain the “why” behind what you may be experiencing, and help you develop realistic strategies that actually fit your life.

Our first session is really about getting to know you. We’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, what has been going on in your life, what you would like to change, and what you hope to get out of our work together. I’ll also ask about different areas of your life so I can understand the bigger picture, not just the symptoms that brought you in.

You do not need to come prepared with the perfect explanation of what is wrong or know exactly what your therapy goals should be. We can figure that out together.

Most importantly, the first session gives us a chance to begin building a relationship and for you to see whether I feel like the right therapist for you. My goal is for you to leave feeling heard, comfortable, and with a clearer idea of how we can move forward together.