Dr. Jennifer J. Thompson

04/04/2025

I’m excited to share that I’m expanding my practice to New York—returning to my roots! To start, I’ll be offering Telehealth sessions only, with plans to provide in-person therapy in the city by this summer.
As a Ph.D., Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), I bring nearly two decades of experience in private practice. I am committed to providing thoughtful, evidence-based care to individuals and couples seeking support and growth. If you know anyone in New York who’s looking for a skilled, compassionate therapist, I’d be grateful if you passed my information along.
You can learn more about me and my services at http://www.drjthompson.com

07/22/2023

I often recommend to my clients the practice of "breathing into your body and noticing what you are feeling." This simple yet powerful technique allows us to dive deeper into our emotions and understand them on a more profound level. But I understand that you might have questions about how and why this intervention works.
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When faced with uncomfortable feelings, our instinct is often to escape or avoid them entirely. However, there is an alternative approach that involves breathing into these emotions. By intentionally focusing on our breath, we create a space where these emotions can be acknowledged and experienced without overwhelming us.

With each inhale, we invite curiosity and openness towards these uncomfortable emotions, while with each exhale, we have the opportunity to release any negativity or resistance that may be hindering us. By embracing and staying with the experience, instead of pushing it away, we also give ourselves the chance to uncover the root causes of these feelings and find ways to address them effectively.�
Practicing this mindful breathing technique helps us gradually lessen the intensity of discomfort. Consistently engaging in this practice enables us to build resilience and empowers us to navigate life's challenges with greater ease and clarity. So the next time you find yourself facing uncomfortable feelings, remember to take a deep breath, pause, reflect and embrace the opportunity for growth and self-understanding.

Stay tuned for my next Blog “Noticing and Naming Feelings is The First Step, Here is the Second.”

05/12/2023

How to Know YOUR Therapist is A Good Fit- Part 2

By now, you’ve been seeing your therapist for 3-6 months and feel like it is going well. But therapists, like all professionals, also have their faults and blind spots. Here’s a list of important questions to ask yourself about your therapist:

Do I look forward to attending therapy sessions?

Do I feel the need to cancel or reschedule appointments without a good reason?

When I imagine spaces where I feel free to be myself, would my therapist’s office come to mind?

Do I feel pressured to share more than I am ready to?

Does working with my therapist feel like a professional experience? Are they on time for sessions and easy to get in touch with in-between sessions? Does my therapist clearly outline their office policies and adhere to them?

Is my overall therapy experience warm, comfortable and validating?

Do I quit if I am NOT having the above experiences?
If any of your answers lead you to question the relationship with your current therapist, there isn’t a need to make a change just yet. Speak to your therapist about your concerns. While it might feel confrontational, your therapist’s office is a great place to practice the skill of speaking up and asking for what you need. Many of us resort to some old patterns of not speaking up because we learned early on this wasn’t ok – that we might make Mom or Dad upset, or that others never responded appropriately when we asked for what we needed. Unfortunately, that defense mechanism follows us into adulthood and becomes a way of life. And that way of life creates stress on our bodies, stories in our mind, and is detrimental to our overall being. This is why you need to speak to your therapist about your concerns. Ideally, this leads to positive adjustments or, you part ways amicably, with no one feeling “wrong” or “bad.”

What if I AM having the above experiences?
That is great that you feel good about your answers to the above questions. If so, stay with your therapist and keep healing and growing. And understand the journey can be uncomfortable at times, bringing joy, deep awareness, laughter, and tears. A therapist who can hold a space for you to experience it all is a true gift.

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy.” - Brene Brown

My eclectic approach to therapy helps individuals deepen self-awareness and foster self-acceptance.

04/21/2023

How to find YOUR best therapist

Choosing the right therapist takes more than just finding someone who’s close and takes your insurance. Being “close” and being “covered” won’t matter if they can’t make you feel comfortable enough to work through why you’re there.

Here are some tips to ensure a good fit for your therapy needs:

Ask friends for recommendations. Close friends know you best, and might be able to suggest someone who’d be a good fit. Find out what they like and don’t like about the person, and why they think the therapist would be a good fit.

Interview some therapists. You are “hiring” a therapist, so talk to more than one before deciding. You consider different options when choosing a gym, plumber, or new employee. Treat this the same way. Most therapists offer a free phone consultation. This is a great way to find out if you feel like you could work with someone.

A therapist might be a good fit if you answer a loud YES to the following questions:
Do you feel connected, or like you could feel connected to this person?
Could you open up to this person (do they make you feel emotionally safe)?
Is this person a good and empathic listener?

Once you find a therapist you like, schedule a first appointment. This first appointment will be a time to make sure you’ve made a good choice by being clear about your needs. A good therapist will welcome this discussion to make sure they are meeting your needs in specific ways. Things to discuss can include:

Do you want a recap when finishing each session to make sense of everything you’ve covered?
Would you want homework between sessions?
Are you looking for book or podcast recommendations to reinforce the therapy work?

Be intentional about choosing a good therapist. It can be the difference between getting your needs met, and wasting your time because you can’t work through the issues that brought you there in the first place.

I hope this gets you started on your therapy journey. Stay tuned for Part 2, where I will discuss what to consider once you have successfully found, and started working with a therapist.

02/17/2020

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER: bit.ly/2vEWx3i_pans

12/18/2019

02/26/2019

On point.

Dear Doctor, I’m sure you’re aware that back in 2012, PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) was formally proposed and described in a white paper by a small handful of physicians wh…

02/08/2019

Soon enough I hope insurance companies will see the importance of paying for PANS treatment.

ANNAPOLIS — The state legislature can be an intimidating place at any age. But a determined boy from Boonsboro had business to do.

02/05/2019

If you, or someone you know, has a child with unexplained anxiety, OCD, rage or tics keep reading and feel free to PM me with any questions. http://www.nepans.org/panspandas-info.html

10/01/2018

Feeling challenged about how to support yourself or others? This workshop may be for you: http://www.drjthompson.com/

09/25/2018

Join us on October 27th to look at your own psychological wounding and healing http://www.drjthompson.com/

09/21/2018

Definition of Band-Aid: "a makeshift or temporary solution." Using emotional band-aids often feels easier than taking the time to heal the wound. Please join us on October 27th for our workshop "A Day of Healing" http://www.drjthompson.com/