Jason Axford

Most people come to therapy after trying to handle something on their own for a while. Maybe it worked for a time and stopped. Maybe it never quite did. Either way, you don't need to arrive with it figured out.

I've been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for over 20 years, including seven years at USF's counseling center before opening my Tampa practice in 2023. I hold a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision.

Sessions with me are practical and honest. We'll look at what's happening, why it makes sense, and what can change. You'll get my real read on things, not reassurance.

Most of my work draws on cognitive behavioral and acceptance-based approaches, but I don't run sessions from a script. What helps one person stalls another, so I pay attention to what's actually moving and adjust.

Early on, I want to understand how the problem works in your life: what sets it off, what keeps it going, what you've already tried. From there we set goals you actually care about, not ones that sound good on paper.

Expect me to be direct. If I think something isn't working, or if a belief you're holding doesn't hold up, I'll say so and we'll look at it together. That candor comes with a lot of respect for how hard this is. Therapy shouldn't feel like being managed.

The first session is mostly me listening. I'll ask what brought you in now, what's been happening, and what you've already tried. There's some background to cover, family, history, health, previous therapy, but it doesn't need to be a checklist and you can tell me as much or as little as you're ready to.

Toward the end we'll talk about where to go from here. That usually means naming one or two things you want to be different, and getting a rough sense of how long that might take and what the work would look like. You should leave with a clearer picture of the problem than you came in with, even if nothing is solved yet.

You don't have to perform or have your thoughts organized. Showing up unsure of what to say is a normal way to start.

If it turns out I'm not the right fit, I'll tell you and help you find someone who is.