16 Years Exp - LCSW
Jennifer Constanos
16 Years Exp
LCSW
24 specialities
Accepts insurance
Telehealth appointments throughout
Call us for details on 16 Years Exp
LCSW24 specialitiesAccepts insurance
Jennifer Constanos
Hey there! I’m Jen Constanos and a well seasoned licensed clinical social worker in NJ, NY and PA. I received my bachelors and masters degrees in social work from Monmouth University. I have 16 years of experience working in the field in a variety of different settings including medical units in the hospital, inpatient and outpatient mental health, community mental health, veterans hospital, hemo-dialysis, oncology and primary care. I have a true passion working to support clients through difficult emotions who want to experience less conflict, more connection with others as well as equipping them to create the change they need to build a more meaningful life. Outside of therapy, you’ll find me (after my cup of coffee) curled up on the couch, reading a book on rainy days.. if my kids and dogs allow me that time. Otherwise I enjoy being outside in the sun and at the lake fishing with my husband and 2 kiddos as well as investing in friends, our church and our community.
What I love most is the look on your face when it clicks, and all the work we’ve been doing comes together. You’ll tell me about the full night of sleep you got, how you handled a tough situation without a panic attack, or the moment you learned to not get sucked down the mental rabbit hole. To me, that is a combination of wonder and freedom - from feeling like your mind and emotions run the show.
Though every person’s situation is unique, I generally approach the counseling process from an ACT framework to help my clients explore their struggles in a mindful way, gaining distance from it and learning skills and strategies to reduce its impact and influence on your life. The duration of therapy sessions varies. It is difficult to put a time on how long therapy can take to allow you to accomplish your goals as it depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place.
In the first session, I’ll spend time getting to know you and more about what is bringing you in for therapy. You’ll have the freedom to share as much or as little as you want about the things I ask. You’re ultimately in the driver’s seat. Frequently, my clients express feeling a lot of relief about having taken the opportunity to begin to process in a safe and manageable way the things they have been struggling with as well as feeling a fresh sense of hope that things really can get better.
I can say I truly love what I do! Yes I know it might sound cheesy but being a therapist is more than just a “job” to me, it reflects a core part of me that enjoys getting to know people on a deeper level and watching the positive impact therapy can make in another person.
Highlights
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
I’m real, down to earth, approachable and use humor in our sessions. I don’t think therapy should be stale, cold or sterile. You’ll see that I practice with nonjudgement and transformation in mind while sprinkling a lot of compassion all around. I may have gone through lengthy and specific trainings/education to be in the role I am but that doesn’t make me any better than you or the “expert” of your life. You’re the expert of your life and I have the skill set to help guide you to make meaningful changes in your life. You’ll leave our sessions with practical skills to help you manage the difficult issues you are facing. I’m super excited you are here and honored to work with you through this journey!
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
My approach to treatment is collaborative, holistic, strengths based, and relational focusing on empowering individuals to better understand themselves and build deeper connections with others. While I tailor my approach to meet the needs of my client, I draw primarily from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavioral (DBT) therapeutic approaches in addition to faith based practices (when appropriate). Using a combination of different modalities, mindfulness practices, relaxation exercises and exposure work, I work to give you the tools and approach you need to get on with your life. I’m all about doing what works. We’ll get to the core of what’s going on (and yes, that involves you learning why and how you got to this point), but more importantly, I’ll give you a framework that you can use for anything that comes up in your life. You deserve a safe place to heal and grow!
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I feel one of my biggest strengths is showing genuine compassion for my clients and patience knowing that each client heals and grows at different paces during their journey. My primary areas of focus have been working with clients that struggle with high functioning anxiety, perfectionism, chronic worrying, burn out, depression, procrastination, boundaries, life transitions, and challenging life circumstances. I’m a big proponent of “practice what you preach,” so I’ll be the first one to say I’m not perfect, but I’m appreciating growing and seeing what happens next.
Specialities
