Dr. Jennifer Scharding

I am a Doctor of Psychology, meaning I earned a BS in psychology as a undergraduate and then pursued a doctorate degree in graduate school. My research focuses on identity, how perceptions from outside affect inner mental emotional health. I have worked in-depth with gender identity and clients in transition. I have experience and interest in working with trauma and the strength-based approach I use is powerful for helping clients rediscover and embrace their self-worth. By coming to sessions with me— even just by coming to this page— you are your own agent of change, and I and my expertise are here to support you in every way!

I specialize in psychodynamic, trauma-focused, culturally sensitive, strength-based therapy, which means providing space and tools and working with clients to find your unique strength and resilience. We are here to work together on getting to a new point of growth, of safety, of self-worth, and every time that happens I am going to pause and say, "Look! You did that!" My approach respects the need to establish trust between client and therapist as the first step. It takes a few sessions for clients to begin to open up, and that is completely natural. The psychodynamic approach involves looking for the root causes of issues, and while this takes time, it can be a much kinder way to approach topics that are painful and difficult to discuss-- and these are often the places where real progress is made.

I believe that healing and growth are facilitated by feelings of safety and trust in ourselves. Whether working through major trauma, the difficulties of everyday life, or anything in between, I am continually amazed by the resilience we all have within us. As a psychologist I consider it a privilege and a responsibility to facilitate the process of learning to embrace and wield your unique strengths. Transparency is important to me. This means if I am leading us somewhere, or working under a particular theory, you will know about it. I believe in people: that no matter how challenging the journey, all patients want to get better, and can. In my world there is zero value judgment on people for having traumas, for having complex problems, or for being uncertain what issues are affecting them.