Hello and Welcome! I’m Jenna McDonald.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Western New York and also working with clients statewide (NY) via Telehealth. I work with teens and adults; specializing in anxiety, stress, life transitions ( ex : work/school stressors), relationship concerns, substance use and trauma.

I use different types of therapies to help my clients make progress and start feeling more in control and on their way to a more mentally stable wellness.

My approach to therapy varies based on the needs of each client I work with.

I most frequently use Person Centered Therapy as I find it helps the client to organize his/her goals so that we can work through those together, based on what is most important and meaningful to that client.

Solution Focused therapy, and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), are other modalities that can help myself and the client build a shared understanding of their reality, and allow us to work together to create a path forward.

I pride myself on my ability to listen without judgment.

My communication style is working with my clients to understand what it is they are experiencing and build that rapport. My hope is to provide supportive problem solving and collaboration, while I can also be that listening ear. I will also be that realistic reminder to my clients of what is healthy/what is not, so that we can work towards optimal mental wellness. I will challenge my clients and not be a person to enable negative behavior.

My approach to goal setting with clients is all about working together to define what you want to accomplish in our time together.

This often starts by building trust between us, and getting comfortable with what it means to be in therapy.

Over time, we’ll work together to set goals and track your progress. Sometimes we just want someone to listen to us and have the ability to vent our emotions and frustrations. I can be that person who is neutral, which can give me a great outside view and ability to provide assistance when needed.

What you can expect from our first session together.

We will spend the majority of our time talking about your past experience with coming to counseling, what worked well with past counseling/ what didn’t, what you are coming to counseling for currently and me asking questions to better understand some of why you may be feeling that way. The first session is about us building an initial connection and helping me get a sense of where we should go from there.

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I help teens and adults who are struggling with:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Life changes and adjustment

My methods include:

  • Motivational interviewing
  • Solution focused therapy
  • Person centered therapy

Education and Clinical Experience

  • B.A , Psychology: Daemen University
  • M.A, Mental Health Counseling : Medaille University