Jessica Guididas

Hi, I’m Jess! I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Georgia, where I also completed a pre-professional certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have experience providing individual and group therapy in university counseling settings, both in person and through telehealth.

I currently serve as a mental health counselor supporting undergraduate and graduate nursing students, giving me a particular interest in working with healthcare professionals and students entering the healthcare field. I enjoy supporting individuals navigating anxiety, stress, life transitions and adjustment, depression, emotion regulation, interpersonal and relationship concerns, family-of-origin experiences, identity exploration, and self-care.

I especially enjoy working with graduating nursing students and early-career healthcare professionals as they navigate the transition from student to professional, establish their identities and responsibilities, and find balance in their personal and professional lives.

My approach to therapy is warm, collaborative, and strength-based. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and I see my role as walking alongside you as you better understand your experiences, identify patterns, build skills, and work toward meaningful change.

I integrate cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and solution-focused techniques based on your individual needs and goals. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, I work collaboratively with you to determine what feels most helpful and relevant.

I strive to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you can be your authentic self. Whether we are working on managing anxiety, navigating a life transition, improving relationships, regulating emotions, or developing greater self-understanding, my goal is to help you feel more equipped to handle life’s challenges while building a life that feels meaningful to you.

Our first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin understanding what brought you to therapy. I’ll invite you to share what you’ve been experiencing, what feels most important to address, and what you hope to gain from therapy. We’ll also talk about your background and how your current concerns may fit into the bigger picture of your life.

You do not need to have everything figured out before coming to therapy. Together, we’ll begin identifying goals that feel meaningful and realistic for you and discuss how we can work toward them.

Most importantly, I want you to feel comfortable, heard, and respected. I’ll create a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where you can ask questions, share openly, and determine whether I’m the right fit for you. My hope is that you leave your first session feeling understood, with greater clarity about what you need and a sense of direction for where we can go together.