Becoming a therapist saved my life.

Meet Jacqueline

I’m a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with a Masters of Science. I have 15 years of experience studying psychology, human development, relationships, and trauma; nearly 10 years of experience in direct client work; and extensive training in a variety of modalities of therapy. I am certified in the Enneagram, including a focus on utilizing the Enneagram within relationships, and have specialized training in the treatment of trauma, attachment, development, and relational issues. I also have training in self-compassion, Somatic Attachment approaches, Gottman Level 1 Couples Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, Relational Life Therapy, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Brainspotting, and Prepare/Enrich for premarital/marital therapy. I work best with insightful, motivated adults and couples. Feel free to reach out directly at jacqueline@wildoakscounseling.com with any questions!

Meet Mirabel

Mirabel is my co-therapist in training and the official mascot of the Ooltewah office. She’s a 5-pound poodle mix who just turned 2.

She’s a little slow to warm up but LOVES her people once she gets to know them. She responds best to being allowed to sniff and then being pet from the side on her body and not her head at first. She also loves treats so feel free to ask for a treat to pass along to her if you’d like!

We appreciate your patience as we progress through her training and she can’t wait to welcome you to the office!

You’re tired of being your own inner critic, second-guessing yourself and your relationships, and simultaneously overextending yourself, overthinking every thing you say and do, while making yourself and your needs small and unproblematic with everyone.

You’re burned out and discouraged after trying to find just the right book, just the right resource, to give you the perfect answer to change yourself and your life, yet still falling into the same cycle over and over again. You know there has to be a better way, a way that you can have a life with more confidence, more stability, and more connected and fulfilling relationships, and you’re thinking it’s time you get some additional support...   

This space—this intentional, authentic, and safe space—is for you.

My Approach to Therapy

Therapy with me is an accepting, nonjudgmental (albeit sometimes sassy and humorous), and safe space, and it’s a collaborative process.

I have not only an intense passion for therapy (read also hyperfixation, lol) but the greatest respect and awe for the therapeutic process. I do not take for granted the role I have the privilege to serve in supporting others through their journey.

My primary task as your therapist is to create a safe space that will allow you to do deep healing work—and let’s face it, that also means doing some uncomfortable work because change and growth are uncomfortable! And therapy is work. We will always go at your pace and never with an expectation that you have to share more than you want to or are ready to. While I may challenge you, you will always retain autonomy and control in the process.

In therapy with me, you’ll find you can say the things you need to say without fear of judgement, without a filter, and without needing to “be nice.” My role is to hold space for whatever is it you want to bring into therapy and to help you decide where and how we focus on these topics in order for you to develop new and deeper insights, change long-held patterns, and feel like you’re moving in the direction you want and need to move to reach your desired outcomes in life.

My goal is for you to leave every session with me feeling like you learned something (about yourself or your partner, a new coping strategy, a new way to communicate during conflict, or new information about the way your brain and body work together, etc). Sessions might look different every time we meet as I don’t think therapy should be a rigid or overly structured process; your need won’t be the same every time we meet, and I trust you and your brain to help lead us where we need to go. We might process and unpack how your week has gone or dive into difficult themes that keep finding their way into your life—and there is value in both.

How is therapy with me different?

Many of today’s solutions for trauma, relationships, anxiety, and self-esteem can take a one-size-fits all approach, relying heavily on the “logic” brain, leading so many to feel like:

  • They have insight into their concerns, but they don’t know what to do about them.

  • They have skills to navigate distress, but they don’t understand why they’re distressed to begin with.

  • They’re just not making real, significant, consistent progress.

I know that your circumstances are unique, so I intentionally and collaboratively take a holistic approach to understand you as a whole being, under the cultures, systems, and contexts in which you’ve developed.

Every step we take together is tailored to your specific needs and goals.

First, we’ll identify what your concerns and desired outcomes are, and we’ll explore the personal and relational dynamics that have contributed to your current difficulty managing your emotions, communicating your needs and boundaries, and feeling seen, heard, and fulfilled in your relationships. Then, we’ll work on specific skills and changes as well as processing methods that will be most effective for you. Through our work together, you’ll be better equipped to cope with anxiety and negative self-esteem, recover from past trauma, and thrive in your relationships.

Am I the right therapist for you?

  • I’ve dedicated my professional career to understanding attachment, relationships, development, and trauma as well as the systems in which we operate (politics, culture, religion, philosophy, etc.) and how to help people move past where they get stuck within their inner dialogue and coping strategies that just don’t work anymore.

    My training as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist means I have the expertise you need and deserve when it comes to processing your trauma, anxieties, insecurities, and relationship concerns.

    Ultimately, I can help you because I’ve personally lived through experiences of relational trauma, having anxiety in my relationships, pondering questions about my own self-worth, and issues in my romantic relationships, and I’m extensively trained in helping people overcome these concerns.

    If I'm honest, becoming a therapist saved my life. Attending therapy myself, working with supervisors and even clients who challenged me, and training consistently has transformed me for the better. I won't ask you to go anywhere I haven't gone myself--I'm uniquely equipped because I've been on both sides of the equation, the before and the after AND the client and the therapist, and I'll share with you the truth of what works, with the empathy of someone who has been there myself.

  • Clients describe me as authentic, dedicated, a good listener, and non-judgmental. You might be thinking “Sure, that’s what a therapist is supposed to be," and you'd be right. But many of my clients come to me after experiences with therapists where that wasn’t the case, and sometimes they've been hurt by the very person intended to help them heal. The safe space I create and the authentic personhood I bring to that space is why my clients feel comfortable being 100% themselves.

    Our professional relationship is of utmost importance to me. I will always make space for your questions and feedback, even if that means you disagree with me and want or need something different than what I might suggest--I welcome your honestly and your challenges as I can always grow and learn more about you, your needs, and how to be a better therapist.

    That also means I don’t keep things cold and clinical. I highly value being relational in my work with you, meaning I’ll share things I’ve learned in my life experiences, how I really do get how many things are easier said than done, and how self-awareness can become overwhelming and lead to greater suffering--and sometimes you might hear a funny story about my dog, too.

    Oftentimes the people I work with are relieved to hear that not only are they not alone in their struggles but that a therapist has also struggled and found a way to grow, heal, and take control back from negative self-beliefs, relationship difficulties, trauma, and anxiety.

    If one of your goals is learning how to be more compassionate and human with yourself and in your relationships, you’ll find that safely uncomfortable space with me.

  • I'm an Enneagram 6 with a strong wing 5.

    I have 3 dogs (you met Mirabel above, but she has a brother and sister named Leo and Penni).

    I'm married to my best friend.

    I take on way too many plants.

    Psychology has been my favorite thing I've ever studied and I've NEVER gotten tired of learning more about it.

    I love to read and write (seriously, recommend your favorite book to me).

    I'm a mountain girl, but I won't say no to a beach trip.

As your therapist, I’m also invested in my own personal growth, and I know how hard it can be to really commit to the therapeutic process and see it through. I never ask my clients to go anywhere I have not gone myself. I know the therapy process can at times be overwhelming, uncomfortable, disappointing, or frustrating.

I also know that it’s worth it.

The hard work of therapy can truly result in long-term changes in your life and relationships.

I know because I’ve lived it.

My Specialties & Modalities

Trauma Therapy

You’re not sure if you’d call it “trauma.” You’ve done pretty well for yourself, and there are definitely people out there who had it harder than you. But when you look back on it, it feels like life has been pretty hard - and some of the things you’ve been through are things you definitely wouldn’t wish on others. Sometimes you have a hard time connecting to people and being kind to yourself. You worry a lot, you don’t trust yourself or others, and you wouldn’t say you feel very confident or sure of yourself. If you’d like to feel more confident and secure in yourself and more connected in your relationships, click below to see if trauma therapy might be a good fit for you.

Relationship Therapy

When your relationship first started, you felt certain you’d finally found someone who would be able to see you, understand you, and would always care for you the way you care for them. You thought you’d found your person and your safe place. Now, you find yourself stuck in the same repeating cycle, arguing and disconnecting from one another, feeling hurt and lonely. Whether you’re hoping to come on your own to work on being a better partner and understanding your own part in your relationship, or hoping to come with your partner to get reconnected and learn to love each other better, relationship therapy can help you develop the deep connection you want.

Therapy Intensives

Sometimes even therapists get into a rut. Most of us are taught that the “right” way to do therapy is to meet every week, for 50-minutes, for months or years, letting clients decide each week what you focus on. And it’s not that this doesn’t work for some people. But I don’t think this is the only way or even the best way to do therapy. I offer adaptive, customizable therapy intensives to help you get better faster by having longer sessions (3+ hours) over the course of a few days (1-3 days, typically) with a specific, intentional focus. These sessions can work well to heal specific traumas or lay a significant foundation for couples to develop skills and frameworks to jumpstart their growth.

  • Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)

    This form of therapy uses eye movement to resolve traumas in as little as 1-3 sessions.

  • Brainspotting (BSP)

    Your gaze affects how you feel, and we utilize gaze positions to deeply and profoundly heal trauma.

  • Neurofeedback

    Neurofeedback can help your brain learn to regulate itself so that regulated, focused states of mind become the default.

  • Enneagram

    The Enneagram is a centuries old personality system that is useful for exploring adaptations and motivations.

  • Parts Work

    We store different versions of ourself within our psyche based on our experiences and adaptations.

  • Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)

    EFT explores the root issues and tracks the cycles couples get into in order to increase connection.

  • Relational Life Therapy (RLT)

    RLT uses research about trauma, attachment, and the patriarchy to reconnect couples.

  • Gottman Method

    The Gottman Institute studied couples for decades to discover the differences between healthy and unhealthy couples.

Clinical Experience

I’m committed to ongoing education and trainings to provide the best support I can to you.

  • Master's of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy, Lee University

    LMFT #1639, Tenessee

    LMFT #2462, Colorado

    Telehealth Provider #1305, Florida

  • Certified Enneagram Professional, Enneagram George, November 2022

  • Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), December 2023

    Brainspotting, Phase 1, January 2024

    Relational Life Therapy, Level 1, 2024

    IFS, Inner Circle, 2024

    Gottman Method, Level 1, May 2018

    Prepare/Enrich, May 2018

    Trauma Foundations, March 2022

    Trauma Interventions 1, May 2022

    Trauma Interventions 2, August 2022

    Trauma and Ethics, September 2023

    Smaller trainings include suicide prevention, infidelity recovery, treatment of panic attacks, treatment of trauma, couples therapy, attachment, and more.

    Graduate school education included Emotion Focused Therapy for Couples, Individuals, and Families; Narrative Therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Feminist Therapy; Systems Therapy; Structural Family Therapy; Attachment Theory; Treatment of Infidelity; Human Development; Suicide Prevention; and more.

  • American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT)

    Southeast Brainspotting Institute (SEBI)

    International Society of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ISART)

    International Enneagram Association (IEA)

My Guiding Principles

Inclusion

I am wholeheartedly welcoming of all identities and lifestyles and incorporate exploring how culture, power, and privilege influence your experience. I am committed to always seeking deeper understanding of experiences that differ from my own. I also continually invite you to actively collaborate in the therapeutic process.

Growth

For myself, this means I am continually involved in training and consultation so that I am practiced and informed at how to best meet your needs. I also continue engaging in my own work so I don’t burn out, I am capable of being present and engaged with you, and I continue my journey of growth.

Authenticity

I prioritize transparency in our working relationship so you never have to guess what I’m thinking or why I’m doing something. I encourage questions and feedback. I work to create a genuine space where you can say anything and everything (yes, even swearing). I show up as my authentic self and not a special “therapist version” of me.

Connection

I work to make sure you feel comfortable in our relationship. I may offer my own life examples as applicable so you know you’re not alone and I genuinely don’t judge you. I invite feedback throughout our relationship so that I may learn and adapt to your needs.

Basic Human Value

I believe every human being is born with innate worth, value, and lovability. I believe you have the right to be heard, the right to safety, the right to have your basic needs met, the right to agency and autonomy, and the right to experience safe, human connection.

Vulnerability

I believe we as human beings deeply crave relationship and that vulnerability brings us to deeper, more fulfilling relationship. This means I will always respond with a balance of compassion and accountability for myself and others, even and especially when it feels vulnerable (and safe).

Are we a good fit together?

We’re likely a good fit if…

  • You’re ready to dig deep.

  • You want a therapist to challenge you.

  • You want to laugh and cry during your therapy sessions.

  • You’re committed to growth (it’s oaky to also be nervous).

We may not be a great fit if…

  • You’re not sure you want to get to the root of your concerns.

  • You aren’t really looking for feedback of things to do differently.

  • You’re looking for staunch professionalism from your therapist.

  • You want someone who will only validate and listen passively.

I'm here when you're ready for a new chapter in your story.

I'm here when you're ready for a new chapter in your story.

You don’t have to stay stuck in the same old storyline. I can teach you to write a new story where you get to be the author and not just a passive character.