Jerrold Jacobson

Hi, I'm a counselor with a background that spans both public and private sector experience. My education began with an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Muhlenberg College, followed by graduate training at Penn State University, where I completed my MEd in Rehabilitation Counseling. That dual training, in psychology and in rehabilitation, shapes how I think about therapy: as a collaborative process of helping you work through the real, lived challenges in front of you, not as a process of labeling what's wrong with you.

My approach starts with how I think about what brings you in. I conceptualize what you're going through as a "problem in living" rather than as a diagnosis or pathology. That framing matters. It means I'm not looking at you as a case to categorize. I'm looking at you as a person navigating something hard, with all the context, history, and circumstances that go with it. The work we do together stays grounded in your actual life and what would help you live it more fully, without the weight of unnecessary clinical labels.

I support those navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress management challenges, including panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and sleep disorders. I work with individuals experiencing grief and bereavement, end of life issues, infertility, chronic conditions such as diabetes, and other health-related disabilities that impact emotional well-being. My practice also supports clients living with bipolar disorder (also known as manic depressive illness), attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD), eating disorders, alcohol and substance abuse concerns, anger management and impulse control difficulties, and complex family or relationship issues.

I provide affirming care around identity development, cultural and ethnic issues, women’s issues, men’s issues, maternal mental health including prepartum and postpartum transitions, and LGBTQ+ concerns, including support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Whether you are navigating major life transitions, managing chronic stress, or working through long-standing patterns, therapy can be a space to build insight, strengthen coping skills, and move toward greater stability and self-understanding.

From the very first session, my goal is for you to feel truly heard and to walk away with some real sense of relief that the work has begun. Sometimes that relief comes simply from finally saying out loud what you've been carrying. Venting matters. It's not the whole of therapy, but it's a real and important starting point that we'll build on as our work continues. Every person who reaches out is bringing something different, and the specifics of what brought you here, even the subtle ones, are worth careful attention. We'll take the time to understand them together.