Stephanie M Jasper, PsyD

“Be Kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about” -Anonymous

There is something complex happening in the room when I sit with a parent and their teenage child. While every family presents this complexity in different ways, what they all have in common is something dynamic and multi-faceted. At its core, what I provide as a family therapist is an ability to be completely present within this dynamic while we explore how these relationships can strengthen and become more effective for everyone involved.

Having spent my 15-year career working with system-involved children and their families, I have a unique understanding of how out-of-home placement, foster care and adoption impacts an already complex parent/child dynamic. I’ve worked in group homes, residential treatment facilities, emergency shelters and as a case manager prior to and while completing my clinical training. And now, as a Professional Psychologist, I have the opportunity to complete psychological evaluations that can provide a wrap-around clinical experience that supports a family beyond a diagnostic label for their child.

Additionally, should it apply to your family, I have served as a crisis response supervisor and trainer within both residential treatment and emergency shelter programs. This front-line experience allows me to better understand that a child’s escalated emotional behavior is a serious thing that parents often feel very alone in managing. I would hope to provide effective strategies and safety planning for such behavior if it is a factor in your need for family therapy as well.

Beyond these professional experiences I’d also like to share that my husband and I have recently completed the licensing process to become foster parents ourselves! This new phase of our lives will undoubtedly challenge and reward us in unknown ways and hopefully allow me to even more effectively join with you and your family.

Allowing a new therapist to enter into your family’s dynamic can be uncomfortable. Please know that I see a family’s willingness to welcome me into their world as a privilege and I do my best to honor the courage it requires. I look forward to having the opportunity to meet you and your child!