JENNIFER LINNMAN, PHD, LCSW
Psychotherapy
Depression, anxiety, and trauma affect one's most intimate relationships and sense of self. Both chronic and discrete trauma change the way the brain is wired. Personal, relational and intergenerational events are as unique in detail as they are in effect.
I have over twenty-five years of experience working with young children, adolescents, couples and adults in my psychotherapy practice. Developing a unique, collaborative, challenging, and attuned therapeutic experience for every individual client is my passion.
I am currently limiting my practice to adolescents 16 and older and adults. I see patients in my office and via telehealth. I use a HIPPAA compliant platform through SimplePractice.
"I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self-indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival."
-Audre Lorde
EDUCATION AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
I have a Bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and I received both my MSW and PhD from Smith College School for Social Work. I have trained under Bonnie Badenoch, PhD, who was trained by Dan Siegel, MD, in Interpersonal Neurobiology. My training in Attachment Theory comes from Mary Maine's faculty at UC Berkeley.
My framework is psychodynamic with a strong emphasis on attachment theory. I also incorporate the most up to date research on Neurobiology and Mental Health and the neurobiology of trauma. I have extensive experience working with adolescents and adults in a developmentally and neurobiologically informed way, also known as the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics.
I believe in the essential role of the unconscious in understanding relationships, one's sense of self, and the patterns of thought and behavior that create and maintain current life situations. I hold true to the value of exploring the unconscious in order to live a more present and mindful life. Concurrent with this deeper work, I utilize cognitive and behavioral techniques and teach emotional regulation.
I believe both joy and pain are born in relationships and it is through relationships that we find peace and self love.
I take a psychodynamic, attachment based, and neurobiological approach in treating adolescents and adults challenged by negative moods, feelings of hopelessness, unsatisfying relationships and a sense of disconnection.
In exploring unconscious motivations, relational patterns, how thoughts and behaviors are related, and our own interpersonal neurobiology, we become entirely capable of shifting our relationship with ourselves, loved ones, and community.
Individual Therapy
The value of the therapeutic relationship is immense in psychotherapy and the goodness of fit between therapist and client are essential. I have a genuine curiosity about who you are and am invested in discovering how to create a safe and supportive relationship.
I incorporate mindfulness practice into psychotherapy as it has been proven to reduce stress, increase attention and focus, and decrease depression & anxiety. For trauma, I am trained in EMDR, a powerful and evidence based method to treat acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. I employ EMDR to treat both discrete and chronic trauma. Trauma can originate from childhood physical, sexual and emotional abuse, discrete incidents such as a car accident or an assault, and the chronic experience of living with oppressed social and political identities. Complex trauma often includes both discreet and chronic trauma.
Couple Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy assumes that our current relationships are influenced by our earliest relationships with caregivers and any subsequent relationship that has had a profound emotional impact. We tend to recreate early relationships in an unconscious attempt to find resolution. Discovering how we are repeating old patterns in current relationships gives one the freedom to understand past and current relationships in a new way. There is immense power in interrupting the unconscious ways in which we are approaching relationships and repeating old patterns. This leads to discovering workable resolutions to the pain that early relationships have left us with, while moving more consciously forward in current relationships with an expanded sense of self and current needs and desires.
I employ family of origin work, genograms, and narrative techniques to develop partner empathy and collaborative relationship building. Often couples need to simply have some very basic guidelines on how to communicate effectively.
Adolescents
Informed by research based, brain and attachment models, I teach emotional regulation, facilitate attachments between family members, and provide the latest research and critical thinking regarding sexual health, drug & alcohol misuse, social media and all things child & parenting related.
Being an adolescent is challenging; possibly more challenging than parenting and adolescent. Understanding that the "work of the adolescent" is to push boundaries and experiment with diverse identities, is important in learning to parent more mindfully, as opposed to parenting based on current mood (or level of hunger, energy) or as a reaction to how we were parented. Having the knowledge of how the adolescent brain works often brings relief and lessens the anxiety inherent in parenting through this stage.
SUPERVISION & TRAINING
I am registered with the Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers to provide supervision to individuals working toward their state license to practice Clinical Social Work. I am a member of NW Equity Works, with whom I provide trainings related to social justice. I am also available for professional consultation and agency group supervision. I provide group supervision to several agencies throughout the Portland metro area. I provide training and consultation to agencies on multiple topics ranging from emotional regulation, interpersonal neurobiology and the adolescent brain. I am available to provide consultation to family law attorneys regarding the dynamics of child attachment, abuse, and co-parenting strategies.
FEE SCHEDULE
My practice is fee for service. I do not bill insurance companies and I take payment at the end of each session. This fee arrangement has benefits in terms of safeguarding your privacy. I will provide you with a monthly "Superbill" that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement at their "out of network provider" rate.
Initial Psychiatric Assessment: $250
Individual 50 minute session: $185
Couple session: $200
Supervision 60 minutes: $185