Hi, I’m Jessica young.
I am a licensed psychotherapist, artist, author, healing practitioner and founder of Healing Art Retreats™.
I graduated in 2011 from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.S in Clinical Psychology and in 2013 from Springfield College with a Masters of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Following completion of my graduate degree, I worked in various settings gathering clinical hours in order to ascertain independent licensure as a psychotherapist.
I began my first years as a clinician completing mental health crisis evaluations and assessments for a local crisis response unit, working on an in inpatient psychiatric unit and finally counseling a group of young men on a maximum security youth detention/stabilization unit. I always felt drawn to the intensity of acute psychiatric work and felt a strong pull to helping those most in need. What I didn’t realize however, was that my own mental health and repressed traumas were hanging on by a thread. Because of this, the high paced and unpredictable world of acute psychiatric care led me to inevitable burn out that forced me down a different path: one that included traversing not only the healing of the humans I served, but my own healing as well.
Easing out of the intensity of crisis and inpatient work, I transitioned into outpatient psychotherapy and completed a 200-hour intensive Hatha Yoga and meditation teacher training in the jungles of Costa Rica in hopes to navigate a course in my own healing. This shift from clinical training to holistic and spiritual training informed the foundation of my current approach to healing and it quite frankly, saved my life.
Not too long after receiving my Yoga and meditation teacher trainings I deepened the healing well by receiving my level 1 and level 2 Reiki attunements.
In 2017 I became independently licensed in the state of Massachusetts and left community outpatient mental health to start my own private practice, which I proudly run to this day. Since then I have completed several trainings on trauma informed psychotherapy and became a certified trauma therapist in 2019.
“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”
My Approach
Safe, calm, relaxing
I do my best to create a relaxed, safe and comforting space for you to express yourself and work through the obstacles in your life, both past and present. There is never a rush to process any of the heavier weight you might be carrying, we will work at whatever pace feels safest for your needs and nervous system.
Trauma Informed
All of the work we do is with the understanding that your nervous system has likely been through quite a bit in your lifetime. My hope is that we can develop a plan to address how your past is impacting your present and how we can rewire your brain and body for healing.
Shame free
All of the work we do is done without the presence of shame, and when it shows up we face it head on and with compassion. I assist individuals in an unconditionally supportive and empathic manner, working to meet you where you are and help you get to where you want to be without the added weight of shame keeping you from meeting your goals.
Mindfulness Based
I offer multiple therapeutic techniques and modalities such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, meditation & guided-imagery, body & mind awareness, journal therapy, deconstruction therapy and expressive therapy techniques including art and yoga therapy.
“Together we will navigate the path back home to yourself.”